The minister who took over from Eric Caire is dissatisfied with the management of the government’s computer projects. Three months after his posting, he openly criticized delays in the delivery of several contracts and their cost exceeding which could lead to another SAAQCLIC.
“No, I am not satisfied, the projects do not engage in time and there can be cost overruns,” said the new Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital, Gilles Bélanger, during the study of budgetary credits.
The Minister indicates that there are about $ 9 billion in potential digital transformation projects and for $ 2.5 billion in projects that are in execution.
He obtained from the Prime Minister the mandate to deliver projects in time and budgets and intends to quickly raise the bar in the governance of IT projects.
“I will take the means, and it starts from the development of contracts with suppliers. If the contracts are an open bar, it is certain that there will be an overtaking, “he admitted, while the liberal Michelle Setlakwe asked him if the former Minister Eric Caire had left him a well-ordered house.
Not enough power
According to him, the powers of the ministry “are extremely limited” for the moment. For example, if a project slips, that there are cost overruns and that the deadlines are not respected, the Digital Minister has no power to end it.
For the moment, the minister can only make “communication follow -up” when there are problems.
“Is there a sanction power?” Is there a power to interrupt a particular project? The answer is no, ”he said.
However, the ministry was created in 2022 and had to establish the cohesion of computer projects throughout government, while supporting innovation and digital transformation.
Moreover, the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital “does not have the right tools” to ensure that there cannot be “another Saaqclic,” he said.
The Minister “does not eliminate the possibility” to give himself more power. “There will probably be other tools that will allow better management,” he believes.
Evaluations and concerns
Gilles Bélanger also mentioned that he “analyzes” and “questions” the 209 IT projects which are active at the moment for a value of $ 2.5 billion.
He admits to having “concerns” for some of them, citing in particular the digital health file.
Contracts worth $ 1.5 billion over 15 years for this megaprojet have been given to two American companies, Epic Systems and Accenture.
Accommodation of data and the appearance of conflicts of interest worries the new minister.
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