logo
Ottawa repeatedly violated procurement rules in giving ArriveCan firm nearly $100 million in contracts, auditor general finds

Ottawa repeatedly violated procurement rules in giving ArriveCan firm nearly $100 million in contracts, auditor general finds

Toronto Stara day ago

OTTAWA — Federal government organizations repeatedly violated procurement rules as they awarded GCStrategies Inc., the main firm behind the pandemic ArriveCan scandal, nearly $100 million in contracts over a nine-year period without proper oversight, Canada's auditor general has concluded in a new report.
Rebuking contracting practices under the Trudeau government in yet another damning report, auditor general Karen Hogan found federal agencies failed to justify procurement methods and contract costs, follow security measures and monitor the work of GCStrategies, ultimately falling short in showing value for the money spent and even paying contractors without proof work was done.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Transat A.T. reports $22.9M Q2 loss, revenue up from year ago
Transat A.T. reports $22.9M Q2 loss, revenue up from year ago

CTV News

time2 hours ago

  • CTV News

Transat A.T. reports $22.9M Q2 loss, revenue up from year ago

People look on as an Air Transat plane takes off at Trudeau in Montreal, Sunday, June 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL — Transat A.T. Inc. reported a net loss of $22.9 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $54.4 million in the same quarter last year as its revenue rose 5.9 per cent. The parent company of Air Transat says the loss amounted to 58 cents per share for the quarter ended April 30 compared with a loss of $1.40 per share a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, Transat says it earned 12 cents per share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted loss of $1.21 per share in the same quarter last year. Revenue for what was the company's second quarter totalled $1.03 billion, up from $973.2 million a year ago. Last week, Transat announced a deal to reduce its total debt with a federal Crown corporation by more than half to $334 million. Most of that reduction is due to about $380 million of debt forgiven under the agreement in principle. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025.

Today's letters: It's time to upgrade the dress code, not just the pay, for Canada's military
Today's letters: It's time to upgrade the dress code, not just the pay, for Canada's military

Ottawa Citizen

time6 hours ago

  • Ottawa Citizen

Today's letters: It's time to upgrade the dress code, not just the pay, for Canada's military

Military sometimes scruffy and unkempt Article content Article content With the Mark Carney government announcing its intention to increase defence spending, through not only new equipment but also pay raises and bonuses, perhaps now is the time to drop the Trudeau-era relaxed dress regulations, which allow for both long hair and beards often seen on the troops meeting with the prime minister. Article content Article content Introduced as an attempt to attract new recruits, the relaxed dress regulations have taken what was once a professional-looking, clean-shaven and well groomed military into a force that looks scruffy and unkempt — hardly a look that inspires confidence in a military that is not only tasked with defending the nation but is often the international face of Canada. Article content City council has many challenges, and one recently revealed was the state of its aging infrastructure, from water mains and sewers, to fire equipment to aquatic facilities. A city staff report on the city's Asset Management Plans estimates that over the next 10 years, a $10.8-billion gap is forecasted between projected infrastructure needs and planned funding. These forecasted needs reflect asset renewal, growth, service enhancements and climate change adaptation and mitigation costs. That's a lot of money. Article content Article content More than 40 per cent ($4.8 billion) relate to water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Just over one-third of this will be paid for by debt, the rest through water rate charges. The mayor calls this 'good debt.' (This leads me to question the $331 million of new debt for Lansdowne 2.0, but I digress.) Article content Article content The remaining $6-billion funding gap is for such city assets as arenas, swimming pools, fire stations and equipment, etc. For example, the average age of the city's aquatic facilities is 40 years, and more than one-third of them are listed in poor or very poor condition. The average age for arenas and ice rinks is 45 years, with more than 14 per cent in poor or very poor condition. We have already seen the closure of the Belltown Dome arena due to aging equipment. These issues are not going away. Article content So where is the $6 billion over the next 10 years needed to keep our facilities going? The report is silent about this but obviously the bulk will be from taxes. Council may want to consider imposing a specific, dedicated levy to fund these infrastructure needs. Most people want to see the city's facilities maintained and expect council will make the necessary investment.

Letters to the editor, June 12: ‘I fear that without significant constitutional reforms, Canada is in the early stages of inevitable economic demise'
Letters to the editor, June 12: ‘I fear that without significant constitutional reforms, Canada is in the early stages of inevitable economic demise'

Globe and Mail

time6 hours ago

  • Globe and Mail

Letters to the editor, June 12: ‘I fear that without significant constitutional reforms, Canada is in the early stages of inevitable economic demise'

Re 'ArriveCan's main contractor GCStrategies paid without ensuring work was done: A-G' (June 11): The Auditor-General's report makes it clear that at issue was government services not following its own rules in awarding contracts, thus wasting taxpayer dollars. Mark Carney's response was to point out that GCStrategies has been suspended from receiving further contracts. Fine, but what about the individuals and departments found to have broken government rules? Apparently nothing, as Mr. Carney simply pledges to do better going forward. A new government, but seemingly the same values on accountability. David Harper Burlington, Ont. Re 'Canada invites Saudi Crown Prince to G7 summit' (June 11): This deeply disturbs me. Is it possible that the Prime Minister or his advisers are unaware of the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a brutal act with the Crown Prince's fingerprints all over it? Are we so desperate for investment and trade to want to engage with such an authoritarian regime? For a country that professes to believe in the rule of law and human rights, this invitation disgusts me. Ken Pattern Vancouver Re 'Mexico and Canada fell apart over migration. Could it bring us back together?' (June 10): I have long been puzzled by what has appeared to be Canadian indifference toward things Mexican beyond tequila, tacos and beach resorts. Mexicans are enormously diverse, a trait that we share, and know exactly who they are as a people and a nation. Nowhere do I see a sugar-coating of their often-violent history. As a NAFTA partner and, yes, often times a competitor, we have missed an opportunity to gain a solid foothold into our own hemisphere with the world's largest Spanish-speaking nation. Bilingual Canadians will likely find learning Spanish quite easy, as I did during the pandemic. I support the Carney government's look across the ocean to Europe. I would be enthusiastic about deepening engagement with Mexico. David Roy Toronto Re 'The Liberals get around to fixing the thing they broke' (Editorial, June 7): The underlying purpose of refugee law is not to protect those fleeing from past persecution. It is to protect those who face future persecution. The length of time a person has spent in Canada should have no bearing on this issue and thus should not be used as a reason for diluting procedural protections for some claimants. Donald Galloway Victoria Re 'ROI' (Letters, June 11): Letter-writers do a good job of explaining the opposing views on building pipelines as nation-building projects, and I find merit in both arguments. It seems to me that a compromise – where Canada builds pipelines yet does so in the most ethical and efficient manner, with proceeds earmarked for environmental objectives – could win the day. 'Building a nation' with such disparate interests necessitates a balanced approach. Jeff Zuk Hamilton Even before new energy infrastructure projects have been announced, the usual suspects of opposition are out in force. The swell of national unity is, it seems, not unbounded, but conditional. It is becoming increasingly clear to me that Canada is ungovernable. This nation, as currently configured, feels set up to fail. Canada may not only be left behind with respect to major infrastructure: We will likely become technology slaves dependent upon the United States. Optimism alone is not a recipe for success. I fear that without significant constitutional reforms, Canada is in the early stages of inevitable economic demise that will increase the likelihood of 'absorption' by the U.S. Martin McMahon Oak Bay, B.C. Re 'Advocates question tax-cut bill's plan to shield federal parties from provincial privacy laws' (June 10): I find it incomprehensible and shocking that federal parties are not subject to any privacy legislation. And I find it disturbing that the Liberals would attempt to quietly entrench this unacceptable state of affairs in an unrelated bill. The lack of privacy protections for Canadians is not an abstract matter. The infamous 'robocall' data breach and electoral crime of 2011 played out across the country. There were no legal or financial consequences for the Conservative Party itself for this egregious data breach. They were not obligated to inform individuals who had their data compromised. We learned through the Cambridge Analytica scandal in the United States that political parties can amass thousands of data points about every elector. It's long past time for federal parties to be subject to meaningful privacy legislation. Canadians should demand it. Susan Watson Guelph, Ont. I guess we shouldn't look to the federal government to address any privacy concerns we might have, since they want to grant themselves immunity from any such legislation. Do as we say…. Paddy Fuller Ottawa Re 'In a challenging market, a few brave developers push forward' (Real Estate, June 6): There is forecasted to be 24,000 unsold condos sitting on the market in Toronto and 3,500 in Vancouver by the end of the year. Maybe we should figure out how to build stuff people want to live in, and can afford to purchase, before we embark on the federal government's 'build, baby, build' strategy for solving the housing crisis. Barbara Yaffe Vancouver Re 'CIBC chief calls for tax changes to help young Canadians struggling to save money' (Report on Business, June 10): I do not disagree with helping young Canadians, but I think the CIBC CEO's recommendation will serve the bank well. Of course the bank wants to negotiate more mortgages. What is CIBC doing to help young people? Are they reducing banking fees, increasing interest earned on money in the bank or lowering interest rates on loans? Jan Vanderwal Toronto Re 'Is AI dulling critical-thinking skills? As tech companies court students, educators weigh the risks' (June 7): With the advent of the pocket calculator came the mantra that tech will make learning easier. With the personal computer it was that tech will make learning fun. With artificial intelligence it will be that tech will make learning unnecessary. I'm not a Luddite. I'm just reflecting on a lifetime of experience in education, the snake oil that senior decision-makers have bought over the decades and the ill effects of their decisions. Learning requires a mix of effort, focus and discipline. It always has. Before we use the tools, we should learn how to use our brains. Dan Brennan Belleville, Ont. .................................................................................................................................. Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store