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House Hansard - 299

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 15, 2024 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 299 - Apr/15/24
Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)
  • Apr/15/24 8:04:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure the member that we are taking the allegations seriously. As the hon. member is aware, the CBSA initiated an internal investigation as soon as there were allegations of inappropriate contracting practices. The matter was also referred to the RCMP for investigation. Contracts with three companies involved, including GC Strategies, have also been suspended through a stop work order from Public Services and Procurement Canada. We expect procurement practices to be followed properly, and anyone who does not follow contracting rules will face appropriate consequences. This has been and always will be the case. The procurement ombud and the Auditor General's reports have identified unacceptable gaps in management processes, roles and controls. Some recommendations have already been implemented, and the CBSA is taking further action to ensure that practices are aligned with policies and meet the expectations that Canadians have. Need I remind the hon. member of the context in which the app was developed? The CBSA needed to develop and launch this app as quickly as possible at the request of the Public Health Agency of Canada, after a global pandemic was declared in March 2020. The CBSA was working as quickly as possible to replace a paper process that was not meeting public health needs and was also impacting the border with significant wait times that disrupted the essential flow of people and goods. I wish to point out that the Auditor General did recognize, in her report, that the government improved the speed and quality of information collected at the border by using the ArriveCAN app rather than a paper-based format. The ArriveCAN app was an essential tool at the time to collect mandatory health information while facilitating travel and trade. The government is taking steps to ensure that all departments are better positioned to undertake projects of this nature in the future. In wrapping up my remarks, I want to emphasize that this should not detract from the commendable efforts of frontline border officers and all CBSA personnel, who diligently serve and protect Canadian citizens on a daily basis and in support of our country's economy. The government remains committed to acting on the findings of all audits, reviews and investigations.
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Context: House Hansard - 299 - Apr/15/24
Mr. Ryan Turnbull
  • Apr/15/24 8:08:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to transparency and accountability. We acknowledge that the procurement ombud and the Auditor General's reports have identified gaps in management processes, roles and controls at the CBSA. Some recommendations in the report have already been implemented, and the CBSA will take further action to ensure that management practices are aligned with policies and processes to maintain the confidence of Canadians. We welcome the ongoing investigations and look forward to the findings. In addition, Public Services and Procurement Canada will continue to strengthen all aspects of the federal procurement system and will use the findings from these reports to improve the way the government does business with its suppliers. I wish to assure the hon. member and all Canadians that this government takes any allegation of misconduct very seriously. We will keep prioritizing efficiency, accountability and transparency in the management of public resources.
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