Members of the House of Commons committee on government operations, including representatives from the Liberal, Bloc Québécois, and NDP parties, abruptly halted their ongoing investigation into the ArriveCan app and related allegations of contracting misconduct.
This decision followed the examination of a concerning preliminary report from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) by federal investigator Michel Lafleur, which detailed alarming findings about the ArriveCan app’s cost overruns and IT procurement issues. The parliamentary hearings have been looking into how ArriveCan’s expenses ballooned to $54 million. But on Wednesday, MPs from the three partly suddenly decided to stop the investigation.
“We’re doing a disservice to justice,” Liberal MP and committee vice-chair Majid Jowhari said. “And I’m being very, very serious about this. Very serious. I’m not a lawyer, okay, but what I read, it’s scary.”
The controversy stems from allegations brought forward by Montreal-based software company Botler, which, although not involved with ArriveCan, highlighted potential misconduct involving public servants and private contractors. These allegations prompted an investigation by Lafleur, who was tasked with reviewing the concerns in late 2022.
Lafleur on Monday appeared before the committee, where it was revealed that Brock had a copy of the report while the other MPs did not, prompting the committee to decide to give a copy of the report to just members of the committee and no one else, including thor staff. When Lafleur returned on Wednesday, the committee voted to end the meeting and did not ask him any further questions.
According to Jowhari, there was “no ticking time bomb” in findings related to the app, but the initial finding concerning Bolter’s allegations where something else.
“Now we are seeing, oh my God, based on this, this is even going deeper than we expected. So it’s not that we don’t want to do the study or we are trying to hide something,” Jowhari said. “By no means is our side saying stop [studying] ArriveCan. What we’re suggesting is pause.”
This decision was criticized by Conservative MPs who called it a cover-up. Stephanie Kusie accused the the Liberals of trying to conceal the issue, while Larry Brock challenged the government’s commitment to uncovering the truth.
“These are horrendous, horrendous allegations against the government of Canada. So I can see, Mr. Chair, why the Liberals will do everything in their power to shut this down,” Brock said. “That’s why we’re here, Mr. Chair, is to get to the bottom of this scam.”
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One Response
NO REAL SURPRISE. ANYTIME THE LIBERALS RE GUILTY OF SOMETHING THEY SHUT’R DOWN. SAME OLD B.S. STILL NO CHARGES . 9 YEARS OF TRUDEAUS CONTEMPT OF PARLAIMENT CONTINUES. NO CHARGES. WILL WE SEE A NATIONAL VOTE ON WETHER THE LIBERALS THE NDB THE BLOC WERE BEING HONORABLE AN ETHICAL ON VOTING AGAINST SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE FERGUS BEING FIRED. WILL WE EVER SE CRIMINAL CHARGES OF CRIMINAL FRAUD OF REPRESENTATION. IT IS SUPOSED TO BE A SACRED DUTY YET THE PARLAIMENTARY PROCESS HAS BEENTREATED LIKE A 2 DOLLAR PROSTIUTE STANDING ON A STREET CORNER