'False': Main contractor on ArriveCan app disputes auditor general's finding
The company that held a contract for the build of the ArriveCan app said it was paid millions less than what Canada's auditor general reported last month.
GC Strategies partner Kristian Firth appeared at the government operations committee Wednesday alongside his lawyer, where he testified that inaccurate reporting about his company has led to threats against him and his family.
Firth said he "painstakingly" went through invoices and spoke with contractors and concluded that GC Strategies was paid approximately $11 million for the app's development.
He said his company kept a $2.5-million commission for its work over two years, while the rest of the money went to other contractors hired to help develop the app.
The auditor general reported last month that the overall cost of the app was more than $60 million and GC Strategies was paid more than $19 million, but the government's record-keeping was inadequate.
Firth also said "virtually everything" the media has reported about his company is "false."
He said GC Strategies held three contracts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but none of them were narrowly focused on ArriveCan -- so he said he can understand why it was hard for the auditor general to determine the total cost.
GC Strategies invoiced the Canada Border Services Agency close to $22 million over three years for three pandemic-related projects, he said, but it wasn't all for the app.
"I'm disputing that $19.1 million is completely attributable to the ArriveCan application build," Firth said.
He told the committee that he provided information to auditor Karen Hogan that wasn't reflected in her final report, and said there are lots of reasons why there could be discrepancies between her number and his.
Hogan didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Firth said the auditor's estimate included figures that had been billed up until May 2023, even though the app's build was finished in July 2022.
"So there's another year's worth of billing there which may not have been ArriveCan," Firth said.
He testified that the auditor wouldn't have had access to the detailed records he has, though he said he has submitted those to the committee three times.
Aside from the main contract, the government issued task authorizations to carry out work for certain aspects of the app. But not all the task authorizations issued for the project were used, Firth said.
"So you may see one for $200,000 but only $120,000 was actually used," Firth said.
"This is, again, where these inflated numbers can come from, because there's just not the financial system in place that can do real-time health checks."
Wednesday marks the third time Firth has testified before MPs about the issue. His business partner Darren Anthony is set to meet the committee on Thursday.
Firth said the two were separated by the committee after they had asked to appear off-camera. He said after past appearances at House committee meetings, people have published pictures of their homes, journalists have turned up to their private property, and strangers have taken photos of their children in hockey change rooms.
"We can only conclude that this televised nature of today's meeting aids in political goal-scoring, while simultaneously using us as media fodder at the expense of our health and the safety of our families," Firth said.
The government launched the ArriveCan app in April 2020 to track health and contact information for people entering Canada during the pandemic, and to digitize customs and immigration declarations.
The two IT recruiters did not build the app, but were tasked by the federal government with assembling a team to complete certain parts of the project.
Firth previously testified that GC Strategies was not responsible for the direction of the project, objectives, budgeting or cost controls and that it was the federal government that managed the overall project.
Firth said Wednesday that the costs continued to rise because workers had to constantly adapt to government mandates during the pandemic, like requiring proof of vaccination for travel, which resulted in changes to the design.
That would also result in an amendment to the contract, Firth said.
"Every time there was an amendment it was published on Buy and Sell which 635 companies can challenge, and it was also put in front of the House, and MPs voted in the House every single time there was an amendment," Firth said.
"Everybody knew the prices were rising."
In her report last month, Hogan found that three government organizations that managed the project failed to keep accurate financial records and didn't deliver the best value for taxpayer dollars spent.
She said Ottawa drove up the cost of the project by relying on external contractors because it didn't have the resources needed to develop the app during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, the government suspended the security status of GC Strategies, which prevents it from bidding or working on government contracts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2024.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Local Spotlight
Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors bet on who will win Round 2 of the playoffs. Here's what's at stake
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
'No other life taken': Mother leads ATV helmet drive to honour daughter's legacy
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
P.E.I. lighthouse, N.B. river spotlighted in Canada Post series
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Investigating the tale of Winnipeg's long-running mystery bookstore
Whether passionate about Poirot or hungry for Holmes, Winnipeg mystery obsessives have had a local haunt for over 30 years in which to search out their latest page-turners.
'Love has no boundaries': Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Twin Alberta Ballet dancers retire after 15 years with company
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.