Liberals to table a motion calling for Bonnardel resignation over SAAQclic fiasco

Quebec Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel responds to the Opposition over a report on the SAAQ during question period at the legislature in Quebec City, Thursday, February 20, 2025 (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press) (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

The Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) will table a motion in the National Assembly calling for the resignation of Minister François Bonnardel, who was allegedly made aware of problems in the development of SAAQclic as early as 2021.

“Le Devoir” revealed on Wednesday morning that Bonnardel, who was Transport Minister from 2018 to 2022, received information in September 2021 about cost overruns in the design of the new digital platform of the Quebec auto insurance board (Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec - SAAQ).

According to Liberal Party house leader Monsef Derraji, Bonnardel has “lost credibility in this fiasco by failing to act since 2021.”

“He must resign,” he said on social media, announcing at the same time that his party would be tabling a motion in the National Assembly calling for Bonnardel’s departure.

Much has been written about the SAAQ’s digital transition fiasco since the auditor general published a report revealing that the project resulted in $500 million in cost overruns.

In the wake of the report’s release, Bonnardel, who is now Public Safety Minister, said that he was “misled” by the SAAQ into not telling the government the full extent of the problems that had arisen during the development of SAAQclic.

The current Transport Minister, Geneviève Guilbault, and the former Digital Minister, Éric Caire, have made similar arguments. Caire finally left the cabinet when the media reported that he had been in possession of several items of information concerning SAAQclic’s problems.

The Legault government has launched a public enquiry into SAAQclic, to be led by former Charbonneau commission prosecutor Denis Gallant.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 19, 2025.