QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
ArriveCAN Application
February 26, 2024
Government leader, my question concerns, again, the failed $60 million “ArriveScam” app. Last week, two senior officials who have been suspended in relation to the “ArriveScam” told a committee of the other place that there is an ongoing cover-up related to this scandal.
Liberal MPs have shut down committee meetings into “ArriveScam,” including a meeting last fall, just as the Auditor General was about to testify. Last week, Liberal MPs filibustered a motion to compel the two-man GC Strategies to appear before the committee or face arrest by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
The Trudeau government is certainly acting like it has something to hide — is it not, leader? Who gave the order to shut down the meetings and stall for time? I want the name, please.
Thank you for your question. The government is not trying to hide anything, senator. The reason given by the members — at the time — is that the meeting was shut down because there was information that they felt would compromise the ongoing investigations.
I will remind senators in this chamber that since these allegations came to the attention of the government, it has taken appropriate steps to get to the bottom of what has been a very regrettable, unfortunate and unacceptable set of situations. That includes ongoing investigations within the Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, and the suspension of contracts with a number of companies that have been implicated, as well as ongoing RCMP investigations. The government will continue to make sure these unacceptable procurement practices, and the reasons for them, are brought to light.
I asked for a name, and I still didn’t receive it.
In recent weeks, we’ve heard that 1,700 emails related to “ArriveScam” have been deleted. Last Thursday, a House committee heard that the number of deleted emails could be much higher — in the tens of thousands. Which figure is correct, leader? How many “ArriveScam” emails were deleted to try to hide this corruption and waste under this Trudeau government?
No amount of allegation and innuendo about corruption and the like — upon which there is no evidence — can replace the fact that police investigations are under way. The facts will be revealed when those investigations are completed.
Senator Gold, we heard more explosive evidence on “ArriveScam” last week at a House of Commons committee.
Thank God for the Conservative opposition for trying to hold this government to account. For that matter, thank God for the Conservative opposition in this new independent Senate. It seems this is the only group who is really preoccupied by “ArriveScam.” We’re the only ones asking any questions of you.
Last week, the committee heard again from the only two senior bureaucrats involved with this faulty and fraudulent scheme that the chief technology officer, Minh Doan — who oversaw the whole thing — deleted tens of thousands of emails related to “ArriveScam.” Yet, he received a promotion within your government, and the two whistle-blowers are the only two people who suffered consequences. That’s how much you care about getting to the bottom of these allegations or innuendoes, or whatever you call them. Why is that, Senator Gold? Why is your government protecting Minh Doan? Is it because he was following the instructions of the Trudeau government, and now you don’t want him to point fingers back at this government?
The answer is no, senator. The fact is that investigations are under way. Allegations and fingers are being pointed in all kinds of directions. It may serve your partisan or fundraising purposes to continue trying to paint this as a political cover-up. It is not the case. I am happy that you feel as if you are doing your job as you see fit. I’m doing my job as I see fit to give you the answers regarding what the government is doing to get to the bottom of this, including — as I said on a number of occasions — a number of steps that have already been taken to ensure this kind of fiasco vis-à-vis a particular project doesn’t happen again.
Senator Gold, the only thing your government is doing is trying to obstruct the parliamentary committee from getting to the bottom of things. You’re deleting emails and preventing us from obtaining answers to simple questions. Senator Gold, “ArriveScam” has been slammed by the procurement watchdog and the Auditor General, and it is currently under criminal investigation. Are they all partisan as well? We know that, at minimum, at least 10,000 Canadians were mistakenly sent to quarantine by glitches of this shameful app. Senator Gold, how can your government — in good conscience — continue to fight these Canadians in court and hold them to huge outstanding fines in relation to what we now know was a fraudulent app?
I guess I cannot get tired of responding to these allegations of fraud and corruption, which are not founded on the facts. ArriveCAN cost far too much, and the real problems have been revealed and are being explored. It was used by 60 million Canadians during the pandemic to facilitate their travel across the borders.
Again, I will continue to answer questions so long as it continues to serve your purposes.
