Six months after hearings began, Commissioner Denis Gallant brought an end to a surprise public inquiry into the SAAQclic fiasco.
• Also read: Five notable points from the Gallant Commission in the SAAQclic case
“It’s been a roller coaster,” he said. His mission: to shed light on SAAQ's chaotic and costly digital transformation and determine who in government and the political apparatus knew about it. He claims to have turned over “every stone” in his search for the truth.
More than 131 witnesses and experts were interviewed, and thousands of documents were collected. The public witnessed intense interrogations and incredible statements. “This is not something that will stop the Earth from spinning,” former SAAQ board president Guy Morneau said of cost overruns.
The commissioner reiterated that his role was not to find anyone guilty, but to investigate and report to “prevent a situation like the one we faced from happening again.” He now has two months to write his report.
In the meantime, here are five notable moments from this commission of inquiry.
Guilbeault caught in a contradiction
Testimony and evidence presented to Commissioner Denis Galland confirms that Minister Genevieve Guilbault has received all financial information on the project since April 2023, including cost overruns and additional expenses. However, the current Minister of Municipal Affairs (and former Minister of Transport) has always maintained that she became aware of these elements after reading the report of the Auditor General of Quebec (VGQ) two years later, in February 2025. “You can’t say we didn’t notify you,” Commissioner Denis Gallant told her.
– Gallant Commission – SAAQclic Fiasco – Karl Malenfant – 500 Blvd. René-Lévesque West Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Monday, September 22, 2025. PHOTO: MARTIN ALARY/JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL/AGENCE QMI
Photo by MARTIN ALARY
Friends of Karl Malenfant
The architect of the fiasco and vice president of technology, Karl Malenfant, involved his loved ones in the structuring and planning of the SAAQclic project, including two women nicknamed “Mado” and “Lulu.” Several of his “professional” friends signed lucrative contracts for this project. According to SAAQ staff, Malenfant applied pressure to bend the rules, going so far as to “wipe his feet on the law.” With his employees “Lulu” and “Mado”, he allegedly favored SAP, which specializes in integrated management software packages.
Michel Dumas, former LGS (IBM)
Screenshot of the Commission of Inquiry into the management of the modernization of computer systems of the Société d'Assurance Automobile du Québec
Secret agreement with LGS
SAAQ has been aware since 2020 that a re-infusion of funds will be required to complete the project. A dispute broke out between SAAQ and its LGS supplier (IBM), and the SAAQclic portion of the digital transformation was approximately 1.4 million hours short of completion. In 2020, a confidential agreement was signed changing the scope of the project. Rather than issue an amendment revealing the cost spike, SAAQ opted to use the $458 million contract signed with the LGS-SAP alliance in 2017 to cover full project completion and maintenance. SAAQ committed to re-inject $135 million following this mediation, as well as to abandon the third project.
Former SAAQ CEO Denis Marsolet testifies to the SAAQclic commission in Quebec, Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Stevens Leblanc/JOURNAL DE QUÉBEC/AGENCE QMI)
Photo by Stevens LeBlanc
Version collision
Who is telling the truth between Denis Marsolais, Yves Ouellet and the former cabinet of François Bonnardel? Former CEO Denis Marsolet claims that in September 2022 he handed Yves Ouellet, a senior government official and the prime minister's right-hand man, a folder detailing the entire contract strategy, as well as the addition of $222 million to the SAAQclic project. He claims that he informed the latter about the sharp increase in expenses during a meeting at the height of the election campaign. Marsolet also claims that the administration of Minister François Bonnardel was informed, in particular through adviser Alain Generet, in the summer of 2022. Yves Ouellet and Alain Generet denied these accusations under oath.
Screenshot of Quebec Premier Francois Legault during his testimony to the Galland Commission regarding the SAAQclic fiasco in Montreal, Tuesday, September 2, 2025. SCREENSHOT/TVA NOUVELLES/AGENCE QMI
SCREENSHOT / VAT NEWS / QMI AGENCY
Was Lego kept in the dark?
“I should have been informed. Unfortunately, this was not done,” complained Francois Legault during his testimony before the commission of inquiry. The Prime Minister insisted that he was kept in the dark and those around him were informed of cost overruns and the risks of the SAAQclic project spinning out of control. He acknowledged that his transport ministers should have asked more questions, pointing to Francois Bonnardel and Genevieve Guilbault as those ultimately responsible for the issue.
