Sequence of Events in the Tale/Saga
Kickstarting the Gallant Commission: Unveil the mess behind SAAQ's digital rebrand
The Gallant Commission commenced its scrutiny on SAAQ's digital transformation fiasco in April 2025, with a focus on the goings-on of the CASA program and the SAAQclic platform. Its mission: to expose the reasons behind the project's technical and financial breakdowns and dig deeper into the awareness level of SAAQ executives regarding the red flags raised by Quebec's auditor general.
A Mounting Crisis Revealed
The February 2025 auditor general report disclosed a whopping $500 million budget overrun, making the total projected costs exceed $1.1 billion by 2027, and operational chaos in 2023, such as system failures that left citizens seeking physical queues for tasks usually handled by the online platform.
Key Testimonies and Findings
- Defense Riddles: SAAQ officials stuck to comparing "apples to apples", maintaining that the 2017 budgets still hold water despite the auditor's findings of loose financial monitoring.
- Leader's Disputes: Premier Legault challenged the auditor's calculations, advocating for separating software maintenance and implementation costs.
- Systemic Negligence: Issues flagged as early as 2022 were casually dismissed by SAAQ management, which persisted despite the evident risks.
The Political Aftershock
Éric Caire stepped down as cybersecurity minister following the damning audit, triggering the CAQ government to instate the commission. The final report is due by September 30, 2025.
- The Gallant Commission, established in 2025 to investigate SAAQ's digital transformation fiasco, is expected to delve into the role of technology in the project's mitigation, especially considering the projected costs exceeding $1.1 billion by 2027.
- As part of the Gallant Commission's work, they may examine the level of understanding and response among SAAQ executives regarding the documentation of red flags raised by Quebec's auditor general in relation to the CASA program and the SAAQclic platform.
- Amidst the political aftershock, the CAQ government may also be under scrutiny for their oversight of the SAAQ's digital transformation, particularly in light of the systemic negligence observed in addressing issues flagged as early as 2022.
