Auditor General Karen Hogan will disclose confidential details of a special audit of ArriveCan on February 12, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “When we identify issues that could raise the potential of criminality we do identify it for the RCMP,” said Deputy Auditor General Andrew Hayes at a House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) hearing. Auditors would not comment when asked if they had uncovered evidence of criminality. Hayes noted the RCMP was investigating Canadian government contractors who worked on ArriveCan. Conservative MP Larry Brock (Brantford-Brant, ON) asked if Hayes had uncovered any issues about criminality involving ArriveCan. “At this point, that would be a question the Auditor General would be best positioned to answer on February 12,” he said. Brock asked if he was able to determine with the documentation he received who was responsible. He responded by saying the Auditor General will be best positioned to describe the findings of the audit on February 12. “This report has not yet been tabled in Parliament,” he said. “I am not in a position to discuss our findings.”When it comes to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government, Brock said they had been open and transparent about releasing documentation as requested by the Auditor General. “We have received the responses we expected,” said Hayes. The House of Commons ordered the special audit into ArriveCan by a 173 to 149 vote in 2022. This vote followed disclosures Canadian government managers concealed the $54 million cost from Parliament and hid the value of sole-sourced contracts to favourite suppliers who pocketed millions in commissions. Conservative MP John Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest, NB) said he would call the CPAC into closed session on February 12 at 10 a.m. for MPs and staff to question auditors.“This is not an official committee meeting,” said Williamson. “This is something I am asked as chair of the Public Accounts Committee to host.”The CPAC will open public hearings to question auditors on the ArriveCan report on February 12 at 11:15 a.m. “My job is to oversee the government,” said Williamson. Williamson said this is an opposition-run committee. When he thinks it is worthwhile, he said he will call hearings. He concluded by saying the ArriveCan audit had been near completion when “the Office of the Auditor General actually delayed the release of their report so they could go back and review the documents.” He did not elaborate. “This committee is doing its job by overseeing the government,” he said. “It will continue to do so.”Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) management said on January 18 it was satisfied with ArriveCan.READ MORE: CBSA says it is proud of ArriveCan“I am very proud of the app,” said former CBSA president John Ossowski. “ArriveCan helped to administer the pandemic border measures, but I relied on my officials to deal with the procurement details.”
