Conrad Black Calls for Accountability in the ArriveCan Fiasco
Commentary
Those familiar with ArriveCan were well aware of its disastrous impact: In the pursuit of efficiency, it caused trouble and frustration for nearly everyone entering the country.
The scope of the financial scandal surrounding this brainchild of the Trudeau government was initially underestimated. It wasn’t until last month, following a series of conflicting reports from the government and media, that the federal comptroller general, Roch Huppé, mandated an audit of all contracts involving ArriveCan’s main contractor, GC Strategies, and its predecessor company Coredal. It was revealed that these companies had been awarded 118 contracts totaling over $107 million in a span of 12 years.
The auditor general, Karen Hogan, highlighted the exorbitant increase in costs for the ArriveCan application, from an initial estimate of $80,000 to reportedly more than $60 million. She criticized the government for a blatant disregard for fundamental procurement principles, pointing out that GC Strategies alone had received nearly $20 million out of the $60 million spent.
Ms. Hogan noted the lack of proper financial records for the project, deeming it the worst she had encountered in her career. It was also revealed that David Yeo, CEO of a related contractor, had received millions of dollars for his involvement in setting up ArriveCan. The concerning aspects of these dealings have sparked curiosity and concern among members of Parliament of all political affiliations.
Both the comptroller general and the auditor general found that standard procurement rules were flouted and emphasized that the existing rules should have been sufficient if enforced properly. The issue prompted a closer examination of the responsibility for overseeing compliance with procurement rules.
It is essential that the ArriveCan scandal be thoroughly investigated and not swept under the rug. Transparency and accountability are crucial in uncovering the truth behind this debacle.
