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Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates: Study on ArriveCAN (October 24, 2023)

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Overview

Scenario note

Background

The Globe and Mail published an article regarding a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigation concerning certain contractors involved in the development of the ArriveCAN application. As a result the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP) invited the Auditor General (AG) to appear before PACP to discuss the upcoming report set to be published. Due to the new information the AG noted the report would be delayed while OAG officials met with the CBSA.

On , the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) adopted a motion (copy appended) to extend its study of ArriveCAN for four additional meetings. The first meeting is expected to take place on October 24 and the CBSA is expected to part of the panel.

This topic has received considerable attention from opposition parties, and continues to be the subject of committee discussions, Order Paper Questions, Question Period questions (House and Senate).

Minister Duclos appeared before the Senate for their question period on October 18 and responded to multiple questions.

The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman is expected to publish his report in November regarding the ArriveCAN app following a motion from OGGO.

The President appeared in November, 2022, at OGGO on this study, along with officials from PSPC, Public Health Agency of Canada, Shared Services and Public Safety Canada. The committee focused on the cost of the app development. The committee has not held a meeting on this topic since .

Officials appearing at any future meetings can expect probes on the allegations of improper contracting practices and relationships with private sector firms and whether these allegations extend to ArriveCAN. Members may want to know why information about an ongoing RCMP investigation was not shared with the Office of the Auditor General. Officials should be prepared to respond to questions about the ongoing internal audit and review of contracting at the Agency, and should also prepare for any new information that may be raised during testimony from Botler representatives at the centre of the allegations.

General information

Date:
Time: 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Location: Room 025-B, West Block

Opening remarks

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chair will invite officials to deliver opening remarks. These should last approximately five minutes and will be followed by questions from committee members.

Rounds of questions

At the Chair's discretion, questions from committee members will proceed as follows:

  • First round: 6 minutes for each party in the following order: CPC, LPC, BQ, NDP
  • For the second and subsequent rounds: CPC, 5 minutes; LPC, 5 minutes; BQ 2.5 minutes and NDP 2.5 minutes; CPC, 5 minutes; LPC, 5 minutes

The motion reads as follows:

That the committee postpone recommendations on the ArriveCAN study in order to extend the study for an additional four meetings in light of the recent reports that the RCMP is investigating allegations of misconduct by three companies involved in the development of the ArriveCAN app. Over the course of the four meetings, the committee would hear testimony that includes, but is not limited to, the following witnesses regarding this investigation, the evidence and its findings, and that the testimony heard during those meetings be included in the final report on the ArriveCAN study, and recommendations be accepted up to a week following the final week of testimony.

  • Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board
  • Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
  • Dominic Leblanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental affairs
  • Sergeant Kim Chamberland, RCMP
  • Erin O'Gorman, President of the CBSA
  • Cameron MacDonald, Former CBSA Director General
  • John Ossowski, Former President of the CBSA
  • Minh Doan, Former CBSA Vice-President and CIO
  • Antonio Utano, Former CBSA Executive Director
  • Mark Weber, National President of the Customs and Immigration Union
  • Ritika Dutt, Botler
  • Amir Morv, Botler
  • Kristian Firth, GC Strategies
  • Vaughn Brennan, Consultant
  • David Yeo, Dalian Director
  • Anthony Carmanico, Dalian Director

Opening remarks

Good afternoon.

Last fall, I received a complaint from Botler AI with respect to its experience in establishing a contract with the CBSA to provide a chat program that would assist employees in understanding workplace harassment.

The complaint outlined allegations relating to the potential procurement of a product by Botler AI. I was not familiar with any of the engagements that had taken place with the company, nor was I familiar with its product. I learned that the CBSA had done some pilot work of the Botler AI product from February to , but there was no ongoing relationship or contract with it.

Given the nature of the allegations—specifically, allegations of misconduct by officials at the CBSA in the context of procurement—I referred the matter to the agency's professional integrity division, which, following its initial review and consultation with me, referred it to the RCMP. Should there be findings of criminality, I would expect the RCMP to pursue them. If misconduct is found, the CBSA will take appropriate action.

In , the Auditor General launched a performance audit of ArriveCAN. We have facilitated the Auditor General's work, and we will continue to do so.

But let me assure you that I am not waiting for the outcomes of these processes to take action. It was clear that improvements were required with the procurement function at the agency. In fact, when I appeared before this committee in , I stated that "we will continue to look at ways that we can be fair, open and transparent in our procurements and that we will try to provide the most responsive procurements possible".

In , I asked our internal auditors to launch an audit of contracting—that work is still under way—and increased managerial oversight over the procurement process. Employees with financial delegation and with contracting authorities at headquarters have been directed to retake procurement and financial management courses.

I have given direction to rebalance our use of internal and external IT. The CBSA maintains more than 180 IT systems. They are critical systems that ensure the movement of people and goods across the border.

We are the second-largest revenue collector in the government after the Canada Revenue Agency.

Like many critical systems across government, some of our systems are old. As such, we need to make sure that in decreasing our use of contractors, the CBSA does not open up a gap in the technical knowledge required to service these systems.

Sound stewardship is critical to our success in modernizing the border service experience for our officers, for travellers and for businesses.

In summary, we have and will continue to strengthen the internal management of contracts at CBSA.

I look forward to the results of our internal audit and, particularly, the performance audit being conducted by the Auditor General. We will act on their recommendations and, needless to say, we will take all appropriate action relating to any founded allegations of wrongdoing.

Thank you.

Key messages: Questions and answers

Why did you not mention allegations from Botler AI during your last appearance at this committee?

The allegations we received were just that. We referred them through the appropriate channels internally and to the RCMP.

Why did you not inform the Auditor General about the investigations into allegations from Botler AI?

CBSA referred the allegations to the appropriate channels: to the CBSA's Professional Integrity Division and the RCMP for investigation. We will act on the findings of the investigations.

We have been engaged with the OAG on the ArriveCAN performance audit, and will continue to do so, including ensuring that her office has all of the information it requires to complete its work. We await the OAG findings and will act on them.

Can you give us a timeline and what was asked by the Auditor General?

The Auditor General of Canada has spoken publicly to her expectations around the audit.

We have been engaged with the OAG on the ArriveCAN performance audit, and will continue to do so, including ensuring that her office has all of the information it requires to complete its work.

Will you provide all the information shared with the Office of the Auditor General with this committee?

Over the last 10 months, we gave several thousands of pages to the OAG. Should the Committee Chair wish to review the list of those documents to identify which ones the Committee would be interested in reviewing, the CBSA would be pleased to provide them, with the caveat that we may need to translate many of them.

Can you give us a timeline of when Botler AI raised their concerns with the CBSA?

In late 2021, Botler AI contacted the CBSA to raise concerns about payments and to seek a discussion on new contractual arrangement.

Botler AI brought forward the allegations of misconduct in fall 2022. Given the nature of these allegations, the information was referred to the CBSA's Professional Integrity Division and to the RCMP for investigation. We await the outcomes and will act on them.

Why didn't CBSA fulfill its commitments to Botler AI to use its product?

In , the CBSA entered into a contract with Coradix in JV with Dalian designed to increase awareness and access to information regarding workplace misconduct, violence and harassment. We discussed work which was not pursued.

In , the CBSA requested to the vendor, Coradix in JV with Dalian, that the work be suspended until later in the year due to internal constraints.

In , the vendor was informed and acknowledged the TA was cancelled, in accordance with the cancellation terms outlined in the contract.

Why does CBSA have contracts with GC Strategies, Dalian and Coradix?

One of our strategies is to build teams comprised of employees and consulting resources to enable knowledge to be transferred from private-sector experts to our staff, to help build our employees' IT skills and competencies.

What is the timeline for the internal investigation?

The internal investigation is ongoing. There are dependencies on the RCMP investigation. We cannot comment further given that both are ongoing.

Have you talked to former CBSA employees about the allegations?

Former CBSA employees have sought assistance for access to information relevant to their duties at the time to help them be as responsive as possible to the committee, which they have or will receive, with appropriate regard for security and other controls that might apply.

Did you take disciplinary action against employees named in the allegations?

The allegations were referred to the appropriate channels and if the investigations show that there was wrongdoing, action will be taken.

Based on what we do know, we have launched an internal audit of contracting at the Agency, increased the oversight over the granting of contracts and required CBSA employees with contracting authority to re-take procurement and financial management courses.

Why aren't there disciplinary measures taken for every founded misconduct investigation at the Agency? What's the breakdown of management cases vs employee cases in the founded cases?

Every founded investigation is reviewed with the CBSA Disciplinary Measures Framework and takes into consideration all mitigating and aggravating factors when determining the appropriate action to close the file. Depending on the severity of the founded allegation, it can range from an administrative measure like training, to an oral reprimand up to and including termination of employment. We are updating our public reporting to provide a fuller view of the ways in which founded cases are resolved.

Founded cases
Year Employees Managers Total
2022 194 18 212
Disciplinary measures taken
Year Employees Managers Total
2022 132 12 144
What was the cost of the ArriveCAN GC Strategies contract?

GC Strategies work related to ArriveCAN totaled just under $12 million.

What did they do to receive $12 million?

CBSA staff were responsible for the management of the ArriveCAN development. The resources that GC Strategies provided as part of staff augmentation worked alongside the CBSA team to develop ArriveCAN. This included work on the development of three versions and 70+ releases of ArriveCAN, Proof of Vaccination, Accessibility and Cyber Security.

What recourse can the CBSA employ to terminate a contract with certain companies?

All contracts have a clause that allow the CBSA to terminate a contract due to a default by the contractor or for the convenience of Canada. This clause can be used for a number of reasons including management making a decision to no longer move forward with a project. As well, Task Authorizations can be stopped before the work is completed.

What if the termination has to do with any form of wrongdoing?

CBSA, working with TBS and PSPC partners, would use the mechanisms available through the "Directive on the Management of Procurement" and the "Ineligibility and Suspension Policy".

Do you have any comments about contracts and procurement practices at CBSA?

We recognize the importance of having sound contract and procurement practices in order to ensure the effective, efficient and economical delivery of programs and services.

We are continuously engaged with PSPC to improve our procurement practices to ensure strengthened controls, oversight, and stewardship over contracting.

The CBSA has launched an internal audit of contracting at the Agency, increased the oversight over the granting of contracts, and has required CBSA employees with contracting authority to re-take procurement and financial management courses.

Why keep ArriveCAN?

It is technology available at the border to give travellers a more modern and faster experience and keep Canadians safer.

ArriveCAN is now an optional tool for travellers who want to save time at the airport by providing their customs and immigration declaration in advance to the CBSA.

The Advance Declaration option is currently available for those who arrive at the Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg, Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Québec City, Billy Bishop Toronto City and Ottawa international airports.

Data shows that it's faster by roughly one third at the kiosk when travellers use Advance Declaration. It is currently used approximately 300,000 times a month.

What is the current use of Advance Declaration?

Advance Declaration is currently available at 10 international airports across the country and is being used approximately 300,000 times a month. And we expect uptake to continue to grow as we make it more widely available and add new features.

When will the future ArriveCAN features become available?

The CBSA is exploring other optional features to provide travellers with easy access to information such as border wait times and other self-serve functions. Advance Declaration will also be expanded for travellers arriving by land.

These efforts are part of the CBSA's Traveller Modernization initiative and will happen gradually. To date, we've engaged with more than 1500 officers to get their advice and perspective on how best to support them in their roles with digital tools and how to improve the traveler experience. We went to them first, and will continue to engage them along with stakeholders and partners including Indigenous partners and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

What is the annual estimated cost of ArriveCAN going forward?

The current annual forecast for the maintenance of ArriveCAN is approximately $3 million. That includes costs for resolving issues, enhancements and Cloud hosting fees.

Do self-serve functions mean that travellers will no longer have to see a border services officer in the future?

Some of these initiatives will include self-serve functions that will assist border services officers in facilitating the entry and processing of low-risk travellers so they can focus on high-risk travellers and activities. Border services officers will remain present to guide and assist travellers.

We will always highly value the face-to-face interactions and the judgment and expertise of officers.

How is the CBSA making use of technology?

Digital tools will help us build the border of the future by helping us address:

  • travellers' and stakeholders' expectations for easy, quick digital self-service processing at the border
  • rising traveller volumes
  • global economic and migratory trends
  • health and safety issues , and
  • keep pace and effectively work with other countries that are already using advanced technologies to manage their borders

Technology and more digital tools have been introduced at the border over the last three decades to improve the traveller experience, expedite passage, and better secure our borders. Examples include the introduction of license plate readers in our land ports of entry, document readers to quickly capture passport and travel document information in all modes, and kiosks in airports. More recent additions are the e-Gates in Nexus lanes and the introduction of the optional Advance Declaration feature in ArriveCAN.

What do you have to say about wait times at airports?

We understand that customs delays can be a source of stress and frustration for travelers. We are doing everything in our power to ensure that traveler processing is as efficient and timely as possible while keeping our communities safe.

The CBSA invests significant effort annually to plan and prepare for peak periods. Summer months, long weekends, and special culture or sporting events have historically exceeded capacity. As such, the Agency continuously monitors traveller volumes and wait times to allocate resources and adjust staffing levels during these peak travel periods to minimize processing times and unnecessary delays.

The CBSA collaborates with airport officials, including other Agency work sectors and partners, to distribute the volume of asylum applications and to ensure optimal use of space and efficient traveller flows. We have reconfigured our immigration secondary processing areas to assist us with the high volumes and contingency plans to use other areas of our operation.

Is the CBSA meeting its service standard levels?

Summer is peak travel season. I can tell you that here were minimal wait times, less than half of what we saw in 2019. Thanks to CBSA's officers hard work and commitment:

  • 35 million travellers crossed the border with minimal wait times;
  • 400 firearms were seized and did not reach our communities; and
  • there were 20,000 drug seizures, including a record amount of methamphetamine, helping save lives.
What do you respond to comments by the President of the Customs and Immigrations Union on handling of misconduct?

The CBSA thanks all its employees who ensure public safety and facilitate the movement of people and goods every day. We regret the impression made by the national president of the Customs and Immigration Union.

The CBSA and its managers, who come from various backgrounds including the front line, have the well-being of employees as a priority and take concrete actions to promote a professional, inclusive and respectful culture.

All CBSA employees, regardless of their mandate or position, must respect at all times the CBSA Code of Conduct and the Public Sector Values and Ethics Code.

The Agency has processes in place to manage complaints and investigate misconduct and has implemented recommendations following internal and external audits to strengthen these processes.

What do you respond to comments made by the President of the Customs and Immigrations Union on the allocation of personnel?

Frontline employees across the country are contributing their expertise to our efforts. They are helping to design and implement new technologies, processes and systems.

Over 1,500 officers, chiefs and superintendents across the country are already involved and we meet with the Union on a regular basis.

As more travellers choose to use digital tools to declare their information, there will be less need to collect it manually. This will allow border officers to focus even more on high-risk travellers and activities.

CBSA employees are dedicated and strategically assigned to address the many priorities and threats Canada faces most, such as preventing guns and illegal drugs from entering Canada to keep Canadians and their communities safe and secure while facilitating cross-border travel and trade.

The Agency is constantly recruiting.

Chronology of key events

  • : the CBSA entered into a contract with Coradix in joint venture with Dalian designed to explore an approach to increase awareness and access to information regarding workplace misconduct, violence and harassment. Discussions about if/how to pursue this work followed.
  • : the CBSA requested to the vendor, Coradix in joint venture with Dalian, that the work be suspended until later in the year due to internal constraints.
  • : Botler email to CBSA regarding contractual matters between Boteler/Coradix/Dalian/GC Strategies; seeking payment for work performed; and seeking a renewed contractual arrangement for further work.
  • : CBSA correspondence exchange with all contractors urging swift resolution of payment issue.
  • : Botler email to CBSA reiterating contractual concerns raised on 27 September; alleging retaliation by Coradix/GC Strategies; and seeking a discussion on new contracting arrangements with CBSA.
  • : the vendor was informed and acknowledged the TA was cancelled, in accordance with the cancellation terms outlined in the contract.
  • : Botler email to CBSA announcing that they had "uncovered substantial misconduct" and were "now in a position to share our findings from the last 36 months with you and discuss our proposed strategy for the next steps".
  • : Botler summary of the work performed on the pilot project, suggesting they had "detected and validated wide-ranging instances of misconduct"; recommending a risk assessment; and suggesting a Government of Canada wide contract for Boteler's product.
  • : Botler sends detailed allegations to CBSA.
  • : CBSA Professional Integrity Division launches an administrative investigation into the allegations made by Botler.
  • 13, 21, and : CBSA Professional Integrity Division holds preliminary discussions and shares information with the RCMP.
  • : CBSA Professional Integrity Division sends formal written referral to the RCMP.

Background

Invitation

House of Commons
Canada

Good day,

Pursuant to the motion adopted by the House of Commons' Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates on Tuesday, (see below for text of motion), you are invited to appear as part of a panel of witnesses in view of its study of the ArriveCAN application.

Your appearance would take place in person or virtually via the House of Commons specially configured Zoom platform on Tuesday, , in the format of a 5-minute opening statement, followed by a Question-and-Answer session with the members of the committee. Further meetings will be added, and space will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Please confirm your availability. The times will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.
Monday, :
from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm EDT
from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm EDT

What to expect as a witness

Any documents you wish to share with the committee must be submitted to the clerk for translation. Please refer to the Guide for Witnesses Appearing Before House of Commons Committees for additional information on this point, how to prepare for an appearance, and more. You may also be interested to view recordings of previously scheduled committee meetings, available online at ParlVu.parl.gc.ca.

Next step

Please complete and return the attached confirmation of appearance form no later than 10:00 am EDT Monday, .

If you appear virtually, a wired headset with a boom microphone is mandatory. You will need to purchase a headset and complete the witness expense claim form. Mandatory audiovisual and connectivity testing information will be provided to you in a subsequent email.

If you appear in person, you may wish to consult the layout of a typical committee room to understand where those present in the room will be seated.

For any questions related to the subject of the study, please contact the Committee Analysts: Olivier Leblanc-Laurendeau (olivier.leblanc-laurendeau@parl.gc.ca) and Ryan van den Berg (ryan.vandenberg@parl.gc.ca).

For your information, the committee adopted the following motion on Monday, : That, when undertakings are given by witnesses at committee meetings to provide further answers to questions or follow up information, the witnesses be given three weeks to provide the committee with a written response, if a response is not received within the specified time that the committee invite the appropriate accounting officer to appear before the committee to explain why the information has not been provided in the time requested.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns and thank you in advance for your prompt response.

That the committee postpone the deadline for recommendations on the ArriveCAN study in order to extend the study for an additional four meetings in light of the recent reports that the RCMP is investigating allegations of misconduct by three companies involved in the development of the ArriveCAN app; that, over the course of the four meetings, the committee will hear testimony that includes, but is not limited to, the following witnesses regarding this investigation, the evidence and its findings, and that the testimony heard during those meetings be included in the final report on the ArriveCAN Study, and recommendations be accepted up to a week following the final week of testimony.

  • Ritika Dutt, Botler
  • Amir Morv, Botler
  • Kristian Firth, GC Strategies
  • Cameron MacDonald, Former CBSA Director General
  • John Ossowski, Former President of the CBSA
  • Sergeant Kim Chamberland, RCMP
  • Erin O'Gorman, President of the CBSA
  • Minh Doan, Former CBSA Vice-President and CIO
  • Antonio Utano, Former CBSA Executive Director
  • Vaughn Brennan, Consultant
  • David Yeo, Dalian Director
  • Anthony Carmanico, Dalian Director
  • Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board
  • Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
  • Dominic Leblanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Mark Webber

Regards,

Aimée Belmore

Committee Clerk
Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates
House of Commons

131 Queen Street, Room 6-35
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
oggo@parl.gc.ca
Tel.: +1 613-995-9469

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Online posted ArriveCAN costs as of

ArriveCAN costs: Background and infographics

OGGO overview and committee biographies

Committee members: At a glance
Name and role Party Riding OGGO member since
Chair
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West Chair since ; member from – Until now
Vice-Chairs
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill Vice-Chair since and Member since
Julie Vignola Bloc Québécois Beauport—Limoilou Vice-Chair since and Member since
Members
Garnett Genuis
Critic for International Development		 Conservative Sherwood Park – Fort Saskatechwan
Kelly Block
Critic for Public Services And Procurement		 Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek , also a Member from 2011 to 2020
Stephanie Kusie
Critic for Treasury Board		 Conservative Calgary Midnapore
Gord Johns
Critic for Public Services and Procurement		 New Democratic Party Courtenay—Alberni
Jenica Atwin
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services		 Liberal Fredericton
Parm Bains Liberal Steveston – Richmond East
Charles Sousa
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement		 Liberal Mississauga-Lakeshore
Irek Kusmierczyk
Parliamentary Secretary To The Minister Of Employment, Workforce Development And Disability Inclusion		 Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh and to

Committee mandate

The mandate of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates focuses on the estimates process as well as on the effectiveness and proper functioning of government operations.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(c), the Committee's mandate includes primarily the study of:

  • The format and content of all estimates documents; and
  • the effectiveness, management, and expenditure plans of:
    • central departments and agencies
    • new information and communication technologies adopted by the government
    • cross-departmental mandates, including programs delivered by more than one department or agency
    • Crown corporations and agencies that have not been specifically referred to another standing committee
    • statutory programs, tax expenditures, loan guarantees, contingency funds and private foundations deriving the majority of their funding from the Government of Canada

The committee is mandated to examine and conduct studies related to the following organizations:

Central departments and agencies

  • Privy Council Office/Prime Minister's Office
  • Public Services and Procurement Canada
  • Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
  • Shared Services Canada

Organizations related to human resources matters

  • Canada School of Public Service
  • Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board
  • Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal Canada
  • Public Service Commission

Crown corporations

  • Canada Lands Company Limited
  • Public Sector Pension Investment Board
  • Canada Post Corporation
  • Defence Construction (1951) Limited (Canada)
  • National Capital Commission
  • Old Port of Montréal Corporation Inc.
  • Parc Downsview Park Inc.

Other organizations

  • Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat
  • Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board (Transportation Safety Board of Canada)
  • Office of the Governor General's Secretary
  • Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer
  • Office of the Procurement Ombudsman
  • Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada

Biographies of the committee members

Kelly McCauley (Chair)

Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Edmonton West

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament in 2015 for Edmonton West, re-elected in 2019 and 2021
  • Also serves on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
  • Former Conservative Shadow Minister for Treasury Board
  • Previously served on the COVID-19 Pandemic committee as well as the Subcomittee on Agenda and Procedure of OGGO in 2020
  • Before his election in 2015, Mr. McCauley was a hospitality executive specialized in managing hotels and convention centres
  • He has a graduate of BCIT in the Hospitality Management program
  • He has a history of advocacy for seniors and veterans
Majid Jowhari (First Vice-Chair)

Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Richmond Hill

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament in 2015 for Richmond Hill (Ontario), re-elected in 2019 and 2021
  • Also serves on the Subcomittee on Agenda and Procedure of OGGO as well as the Standing Committee on Health
  • Previously served on the Stranding Committee of Industry, Science and Technology as well as the COVID-19 Pandemic committee
  • Born in Iran, he is the first federal MP of Iranian heritage
  • He has a degree in industrial engineering from Ryerson University and an MBA from York University's Schulich School of Business
  • Before his election in 2015, Mr. Jowhari was a consultant and engineer
Julie Vignola (Second Vice-Chair)

Political affiliation: Bloc Québécois
Constituency: Beauport—Limoilou

  • Elected as the Member for Parliament in 2019 for Beauport-Limoilou (Québec), re-elected in 2021
  • Bloc Québécois Critic for Public Services, Tourism, Government Operations and Procurement
  • Also serves on the Subcomittee on Agenda and Procedure of OGGO
  • Previously a member of the COVID-19 Pandemic committee
  • Before her election in 2019, she was a teacher in a private high school
  • Ms. Vignola has a bachelor's degree in history and geography teaching from the Université du Québec à Rimouski
  • Interested in issues affecting Quebec, notably producers and the phoenix pay system
Garrett Genuis

Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan
Critic for International Development

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament in 2015 for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, re-elected in 2019 and 2021
  • Conservative Shadow Minister for International Development
  • Also sits on the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (Vice-Chair)
  • Previously served on many committees, including Foreign Affairs and International Development, Public Accounts and Citizenship and Immigration
  • Prior to his election, Mr. Genuis was a former assistant to former PM Harper and advisor to former minister Rona Ambrose
Kelly Block

Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek
Critic for Public Services And Procurement

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament in 2008 for Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, re-elected in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2021
  • Shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement
  • Previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Panel of Chairs during the 41st Parliament
  • Previously sat on many committees, including Public Accounts, Veteran Affairs, Liaison, Health and Natural Resources
  • Prior to her election, Ms. Block served two terms as mayor of Waldheim, Saskatchewan
Stephanie Kusie

Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Calgary Midnapore
Critic for Treasury Board

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament in 2017 for Calgary Midnapore, re-elected in 2019 and 2021
  • Conservative Shadow Minister for Treasury Board
  • Also serves as counsellor on the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and as a member of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
  • Previously sat on many committees, including Official Languages, Procedure and House Affairs and Transport
  • Has a B.A in political science from the University of Calgary and an M.B.A. from Rutgers University
  • Prior to her election, Ms. Kusie occupied multiple positions, including chargé d'affaires ad interim for Canada to El Salvador, consul for Canada to Dallas, Texas and senior policy advisor to Peter Kent in Latin America
  • Some of her duties before her time in office included negotiating free trade deals, work related to the Keystone Pipeline project, and lobbying the United Nations to place Canada on the Security Council
Gord Johns

Political affiliation: New Democratic Party of Canada
Constituency: Courtenay—Alberni
Critic for Public Services And Procurement

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament in 2015 for Courtenay—Alberni (British Columbia), re-elected in 2019 and 2021
  • NDP's Mental Health, Public Services and Procurement Critic, as well as Deputy Critic for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
  • Previously served on several standing committees, including Veterans Affairs (Vice-Chair from 2019 to 2020), and Fisheries and Oceans (Vice-Chair in 2019)
  • Before his election, Mr. Johns was a businessman and city councillor in Tofino
Parm Bains

Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Stevenston–Richmond East

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament for Stevenston–Richmond East (British Columbia) for the first time in 2021
  • Also serves on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates
  • Prior to his election, Mr. Bains was an instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. He also worked as a media and public relations officer with the British Columbia provincial government
  • He has attended the British Columbia Institute Of Technology as well as the Royal Roads University, where he got a Masters degree
Charles Sousa

Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Mississauga—Lakeshore
Parliamentary Secretary to The Minister Of Public Services And Procurement

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Lakeshore in 2022
  • Previously served on several standing committees, including National Defence and Science and Research
  • Before his election, Mr. Sousa served as a Liberal of Ontario member of provincial Parliament for Missisauga-Lakeshore and served as Minister of Labour (2010) and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2011)
  • He was previously a Canadian Chamber of Commerce, a director with the United States Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Toronto Board of Trade
Jenica Atwin

Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Fredericton

  • Elected as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Fredericton for the first time in 2021
  • Was previously a Green Party Member of Parliament for Fredericton from 2019 to 2021
  • Also serves on the Standing Committee on Library of Parliament
  • Was previously chair of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs
  • Before her election, she was education consultant and researcher at a First Nations Education Centre
  • Has Master's in Education at the University of New Brunswick
  • Has a history of advocacy for First Nations Education Centre
Irek Kusmierczyk

Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Windsor–Tecumseh
Parliamentary Secretary To The Minister Of Employment, Workforce Development And Disability Inclusion

  • Elected as the Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh (Ontario) in 2019, re-elected in 2021
  • Previously served on the COVID-19 Pandemic committee
  • Born in Poland, he immigrated to Canada in 1983 after his father was imprisoned for being a member of a movement opposed to communism
  • Before his election, was a city councillor for the Windsor City Council
  • PhD in Political Science from Vanderbilt University, an MSc in government from the London School of Economics and a bachelor in Journalism from Carleton University

Questions on ArriveCAN raised by members during question period

This document provides an overview of statements made by members of Parliament in the House of Commons related to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) mandate and the ArriveCAN app contracts during the 44th Parliament. These questions were asked during Question Period from to . The following statements are samples of recurring questions.

ArriveCAN and contracts

Pierre Poilievre (CPC) "a list of all the companies that were contracted to develop that app, which did not even work?."

Michael Barrett (CPC): one of the companies the government says it gave $1.2 million to for its ArriveCAN boondoggle says that it did not get a dime. Where is the $1.2 million? Who got rich?

Luc Berthold (BQ): "The Liberals are putting the lucrative contracts awarded to companies into quarantine. We want to know the details. The government paid $54 million to develop that app, which should have cost $250,000. Some 70 updates were needed for an app that never worked. The question is simple. Who are the other winners of the Liberal ArriveCAN lottery?"

Michael Barrett (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, a company has come forward saying it did not receive a dime of the missing million dollars in the ArriveCAN scam, proving the Liberals provided false information to the House and to Canadians for spending on this app. Are the Liberals going to give Canadians the details of the real contracts for ArriveCAN, or are they going to wait for more companies to come forward and tell us that even more money is missing? Where are the missing millions? Who got rich?

James Bezan (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, Canadians cannot afford this costly Liberal-NDP coalition. These Liberals have showered Liberal friends such as Frank Baylis with $237 million in COVID contracts. They gave $28 million to Liberal donor Pierre Guay for Roxham Road, and they shovelled over $54 million to a couple of guys sitting in their basement who created the ArriveCAN app, which should have been built for under $250,000. Why is that Liberal insiders under the Prime Minister always get rich while regular Canadians have to pay more for heating, eating and—"

Kelly Block (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal-NDP government, Liberal insiders have never had it so good and Canadians are paying the price. We have learned that the RCMP is investigating allegations of misconduct involving three companies that worked on the ArriveCAN app. They paint a picture of cozy relationships between the government and questionable contractors, sweetheart deals for the Liberal insiders, while Canadians struggle to make ends meet. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. When will the Liberal government come clean on its unethical behaviour and quit lining the pockets of Liberal insiders?"

Michael Barrett (CPC): Mr. Speaker, the ArriveCan scandal is back in the news and reports are that the two-man operation that made $11 million off the arrive scam were running a scheme that now has officials being investigated by the RCMP. After eight years of the Prime Minister and his NDP-Liberal government, Liberal insiders are getting rich and Canadians are seeing that the Prime Minister just is not worth the cost. When will the Prime Minister stop putting Liberal insiders and his friends first and start looking out for the needs of Canadians?

Luc Berthold (CPC): Mr. Speaker, the past eight years of Liberal management have been nothing but one scandal after another. We just found out that the RCMP has launched a criminal investigation into ArriveCAN, which cost Canadians $54 million for nothing. Botler, a Montreal company, was the one that blew the whistle. A senior Liberal government official strongly advised Botler to work closely on an IT contract with the same company that worked on the ArriveCAN app. That company was GC Strategies, a two-person concern with no office and no IT skills. What Botler uncovered is similar to something seen in Quebec before. After eight years of sticking their heads in the sand, are the Liberals going to tell us who exactly is getting richer every time they award a contract?

Pierre Poilievre (CPC): Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. What would I cut? I would start with the $54-million ArriveCAN app, which is now under police investigation. Then I would get rid of the $35-billion Infrastructure Bank, which pays bonuses but has not completed a single infrastructure project. Why do we not throw in the $100 million-plus contracts to McKinsey, a company that helped cause the opioid crisis. Speaking of all the waste that the Prime Minister forces on Canadian taxpayers, when it comes to the ArriveCAN app, it is now under police investigation. He covered up previous bad behaviour under SNC-Lavalin. Will he at least co-operate with the RCMP investigation into the ArriveCAN app?

ArriveCAN and errors

Pierre Poilievre (CPC) "ArriveCAN app could have been designed in a single weekend for less than a quarter of a million dollars. Instead, the Prime Minister paid $54 million. Ten thousand people were wrongly sent into quarantine by that app when they should not have been.

Jacques Gourde (CPC): "Madam Speaker, the ArriveCAN app cost Canadians a fortune and is not worth the $54 million that it cost. A good computer programmer could have easily done the job for under $250,000. It is Liberal incompetence with a $54‑million price tag, once again. Why does this government keep tumbling into one scandal after another?"

Joel Godin (CPC): Madam Speaker, urgent action does not mean spending taxpayers' money. This government has given us many reasons to doubt its integrity. First it was the former Liberal MP's ventilators and the land at Roxham Road. Now it is the ArriveCAN app, which cost $54 million. Experts say they could have done it for $250,000. Is the government mocking us?Worse still, the government gave $1.2 million to a company, but the company did not get any of it. Here is a simple question: Who got the $1.2 million?

ArriveCAN and cost breakdown

Michael Barrett (CPC): If Canadian tech experts do not know why the government spent this much money, what we want to know, what Canadians want to know, is which Liberal insiders got rich on these contracts?

Bernard Généreux (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, because of this government's non-stop spending, inflation keeps rising and families in Quebec have to cope with ever-increasing bills.

Instead of spending prudently over the past few years, the government kept spending recklessly. For example, it sank $54 million into the pricey ArriveCAN app, an app that could have been developed over a weekend for $250,000. The difference is astounding.When will the government do the right thing and refer this matter to the Auditor General of Canada so she can get to the bottom of this wasteful spending?"

ArriveCAN and the need for it (PHAC question)

Michael Barrett (CPC): Tech experts are confounded by its costing more than a low seven figures at worst. We know the app was not based in science. It was all based on dividing and stigmatizing.

ArriveCAN and tourism

Tony Baldinelli (CPC): "This app has cost the Canadian tourism industry its 2022 summer tourism season, has wreaked havoc on border communities, caused chaos at our airports and has hurt Canada's reputation as a world-class tourism destination.

Tony Baldinelli (CPC): "ArriveCAN app destroyed any chance of recovery this summer for our Canadian tourism sector"

ArriveCAN and cost of living

Hon Pierre Polievre (CPC): Mr. Speaker, what they have come to expect of this government is that it raises the cost of living. The cost of government is driving up the cost of goods and now the cost of interest. Two hundred billion dollars of the half trillion in deficits had nothing to do with COVID, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, and even that so-called COVID spending included the ArriveCAN app, an app that could have been designed in a weekend for a quarter of a million dollars but cost $54 million. The government claims that $1.2 million of that went to a company called ThinkOn. That company says it did not get that money. Who did?

Tracy Gray (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, when this government gave millions of dollars to Loblaws for new fridges, I had convenience store owners, florists and small independent food store owners calling me asking how they could also apply for a fridge. I had to explain that they did not qualify. They were not a billion-dollar corporation. We do not know who got rich off the ArriveCAN app, the app with glitches that forced people into quarantine by mistake. Canadians cannot afford this costly coalition.Will the Liberals end their wasteful and inflationary spending?"

John Williamson (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to reduce inflation, but everything they are doing is going in the wrong direction. The Liberals are piling up more debt and taxpayers cannot keep up. When the PM travels abroad, he stays in a $6,000-a-night hotel. The ArriveCAN scam cost $54 million and handed millions to Liberal insiders. The cost of the administrative state has exploded. The debt last year was $90 billion. The Liberals have racked up more debt than all Canadian governments combined. When will the Liberal government stop, reverse course, bring down prices for Canadians and stop its inflationary spending?

Luc Berthold (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, the future prime ministerial candidate says that the primary causes of inflation in Canada are domestic.What we were against was sending cheques to inmates, sending CERB cheques to public servants, giving $500 million to Liberal friends at WE Charity, spending $54 million on an ArriveCAN app that did not work and spending $6,000, no, $7,200 a night on a room for the Prime Minister. When will they stop wasting money?

Domonique Vien (CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party saw the economic storm coming and often warned the Liberals. However, poor managers that they are, they continue to spend recklessly. Just consider the ArriveCAN app, which gobbled up $54 million, and the purchase of twice the number of medical ventilators required, which cost taxpayers $403 million for nothing. Families are struggling. Workers are going to food banks. Young people are camping out in their parents' basements. Will the Liberals come to their senses and cancel tax increases?"

Dave Epp (CPC): Mr. Speaker, everything the Liberal government touches gets broken. Fifty-four million dollars was spent on an ArriveCAN app that could have been built for $250,000. There were 10,000 people wrongly sent into quarantine because of this faulty app, which caused them mental duress and financial hardship. Inflation, house prices, rent, groceries, overdoses and violent crime are all at generational highs. Will the Liberals stop trying to build back better and leave things as they found them?

Ziad Aboultai (CPC): "Madam Speaker, Edmonton Manning residents are asking why everything seems to be broken in Canada. They say government mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled record inflation. It gave $54 million for the useless ArriveCan app, $237 million to a former Liberal MP for ventilators that sit in a warehouse collecting dust and a billion dollars in wage subsidy cheques to corporations that pay out corporate dividends. When will the Liberal government end its useless spending, which is increasing inflation and which costs every Canadian $3,500 a year?"

Hon. Ed Fast (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, Canadians face the worst affordability crisis in a generation, yet the government is only making things worse by spending $54 million on the ArriveCAN fiasco, $6,000 a night for the Prime Minister's luxury suite in London and $1 billion in wage subsidies to wealthy corporations. Liberal waste has become a national embarrassment, and every time the government borrows and spends on waste, life becomes more unaffordable for Canadians. Will the government finally put an end to this inflationary spending, yes or no?"

Hon. Pierre Poilievre (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that this government does not have their back; the government has its hands in their back pockets. That is what is happening. There is $170 million dollars here for this wasted investment, $54 million for the ArriveCAN scam and, of course, $2 billion invested in a company that does not actually exist. Who is paying for it? Well, people are now seeing the bills on their home heating, which has doubled with higher gas prices and, of course, when our farmers and truckers are taxed with a carbon tax, they have to raise the price of the food that comes to our grocery stores. Will the Liberals finally back down from this crazy carbon tax scheme? We are going to keep the heat on until they take the tax off."

Hon. Pierre Poilievre (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that I would get rid of the $35-billion incompetent infrastructure bank. I would get rid of the $54-million ArriveCAN app, which did not work and was not necessary. I would not blow billions of dollars buying back hunting rifles from lawful and licensed Canadians instead of going after serious criminals. The list of waste and corruption goes on and on. My question, though, is this: How much is all of this spending adding to inflation? John Manley, the former Liberal finance minister, said that, just as the current finance minister has said, when we add deficits, we add inflation. The question again is this: How much extra inflation will the $60 billion in budget deficits cause?"

Hon. Pierre Poilievre (CPC): "Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says there is no room for savings in his sumptuous government spending, but I found some. For example, he gave CMHC $26 million in bonuses for making housing less affordable; he gave $181,000 for the Governor General's travel; $116 million to McKinsey, a company that supports him but actually helped cause the opioid crisis; $54 million for the ArriveCAN app; and $6,000 for one night in a hotel for the Prime Minister. Does he not think we can pass on that spending and put the money back in Canadians' pockets?"

James Bezan (CPC): "Madam Speaker, we learned yesterday that the Liberals are cutting another $1 billion from our armed forces. This is in addition to the $2.5 billion they already let lapse last year. The Prime Minister has no problem wasting taxpayer money and running up massive deficits on things like the $116 million for McKinsey, $54 million on the ArriveCAN app or $20-million bonuses for the Bank of Canada executives. Let us not forget that the Liberals allowed $4.6 billion of abuse under their COVID programs. The Liberals waste money on just about everything but do not spend it on our military. Why does the Prime Minister cut spending only when it hurts our troops?"

Luc Berthold (CPC): Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this Prime Minister, he is not worth the cost. The wasteful spending has spiralled out of control. Members will recall the $116 million spent on consultants at McKinsey, the $54 million on ArriveCAN and the $6,000 per night for a hotel room. Today we learned that the government wasted $8 million on a barn. How can the government spend $8 million on a barn on the Governor General's property when food banks are in such desperate need? Is spending $8 million on a barn on the grounds of the Governor General's residence really the Liberals' priority?

ArriveCAN and official languages

Bernard Généreux: "Mr. Speaker, even after $50 million was spent on the ArriveCAN app, the Commissioner of Official Languages has reprimanded the government over the app's language issues. A Canadian travelling in the United States was unable to get the French version of the app, even though it is one of this country's two official languages. The government spent a fortune on a service that violated the rights of francophones. After eight years in power, will the government finally admit that it is incompetent, very incompetent?"

OGGO : ArriveCAN Development Summary (Witness: Parliamentary Budget Officer)

Subject: Briefing by the Parliamentary Budget Officer
Date: ; 3:31 pm to 5:25 pm
Report prepared by: Dyanna Legare, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Witnesses: Yves Giroux, Parliamentary Budget Officer (Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer)

Highlights

The unedited transcript will be provided once available.

The committee met with the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO). To begin the meeting the PBO said he was there to answer questions on the universal drug plan, the universal return on investment on electric car battery plants and his economic and fiscal outlook. Questions from committee members were friendly and the PBO was questioned on topics such as the carbon tax, inflation and pharmacare. Of interest to TBS, committee members asked questions on digital service transformation, the growth of the public service and the public accounts.

Members focused questions on the digital service transformation and on the lack of tracking data. MP Stephanie Kusie (CPC) asked "why do you think that in a time where we see great deficits, we're seeing a government that isn't even making an effort to track or use data to track data?" The PBO responded by noting that it was a missed opportunity to not track when it comes to digitizing services and the potential savings. He notes examples of substantial savings in the form of processing taxes or applications electronically over manually. He adds that a directive from Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) could help departments to better distinguish between the cost of maintaining IT systems and the costs of improving digital services would be the easiest way to track spending streams. MP Gord Johns (NDP) noted that it is impossible to track the governments spending on individual initiatives and added that "if we aren't tracking how much was saved, how do we know it is worth it?" MP Jenica Atwin (LPC) asked the PBO to address his concerns with transparency regarding digital transformation services and the response was that the government often announced investments and the numbers overall, but that was difficult to determine which part of that investment is allocated to maintaining or updating services, or the amounts that are spent on improving or digitizing. MP Parm Bains (LPC) stated that the PBO had approached parliamentarians respecting changes to legislation that concern barriers to service digitization, protection and security exchange. He asked the PBO what legislation he had in mind. The PBO noted the Financial Administration Act (FAA) because it restricts the type of agreements that federal institutions can enter into with their counterparts for digital services. He added that he would like to see amendments in place so that federal organizations can more easily enter into agreements for service delivery with their counterparts. MP Majid Jowhari (LPC) asked about what challenges Canada is facing with respect to the digital service transformation and the PBO noted that security is very important, especially for the government as people put trust in them to safeguard IT systems. The provision of services in both languages, the Legacy systems and the staffing and labour shortages in the IT system are also challenges.

MP Julie Vignola (BQ) commented that there is an increase in the number of public servants and that expenses are going up due to new staff being hired, but wondered if the services are getting better. The PBO responded that there is a notable increase in public servants since 2016 and a proportional increase in spending but similar improvements have not been made. He added that performance indicators still aren't being met, for example, passports and border services.

MP Philip Lawrence (CPC) asked about why the timing of the release of the Public Accounts is an issue, to which the PBO responded "We don't have the Public Accounts yet, and the fiscal year ended March 31, we are almost 7 months into the new fiscal. You could have been asked to vote on appropriations, but you still don't know what happened to the money you voted on 18 months ago. What was the outcome of the year that closed last fiscal year? Best practices would call for the Public Accounts to be tabled within 6 months of fiscal end. Its maybe a lack of willingness on the part of the Government".

The committee proceeded to committee business in camera at 5:25 pm

Next steps

The committee is expected to meet on Tuesday, on the ArriveCAN study.

Other House Committee transcripts

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