Auditor General Met With RCMP to Discuss Findings of ArriveCan Report

Auditor General Karen Hogan leaves after holding a press conference in Ottawa on Dec. 6, 2022. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

The auditor general told MPs on the Government Operations Committee that she met with the RCMP to discuss the findings of her report on the ArriveCan app, and that she will hand over relevant documents if requested.

“I met with the RCMP and I talked to them in generalities about our findings, because our report had not yet been made public,” Auditor General Karen Hogan told MPs on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) on Feb. 14.

“I said to them once it was made public, if they would like to have access to our files to see our evidence, that they should send me a production order.”

On Feb. 13, Ms. Hogan released her report on the ArriveCan application, which was used to track the COVID-19 vaccination status of people entering Canada during COVID-19. Ms. Hogan said the audit found a “glaring disregard for basic management and contracting practices” in ArriveCan’s development and implementation.

The report said the precise cost of the app could not be determined due to faulty documentation and financial record-keeping, but estimated it cost $59.5 million to develop. Initial estimates projected the cost of the app to be around $80,000.

In her opening statement before OGGO, Ms. Hogan said she was “deeply concerned” that the audit did not uncover the records needed to “accurately show how much was spent on what, who did the work, or how and why contracting decisions were made.”

She added that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) failed to follow proper project management practices such as developing objectives, budgets and cost estimates, and that Canadians did not receive “good value for money.”

RCMP Investigating Contracting

Under questioning by Conservative MP Larry Brock, Ms. Hogan said her agency did not refer the matter of ArriveCan to the RCMP because the force was “already potentially looking at a matter related to contracting from the CBSA.”

Back in October 2023, the RCMP confirmed it was investigating potential misconduct of three companies who worked on the ArriveCan app: GC Strategies, Dalian, and Coradix.

The auditor general’s report estimated that GC Strategies received $19.1 million for work on ArriveCan, while Dalian and Coradix recieved $7.9 million. Over the past 10 years, Coradix and Dalian have received a combined $411 million in government contracts.

Allegations of misconduct surrounding ArriveCan were put forth by the Quebec-based software company Botler AI, which worked on a pilot project for the CBSA in 2019. While Botler did not work on ArriveCan specifically, they worked alongside CBSA officials and contractors who did, and said they witnessed “corruption” and “fraud” taking place.

When asked by Liberal MP Parm Bains if she had seen any evidence of corruption around the ArriveCan app, Ms. Hogan said her office was leaving potential “matters of a criminal nature” to the RCMP.

In an email to The Epoch Times, the RCMP confirmed it is currently investigating a matter referred from the CBSA, stemming from allegations brought forth by Botler AI.

Sgt. Kim Chamberland also told The Epoch Times that the force received a letter from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who wrote a to the to the RCMP on Feb. 13 asking it to expand its current criminal investigation into the contracting practices of some businesses involved in ArriveCan.

“The RCMP is assessing the available information, including the Auditor General’s performance audit report and will take appropriate action,” said Sgt. Chamberland. “The RCMP takes all complaints it receives very seriously and any decisions taken are reflective of the thoroughness, diligence and independence of our actions.”

During the OGGO meeting, a Conservative motion was also adopted calling for the auditor general to audit all government contracts by GC Strategies.