In a public hearing, Commissioner Denis Gallant criticized a political adviser linked to former Transport Minister François Bonnardel for relying on incomplete information from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) regarding its IT project, which faced challenges.
Alain Généreux, the political adviser responsible for SAAQ matters in Minister Bonnardel’s office from 2019 to 2022, faced questioning at the commission investigating the SAAQclic project debacle.
During his testimony, Généreux defended his trust in the SAAQ’s updates on their digital transformation progress, despite warnings on costs, multiple issues needing fixing, and feature delays.
Commissioner Gallant expressed confusion over the political adviser’s satisfaction with partial information. He emphasized the importance of seeking comprehensive answers.
Généreux maintained that the information provided by the SAAQ was accurate at the time, noting resource constraints and delayed feature deliveries as part of the project timeline set for October 2022.
He expressed a desire for more transparency in the sharing of information with the cabinet, highlighting the significance of internal audit findings that had flagged concerns prior to the SAAQclic launch.
Numerous witnesses testified at the initial public hearings of the commission, raising issues concerning the oversight of the project and the dissemination of project cost details.
Commissioner Gallant flagged a concerning discrepancy in the reported costs of the IT project, where the actual total bill of $682 million was concealed from certain officials, with a lower figure of $458 million being presented instead.
Généreux defended the disclosure practices, citing the specifics of the agreement between the SAAQ and the Treasury Board that accounted for the contract cost with the consortium, but not internal expenses.
Acknowledging room for enhanced transparency, Généreux admitted that the state-owned corporation could have been clearer in its reporting.
Véronik Aubry, the former chief of staff to the minister of transportation, also began her testimony during the hearing.
