From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

MP Kelly Block said at a House of Commons government operations committee meeting that there ‘was misconduct’ and ‘very bizarre’ lapses concerning an $11.1 million contract awarded to a supplier.

Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MPs accused the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) of lying to Parliament over sweetheart contracting approvals concerning the federal government’s $54 million controversial COVID-era ArriveCAN travel app.

As per Blacklock’s Reporter, CPC MP Kelly Block said recently at a House of Commons government operations committee meeting that there “was misconduct” from the CBSA along with “very bizarre” lapses concerning an $11.1 million contract awarded to supplier GC Strategies Inc.

“We have I think been misled and perhaps even lied to when it comes to the individuals knowing who in fact chose GC Strategies,” Block said.

The CBSA was tasked with building the ArriveCAN app.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) is investigating how various companies such as Dalian, Coaradix, and GC Strategies received millions in taxpayer dollars to develop the contentious quarantine-tracking ArriveCAN app.

Two weeks ago, LifeSiteNews reported that an investigation into ArriveCAN by Alexander Jeglic, the government’s procurement ombudsman, revealed that three-quarters of the contractors who were paid to work on ArriveCAN did not do anything in building the scandal-plagued app.

The investigation’s report singles out GC Strategies, saying the two-man company did not prove that its list of subcontractors was qualified to work on the app.

The procurement ombudsman’s report also found “numerous examples” in which GC Strategies “had simply copied and pasted” required work experience that was listed by the government for its contractors.

The report also noted that it was unusual the government used criteria for the app’s tender that were “overly restrictive and favoured” GC Strategies, which won the contract bid despite the fact no other bids were submitted.

Speaking to the government operations committee, Block observed, “Who actually chose GC Strategies?”

Jeglic testified to the committee that it was “highly unusual” GC Strategies got the bid to make ArriveCAN.

“It is impossible to demonstrate fairness if you do not have records demonstrating how you evaluated all of the bids,” he said, noting that open bidding is vital in being “fair, open and transparent.”

CPC MP Larry Block said it was time to “deal with the elephant in the room.”

“The elephant in the room is the expansion of outsourcing. Last year alone, $14.6 billion was spent on federal outsourcing,” he said.

Thus far, only two federal executives who worked on the ArriveCAN app have been suspended. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating the contractors who worked on the program.

Canadians were told ArriveCAN was supposed to have cost only $80,000, but the number quickly ballooned to $54 million.

As for the app itself, it was riddled with tech glitches along with privacy concerns from users.

ArriveCAN was introduced in April 2020 by the Trudeau government and made mandatory in November 2020. The app was used by the federal government to track the COVID jab status of those entering the country and enforce quarantines when deemed necessary.

When the app was mandated, all travelers entering Canada had to use it to submit their travel and contact information as well as any COVID vaccination details before crossing the border or boarding a flight.

Canadian Auditor General Karen Hogan announced an investigation of the ArriveCAN app in November 2022 after the House of Commons voted 173-149 for a full audit of the controversial app.

Last year, LifeSiteNews reported on two tech entrepreneurs testifying before the committee that during the development of the ArriveCAN travel app they saw firsthand how federal managers engaged in “extortion,” “corruption,” and “ghost contracting,” all at the expense of taxpayers.