Latest news with #DenisGallant
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
SAAQ CEO Éric Ducharme's testimony will not be heard, Gallant rules
Commissioner Denis Gallant presides over a special inquiry into the causes and circumstances underlying the problems with managing and implementing the CASA program for the Societe d'Assurance automobile du Quebec, in Quebec City on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press) Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) CEO Éric Ducharme's testimony will not be heard before the Gallant Commission. On Tuesday, Commissioner Denis Gallant rejected the SAAQ's request that Ducharme be allowed to quickly give his version of events. The day before, former auditor Marie-Line Lalonde testified that Ducharme had very little interest in internal auditing, even after the SAAQclic scandal. The lawyer representing the SAAQ, Sébastien Laprise, argued on Monday that Lalonde's statements had the potential to undermine public confidence in the Crown corporation. However, Gallant ruled on Tuesday that it was not 'appropriate' to grant the SAAQ's request, since it already has party status on the commission. He pointed out that its lawyers will have ample opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses. The commissioner confirmed that Ducharme will be heard when proceedings resume after the summer break. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 17, 2025.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Current SAAQ CEO Ducharme criticized once again at Gallant commission
Commissioner Denis Gallant, centre back, presides over an inquiry into the causes and circumstances underlying the problems with managing and implementing the CASA program for the Societe d'Assurance automobile du Quebec, in Quebec City on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press) In 2024, three auditors from Quebec's auto insurance board - the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) - resigned, disappointed by CEO Éric Ducharme's lack of interest in their work. 'It was like being spat on,' said former auditor Marie-Line Lalonde on Monday during her testimony before the Gallant Commission, which is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the SAAQclic fiasco. Lalonde explained that her department had to wait nine months before getting a meeting with Ducharme, who was appointed in 2023 by the Legault government to turn around the situation at the SAAQ. During that meeting, which finally took place in January 2024, the new CEO was 'sitting in his chair with his arms crossed,' Lalonde recalled. 'It was a very cold approach. (...) If he could have gotten up and left, he would have. (...) We told him that we were working for him, that we were there to help him,' she said. 'It was as if he was saying, 'I don't want your work.'' Ducharme no longer wanted the internal audit to 'rock the boat,' but in auditing, 'the goal is not to get along with the sectors,' it is to be factual, according to the chartered professional accountant. She and her team were 'really disappointed' after the meeting with Ducharme, so much so that they decided it was probably time for them to 'update their CVs.' Three of them left the SAAQ at the same time in early 2024. Former auditor Vincent Poirier testified on May 29 that Ducharme did not 'want' a report detailing the IT problems discovered following the failed launch of SAAQclic. During his end-of-session review on June 6, Premier François Legault refused to reiterate his confidence in Ducharme. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 16, 2025.
Montreal Gazette
13-06-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Gallant commission into SAAQclic scandal extended to Dec. 15
Quebec Politics QUEBEC — The Legault government announced Thursday that it has agreed to extend the Gallant Commission's investigation into the SAAQclic fiasco until Dec. 15, 2025. Commissioner Denis Gallant was initially scheduled to submit his final report by Sept. 30. He clearly needs more time to fulfill his mandate; testimony has been pouring in for six weeks, but it is far from over. The commission heard from several former members of the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) board of directors, former internal auditors, and a former vice-president of finance. It has not yet met with the presidents and CEOs, the project manager who was central to the digital shift, Karl Malenfant, or Legault government ministers. The SAAQ's failed digital transformation is expected to cost taxpayers at least $1.1 billion by 2027, or $500 million more than expected, according to calculations by the auditor general. The hearings, which were scheduled to end on June 20, will now resume in Montreal at the end of August. SAAQ hid costs On Thursday, former SAAQ Vice-President of Finance Yves Frenette — testifying for the third consecutive day — grudgingly acknowledged that the government corporation had hidden costs in 2022. In June 2022, Frenette was invited to review a 'placemat' intended for Ministers Éric Caire and François Bonnardel, which indicated that the cost of the digital project was $682 million. But it was actually $945 million, Frenette acknowledged Thursday, saying he wasn't surprised to see this figure in the auditor's report that sparked controversy last February. The figure presented to politicians includes the 'implementation' cost, but not the 'recurring' cost, which had been part of the original calculation. The commission's lawyer, Marie-Claude Sarrazin, then suggested to Frenette that they had stopped comparing 'apples to apples' and were instead comparing 'an apple to half an apple.' Frenette could only agree. No further details on the discussions with the ministers have been released so far. Timing 'suits the CAQ', Liberals say The official opposition in the National Assembly says it understands the need to extend the commission's work. 'Given the scope of the scandal, the mass of information, and the number of testimonies, I understand,' Quebec Liberal Party House Leader Monsef Derraji said. However, he deplored the fact that the report will not be submitted until after the end of the fall parliamentary session, when MNAs return to their ridings for the Christmas holidays. 'No debate in the Assembly or accountability before elected officials: let's be frank, that suits the CAQ government perfectly,' Derraji said. The Parti Québécois agreed. 'Premier François Legault, who wanted to move quickly, now seems much less eager to obtain the conclusions of the investigation,' MNA Joël Arseneau said. He emphasized that the testimonies have been, so far, 'damning,' the revelations 'troubling' and marked by 'suspicions of corruption.' 'We have the impression that the government took the opportunity to postpone the submission of the report until after the end of the session to avoid being held accountable before the end of 2025,' he added. Québec solidaire said Thursday that it would reserve its comments. 'Extremely dense' evidence On Thursday, commission spokesperson Joanne Marceau said it was indeed the commission that requested a two-and-a-half-month extension. In a telephone interview, she stated that investigators had received 100,000 documents and then met with 160 witnesses, 42 of whom were questioned before the commissioner. 'Our evidence is extremely dense. ... No witness is useless,' she said.
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
SAAQclic fiasco: Gallant commission extended until mid-December
Commissioner Denis Gallant of the Commission of Inquiry into the Management of the Modernization of the Société de l'assurance automobile (SAAQ) IT Systems is awaiting the start of the public inquiry into the failures of the SAAQclic platform in Montreal on Thursday, April 24 2025. A public inquiry into the SAAQ's costly digital transformation has revealed that it could cost the province nearly half a billion dollars more than originally anticipated. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) The Quebec government announced Thursday that it agreed to extend the Gallant commission investigating the SAAQclic fiasco until Dec. 15, 2025. Commissioner Denis Gallant was originally supposed to submit his final report into the auto insurance board by Sept. 30. He will need more time to complete his mandate; testimony has been ongoing for six weeks, but is far from complete. The commission has heard from several former members of the board of directors of the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), former internal auditors and a former vice-president of finance. It has not yet heard from the chief executive officers, the project manager who was at the heart of the digital transformation, Karl Malenfant, or Coalition Avenir Québec ministers. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French June 12, 2025. By Caroline Plante, The Canadian Press
CTV News
07-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Quebec open to extending inquiry into SAAQclic
Commissioner Denis Gallant of the Commission of Inquiry into the Management of the Modernization of the Société de l'assurance automobile (SAAQ) IT Systems is awaiting the start of the public inquiry into the failures of the SAAQclic platform in Montreal on Thursday, April 24 2025. A public inquiry into the SAAQ's costly digital transformation has revealed that it could cost the province nearly half a billion dollars more than originally anticipated. (The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi)
