Auditor general's report on company behind ArriveCan to be released today
OTTAWA – The latest probe into the company behind the controversial ArriveCan app is among four reports being released today by Canada's auditor general.
Karen Hogan looked into all contracts awarded and payments made to GC Strategies for its work on the app to determine whether they were in line with government policy and whether the government got value for taxpayers' money.
In September, the House of Commons unanimously agreed to ask Hogan to look into the contracts and her report is set to be tabled in the House around 10 a.m. ET.
As of March 2024, GC Strategies — a two-man team which last week was banned from entering into contracts or real property agreements with the federal government for seven years — had received $100 million in federal government contracts since 2011.
Hogan's previous report on the app's development found it did not deliver the best value to taxpayers and concluded that three federal departments disregarded federal policies, controls and transparency in the contracting process.
GC Strategies received nearly a third of the $60 million total cost of the ArriveCan project, despite being awarded contracts through non-competitive processes.
Hogan also will table a report today on Canada's plans to purchase F-35 fighter jets and whether the Department of National Defence ensured the aircraft would be delivered on time and on budget.
Another report will look at whether the government provides adequate office space for public servants while minimizing costs to taxpayers.
Monday Mornings
The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.
Canada's environment commissioner Jerry DeMarco will also table four reports today, including an audit of the National Adaptation Strategy, the federal government's $2.1 billion initiative to help communities withstand the impacts of climate change.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Arizona governor vetoes bill to ban teaching antisemitism in Arizona's public schools
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has vetoed a proposal that would ban teaching antisemitism at the state's public K-12 schools, universities and colleges and expose educators who violate the new rules to discipline and lawsuits. On Tuesday, the Democratic governor said the bill is not about antisemitism but rather about attacking teachers. 'It puts an unacceptable level of personal liability in place for our public school, community college, and university educators and staff, opening them up to threats of personally costly lawsuits,' she said in a statement. Additionally, it sets a dangerous precedent that unfairly targets public school teachers while shielding private school staff.' The measure cleared the Legislature on Wednesday on a 33-20 vote by the House, including a few Democrats who crossed party lines to support it. It's one of a few proposals to combat antisemitism across the country. The proposal would prohibit teachers and administrators from teaching or promoting antisemitism or antisemitic actions that create a hostile environment, calling for the genocide of any group or requiring students to advocate for an antisemitic point of view. It also would bar public schools from using public money to support the teaching of antisemitism. Educators would personally be responsible for covering the costs of damages in lawsuits for violating the rules. Democrats tried but failed to remove the lawsuit provision and swap out references to antisemitism within the bill with 'unlawful discrimination' to reflect other discrimination. The bill's chief sponsor, Republican Rep. Michael Way, of Queen Creek, has said his proposal would create accountability when educators fail to protect students from the rise in antisemitism since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Opponents say the bill aims to silence people who want to speak out on the oppression of Palestinians and opens up educators to personal legal liability in lawsuits students could file. Students over the age of 18 and the parents of younger pupils would be able to file lawsuits over violations that create a hostile education environment, leaving teachers responsible for paying any damages that may be awarded, denying them immunity and prohibiting the state from paying any judgments arising from any such lawsuits. The proposal would create a process for punishing those who break the rules. At K-12 schools, a first-offense violation would lead to a reprimand, a suspension of a teacher or principal's certificate for a second offense and a revocation of the certificate for a third offense. At colleges and universities, violators would face a reprimand on first offense, a suspension without pay for a second offense and termination for a third offense. The proposal also would require colleges and universities to consider violations by employees to be a negative factor when making employment or tenure decisions. Under the proposal, universities and colleges couldn't recognize any student organization that invites a guest speaker who incites antisemitism, encourages its members to engage in antisemitism or calls for the genocide of any group. Elsewhere in the U.S., a Louisiana lawmaker is pushing a resolution that asks universities to adopt policies to combat antisemitism on campuses and collect data on antisemitism-related reports and complaints. And a Michigan lawmaker has proposed putting a definition of antisemitism into the state's civil rights law.
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
North Carolina GOP sending immigration crackdown bills to Democratic Gov. Stein
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republicans at the North Carolina legislature gave final approval Tuesday two pieces of legislation that would compel state agencies to participate in President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and would toughen a recent law that required sheriffs to help federal agents seeking criminal defendants. The series of House and Senate votes on the measures could mean an early showdown between the GOP-controlled General Assembly and new Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, who since taking office in January has tried to build rapport with lawmakers on consensus issues like Hurricane Helene aid. More from The Star & partners
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
Government failed to follow procurement, security rules with ArriveCan contractor
Canada's auditor general says security rules were not followed when awarding contracts to the company behind the ArriveCan app. CTV's Colton Praill explains. Federal organizations failed to follow procurement and security rules when awarding contracts to a company behind the controversial ArriveCan app, the auditor general said Tuesday. Last year Karen Hogan published an audit of ArriveCan, finding the government did not deliver value to taxpayers and that three federal departments disregarded federal policies and controls in awarding contracts for the development of the app. GCStrategies was granted the largest share of those contracts. It lost its security status last year and last week the government banned it from federal contracts for seven years over its conduct. On Tuesday Hogan published a wider audit of 106 other contracts awarded to GCStrategies by 31 federal organizations between 2015 and 2024, and found in many of those cases procurement rules were also not followed. Hogan also found federal organizations and departments often provided little evidence to show the work they had paid for had actually been done. The maximum value of those contracts was more than $90 million but only about $65 million was paid out. The report says that, for half of the contracts requiring security clearances, federal organizations weren't able to show that those doing the work had the appropriate clearances before the contract was awarded. Federal organizations lacked documentation to show that they had confirmed security clearances for just over one in five of the contracts Hogan's office examined. The report also found that federal organizations failed to monitor contract work and performance. Many accepted poorly drafted timesheets or failed to collect them at all. Others couldn't show that the people doing the work had the required experience and qualifications. Hogan said that in more than 80 per cent of the contracts examined, organizations couldn't prove that the fees paid didn't exceed market rates. In just under half of the contracts, the report says, organizations had 'little to no evidence' to show that deliverables were received. Despite that, payments were still made. The report says most contracts were awarded without organizations assessing whether they should call for bids. Many organizations justified the need for the contracts by pointing to increased workloads or public servants' absences. In September, the House of Commons agreed unanimously to ask Hogan to look into contracts. Hogan said the audit findings echoed those from previous audits by her office. 'I said it back then, and I'll repeat it now: I have no reason to believe that this is unique to two vendors,' she said. 'And that's why I believe the government needs to take a step back and look at why this behaviour is happening.' Hogan noted she did not make any recommendations in the report, because she said, the rules don't need to be updated, they just need to be followed. 'It's already happening, to make sure that the rules that are in place are followed, well understood across departments,' Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound told reporters, following the Liberal cabinet meeting Tuesday. He said it is up to departments overseeing contracts 'to make sure that in each and every department, the rules are followed' and that proper documentation is submitted and reviewed. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Tuesday that the government needs to go to GC Strategies and 'get our money back.' He said all public servants who failed to follow procurement policies should be fired and that politicians should be held accountable too. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
