Gallant Commission: Former SAAQ VP Malenfant Claims Digital Shift Focused on Sustainability, Not Profit
Quebec City – Testimony at the Gallant Commission revealed former SAAQ Vice-President of Details Technologies, Karl Malenfant, asserted the agency’s digital transformation was primarily intended to ensure the long-term viability of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), not to generate revenue. This contradicts statements from multiple witnesses who claim the project was pitched to government officials as a deficit-eliminating measure.
Malenfant’s testimony centered on negotiations with “the Alliance” – a key supplier – and the potential risks associated with a payment approach suggested by the prosecutor.He stated that agreeing to pay the supplier only what the SAAQ “considered” appropriate, while continuing contract execution with a later balance settlement, would have jeopardized the project due to potential staffing shortages. He also maintained the supplier never formally notified the SAAQ of potential withdrawal, as stipulated in their contract.
The commission heard that while profit wasn’t the primary goal, addressing the SAAQ’s debt was acknowledged. Malenfant distinguished between “the big SAAQ” – the fund compensating accident victims – and “the little Saaq” – the administrative component burdened with debt. He described his role in negotiations with LGS as focused on clarifying the responsibilities of each party, characterizing it as “making rope souque.”
Malenfant further stated the digital shift’s core objective was ”to manage the sustainability of heritage, because no sustainability, the Saaq farm.” This statement clashes with witness accounts indicating the project’s financial benefits were a central selling point to government authorities. The Gallant Commission continues to investigate potential irregularities surrounding the SAAQ’s digital transformation project and its associated contracts.
