Government Official Directed Accounting Firm to Work With GC Strategies on ArriveCan

Government Official Orders Accounting Firm to Collaborate with GC Strategies on ArriveCan

April 4, 2024 TruthUSA

A central figure in the ArriveCan scandal urged a major accounting firm to collaborate with GC Strategies, a small company that was contracted for $19.1 million to work on the controversial application.

KPMG Partner and National Service Leader in Cybersecurity Hartaj Nijjar revealed that former Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) official Antonio Utano approached the firm, encouraging them to join GC Strategies in developing the app. Mr. Utano was suspended from his government role in January due to misconduct allegations related to ArriveCan.

When queried by Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné about why KPMG, with its 10,000 employees, opted to subcontract to GC Strategies for the ArriveCan project, Mr. Nijjar explained that the company adheres to stringent client acceptance procedures.

“At the time, GC Strategies had a successful history of government work for several years and a significant government contract,” stated Mr. Nijjar. “Our assessments did not raise any concerns about partnering with GC Strategies.”

The Auditor General Karen Hogan’s report on ArriveCan highlighted improper contracting and management practices, as well as missing crucial records. The report also noted a lack of documentation justifying the selection of GC Strategies for the project.

MPs on various committees have questioned the CBSA’s decision to engage GC Strategies for the application. Former CBSA Chief Technology Officer Minh Doan stated in November 2023 that he did not select GC Strategies, but instead opted for a strategic direction to meet urgent needs at the time.

Former CBSA employees Mr. Utano and Cameron MacDonald later claimed that Mr. Doan was indeed responsible for choosing the company and had threatened to shift blame onto them. Both Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Utano were suspended from their government roles in January over ArriveCan-related misconduct allegations, which they believed was an attempt to silence their criticisms. Mr. Doan has also been accused of taking unusual steps leading to the deletion of 1,700 ArriveCan-related emails, which he claimed was accidental. The CBSA is currently conducting an internal investigation to recover the deleted emails.