Rapport Gallant: SAAQclic Under Fire – A Deep Dive into the Scandal
The highly anticipated Gallant Report is set to deliver a scathing indictment of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) leadership, particularly concerning the disastrous SAAQclic project. If the pre-notice of findings released by Commissioner Denis Gallant are any indication, the blame will fall squarely on the shoulders of the SAAQ’s top brass. Politically, Minister Geneviève Guilbault faces scrutiny, with portions of her testimony deemed “not credible.”
Key Findings from the Pre-Notice of Findings
The allegations primarily target Karl Malenfant, the former Vice-President of Information Technology. He recently revealed the 48 pre-notice of findings he received from the Commission before the holidays. These notices offer a clear preview of the report’s conclusions, which will be unveiled in Quebec City on Monday.
Malenfant vehemently refutes the accusations leveled by Judge Gallant, who was tasked with investigating the fiasco, projected to cost up to $1.1 billion by 2027, according to the Quebec General Auditor (VGQ). Documents reviewed suggest that former CEO Nathalie Tremblay, former CEO Denis Marsolais, and former Vice-President Karl Malenfant allegedly manipulated information to conceal the escalating costs and the project’s derailment from elected officials.
Allegations of Misleading Information and Contract Irregularities
Significant portions of their testimonies and defenses are considered “not credible in light of the evidence presented.” The Commission further alleges that Malenfant deliberately steered SAAQ contracts towards acquaintances, violating various contractual rules. “Decisions were often made unilaterally by Karl Malenfant,” the pre-notices indicate.
Furthermore, the Commission contends that the “misleading information transmitted by the SAAQ to parliamentarians and the government was not the result of inadvertent errors.” The SAAQ leadership allegedly concealed project costs and additional expenses totaling $222 million from elected officials of the National Assembly. “A conscious action to mask reality from parliamentarians,” the document states.
Political Accountability and Ministerial Knowledge
A crucial question remains: who knew what on the political front? According to the pre-notices, the SAAQ leadership deliberately concealed the true costs and risks of the project during reports to Ministers Éric Caire and François Bonnardel. Despite the SAAQ identifying additional needs, “Nathalie Tremblay and Karl Malenfant responded that everything was fine,” “which is demonstrably false,” the Commission emphasizes.
A similar scenario allegedly occurred during the presentation to Éric Caire regarding the final integrated testing status. Malenfant vigorously contests these allegations with supporting documentation. The question of whether ministers and their teams asked sufficient questions remains. During their testimony, they repeatedly stated they had no recollection of several discussions regarding SAAQclic, with no notes from these meetings existing.
Minister Guilbault’s Testimony Under Scrutiny
As previously reported, a portion of Minister Geneviève Guilbault’s testimony is also deemed not credible. Guilbault and her office consistently maintained they only learned the full extent of the SAAQclic project’s cost overruns upon the release of the VGQ report in February 2025. However, evidence presented to the Commission demonstrates that Minister Guilbault received all financial information, including cost overruns, as early as April 2023.
Commissioner Denis Gallant will publicly read his conclusions at 11:30 AM.
Further Reading: Quebec General Auditor (VGQ)
