Latest news with #Poirier
Montreal Gazette
6 days ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Bugs piled up months before SAAQclic launch, auditor testifies
Quebec Politics A few months before the SAAQclic platform went live, bugs were piling up, according to a former internal auditor at the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), who predicted a launch similar to the 'Grands feux Loto-Québec' (Loto-Québec fireworks). Former auditor and IT specialist Vincent Poirier began his testimony Wednesday afternoon before the Gallant Commission, which is investigating the SAAQ's failures in its digital transformation. Poirier reported on the testing period that preceded the SAAQclic rollout in February 2023. During the summer and fall of 2022, more than 100 'critical' anomalies were detected daily. Development teams were resolving approximately 30 to 40 of these issues per day. Nevertheless, bugs were piling up, Poirier told Commissioner Denis Gallant. 'You have to understand that a lot of them were fixed and a lot of them were activated. The pool of unfixed anomalies, as I recall, was at least 1,200,' meaning 'unwanted behaviours that are detrimental to services,' Poirier explained. Despite persistent difficulties, the green light was given to launch 'production,' thus ending the testing period, said the man who is now a software architect at the Ministry of Public Security. When his boss in internal auditing asked him during this same period how the platform's deployment was shaping up, Poirier said he gave him this image: 'We're going to see the Great Loto-Québec Fireworks. It's going to explode everywhere.' 'All the elements led me to believe it wouldn't work. I couldn't say how bad it was,' said Poirier, who worked for a few months in the CASA project office, which includes SAAQclic, before joining the internal audit team from 2021 to 2024. The failed rollout of SAAQclic caused huge queues outside SAAQ branches. The government corporation's technological modernization project could cost at least $1.1 billion by 2027, $500 million more than expected, according to the auditor-general. In the field in the fall of 2022, Poirier recalled encountering IT workers who were 'exhausted' or even 'in tears' at the scale of the problems. Poirier's testimony is scheduled to continue Thursday morning. 'History proves us right' Earlier Wednesday, Poirier's former boss concluded his testimony before the commission. Daniel Pelletier, former director of internal audit at the SAAQ, proposed some possible solutions to improve the governance of the Crown corporation. One of his recommendations aims to reduce the many responsibilities under the Vice-President of Information Technology. At the time he held this position, Karl Malenfant was responsible for the CASA/SAAQclic IT project. He was also responsible for human resources, as well as material and real estate resources, following a reorganization in 2020. 'That's a lot of responsibilities in the hands of one person,' Pelletier said. Many of the tasks grouped under these roles are 'incompatible,' Pelletier emphasized. He said the responsibility of a major projects office, such as the one for the development of the SAAQclic platform, 'should be somewhat removed' from the VP of IT, and 'add a touch of independence.' The retired accountant also submitted a proposal about appointing members to the board of directors. Pelletier how some directors wouldn't listen to and were hostile toward internal auditors during the CASA project. 'The auditors, we were their eyes and ears on the field,' he said. 'As we speak, history is proving us right. To put it in baseball terms, we have a batting average of 1,000, which is no small feat. Why didn't the directors listen more? Why did we always have to fight to make our voices heard?' In previous testimony this week, Pelletier testified that, among other things, his audit team had raised several red flags with the board of directors regarding potential shortcomings and cost overruns before the launch of SAAQclic. Pelletier would like a 'much stricter' director appointment process, not one based solely on references. He also called for greater independence of the internal audit department from the SAAQ CEO. Pelletier suggested that the head of internal auditors report to the legal department rather than to senior management at the administrative level.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Dustin Poirier's coach makes surprise admission ahead of star's retirement fight
The 'Diamond' has vowed that his UFC 318 clash with Max Holloway will be his last, but the American's coach has made a shock admission ahead of this summer's pay-per-view card Dustin Poirier 's long-time coach, Mike Brown, has hinted that his star fighter's upcoming fight might not signal the end of his days in the world of combat sports. 'The Diamond' is set to step back into the cage at UFC 318 this July, going head-to-head with ex-featherweight champion and BMF belt owner Max Holloway in New Orleans. Fans are eagerly anticipating the mouthwatering clash clash, which is already being tipped as Poirier's retirement fight. Poirier, 36, has assured the UFC faithful that his next fight will be his last appearance inside the cage. The American has not fought since he suffered an agonising defeat to Islam Makhachev last June. But amid talks of retirement, Brown is not 100 per cent sure UFC 318 will be the final fight of Poirier's legendary career. In an interview with MMA Fighting, when speaking of Poirier, Brown said: 'I mean, I think so. You can never say never, but he's done really well for himself. He's made a boatload of money. He's set. He doesn't need to fight. So it would have to be something pretty enticing. I mean, that could always happen, but I think he's content with his accomplishments and content with the money he has made and what he's done.' Over the years, Poirier has produced many iconic moments inside the octagon. Brown himself has plenty of favourite Poirier moments from the American's career, from his comeback win against Dan Hooker to his knockout finish over long-time rival Conor McGregor. That said, scoring a guillotine-choke submission over Holloway would undoubtedly be the icing on the cake for Poirier - who boasts eight career wins by submission yet never with his favoured move. "Everyone would be pretty happy with that, I think," Brown said. "That would be pretty cool, you never know. I mean, people didn't think he was going to rear-naked (Michael) Chandler, right? Who ain't got jiu-jitsu, right? No, he's got jiu-jitsu. People sleep on it." While Poirier eagerly anticipates a third showdown with Holloway, he never expected him to be the last opponent before hanging up his gloves. The upcoming clash with 'Blessed' will mark one of the most enduring trilogies in UFC history, given their first clash was back in 2012, followed by a second bout for the interim lightweight title seven years subsequently. In an exclusive chat with MMA Junkie, 'The Diamond' revealed his initial preference: "Well, I wanted [Justin] Gaethje. I was asking the UFC for Gaethje because we're one and one." Notably, Poirier had previously stopped Gaethje in their 2018 encounter, but suffered a knockout defeat at the hands of the American during UFC 291 in July 2023. "I wanted to close out that trilogy," Poirier said. "For some reason, they really wanted this fight with Max. So I said, 'Okay, that's cool because I respect the guy.'" He also shut down any rumours about fighting former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, confirming that wasn't even a consideration as the Spaniard-Georgian dropped his 145lb title to step up a weight class. "Not once. Not once," Poirier said. "Actually, when he said he was going to 155 [lbs], I texted UFC and said, 'Hey, what's up? Let me know what's going on with this guy now he's at 55.' But they never entertained it. They told me it's not happening, and they wanted I said, this was blindsided. I thought Max was like the last person I thought they were going to try to match me up with."
USA Today
27-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Mike Brown: 'Enticing' offer could sway Dustin Poirier from retiring after UFC 318
Mike Brown: 'Enticing' offer could sway Dustin Poirier from retiring after UFC 318 American Top Team coach Mike Brown sees UFC 318 likely being Dustin Poirier's final fight – but he won't guarantee it. Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) plans on making his final walk to the octagon July 19 when he challenges Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) for the BMF title in the UFC 318 headliner at Smoothie King Center from New Orleans. Poirier will get to hang up his gloves in front of his home state, but will it really be the final time he competes? "I mean, I think so," Brown told MMA Fighting. "You can never say never, but he's done really well for himself. He's made a boatload of money. He's set. He doesn't need to fight. So it would have to be something pretty enticing. I mean, that could always happen, but I think he's content with his accomplishments and content with the money he has made and what he's done. So, you know, I think it is." Brown has plenty of favorite moments from Poirier's career, from his comeback win against Dan Hooker to his knockout finish over Conor McGregor. But would a guillotine-choke submission of Holloway top all of that? "The Diamond" has eight-career wins by submission, but none by his favorite move. "Everyone would be pretty happy with that, I think," Brown said. "That would be pretty cool, you never know. I mean, people didn't think he was going to rear-naked (Michael) Chandler, right? Who ain't got jiu-jitsu, right? No, he's got jiu-jitsu. People sleep on it."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Poirier to retire from MMA in Louisiana fight with Holloway
NEW ORLEANS, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — It started in Louisiana, it will end in Louisiana. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legend Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier is finishing his career in his home state. Local sports news Poirier made his professional debut at USA MMA 7 – River City Rampage in Shreveport. In his last fight, the Lafayette native will be the main event at UFC 318 in New Orleans against long-time rival Max 'Blessed' Holloway. To end his career on a positive note, Poirier has to beat Holloway for the third time. The two have fought twice before. In their first bout, Poirier beat a relatively inexperienced Holloway with a triangle-armbar submission. The 2012 fight was Holloway's first in the UFC and came just two years after his professional debut. Their second fight was much closer, with Poirier winning a unanimous decision in a 2019 showdown for the interim lightweight championship. The fight came at a time when Holloway looked unbeatable, having won 13 consecutive fights at featherweight. Louisiana news Poirier has been publicly mulling over retirement for almost a year since a June 1, 2024, submission loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. At 36 years old Poirier is not past his prime, he challenged for a championship in his last fight, but a 16 year career in MMA has taken a physical toll on him. Poirier has not won back to back fights since 2021, alternating wins and losses in his last six outings. The last time Poirier was unable to put together consecutive wins was 2013. Poirier has a 30-9 record and has finished his opponent in 23 of his wins. Holloway is 26-8 with 14 wins by finish. The biggest difference is that Poirier has never been an undisputed champion. When a fight between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov left Nurmagomedov as the lightweight champion, and a brawl after the fight left him suspended, Poirier claimed the interim championship by defeating Holloway for the second time. ESPN is rolling out a new streaming service: How it will impact ESPN+ users Porier's interim championship reign ended with a submission loss to the returning Nurmagomedov in a fight to unify their championships. He's fought for championships two other times, losing both by submission as well. Those championship losses have not hurt Poirier's in the eyes of MMA fans. He remains one of the most popular fighters in the history of the sport. He will wrap up his career with fight number 40 on July 19 at UFC 318 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Tribune
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Dustin Poirier to Cap UFC Career with Max Holloway Trilogy Title Fight
TDT | Manama Dustin Poirier, the Louisiana-born mixed martial arts star, will bring his UFC career to a close with a blockbuster trilogy fight against Max Holloway for the BMF title on 19 July at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The 36-year-old lightweight, hailing from Lafayette, Louisiana, will face Holloway, 33, for the third time in a highly anticipated clash to headline UFC 318. Poirier previously defeated the Hawaiian in their two encounters—first via a first-round submission at UFC 143 in 2012 and then by unanimous decision at UFC 236 in 2019. Both fighters are coming off defeats in championship bouts. Poirier (30-9) was submitted by lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in June 2024, while Holloway (26-8), the current BMF titleholder, suffered a knockout loss to featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in October 2024. The event marks the UFC's return to New Orleans after a 10-year absence, and the significance of Poirier fighting in his home state is not lost on UFC executive vice president Peter Dropick. 'It's a special moment for Dustin Poirier to close his remarkable career in New Orleans,' Dropick said. 'We're grateful to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, New Orleans & Company, and Smoothie King Center for making this possible. The fans are ready for our return.' The card also features a compelling middleweight bout between No. 10-ranked Marvin Vettori (19-8-1) and No. 11 Brendan Allen (24-7). The pair were set to meet at UFC Vegas 90 in April 2024, but Vettori's withdrawal led to an unsanctioned altercation at a Florida casino later that year. Their official encounter is expected to be explosive. Other notable fights include:
