QUESTION PERIOD — Public Services and Procurement
Procurement Process
February 6, 2024
Government leader, the ArriveCAN app wasn’t necessary. It didn’t work. It caused chaos at the border, and it cost $54 million. It’s under an RCMP investigation — a fact your government hid from the Auditor General, who will issue her own report on ArriveCAN next week.
Unfortunately, for taxpayers, it’s a perfect example of how the Trudeau government is incapable of fixing the budget. We will never get a handle on its spending, no matter how wasteful. A report from the Office of the Procurement Ombud showed 76% of ArriveCAN contractors performed no work at all — zero.
Leader, since the Procurement Ombud’s report was released last week, has anything been done to get taxpayers’ money back? If so, how much?
I’m not aware of what measures may have been taken this past week. I do know that the government takes seriously and respects the reports which you referenced. It looks forward to the Auditor General’s report, at which point, I’m sure, you will have questions for me, and I’ll be pleased to answer at that time.
Trudeau government insiders lined their pockets through shady contracts when Canadians used food banks in record numbers. Shameful, leader.
The Procurement Ombud found numerous examples where the two-person company, GC Strategies, submitted résumés that simply copied and pasted the government’s requirements. I suggest this is fraud. How do you defend this, leader?
Again, with all respect, Senator Plett, I think it is premature to come to legal conclusions when we do not have all the facts before us. We will look with interest at what additional information is revealed and disclosed by the audit. I have no doubt that this conversation will continue at that time.
