Internal ArriveCan investigators' report sealed by federal court order: Report
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A Federal Court order has sealed an internal ArriveCan investigators’ report long sought by MPs according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
The distribution of the report’s findings was blocked by Justice Henry Brown at the request of Cameron MacDonald, a former Canada Border Services Agency director who was briefly suspended over the $63-million program.
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“The allegations each side makes against the other are most serious,” wrote Brown in issuing a temporary injunction against “distributing or disseminating” the report into ArriveCan irregularities.
Court records show the report was done on Feb. 11.
In his testimony at parliamentary committee hearings, MacDonald admitted to having drinks with federal contractors.
However, he denied any responsibility for inside dealing that made millions for ArriveCan suppliers.
“The applicant attests he was not involved in the procurement process,” wrote Brown. “This is contested.”
“The underlying facts in this case are heavily contested,” wrote the court. “The parties dispute the timeline, purpose, merits and procedural fairness of this investigation and report.”
An internal preliminary statement of facts completed in 2023 by the Border Services Agency has never been made public.
In 2024, excerpts were read into the record of the Commons government operations committee by Ontario Conservative MP Larry Brock.
The statement of facts alleged “serious employee misconduct, so serious that you required the RCMP to investigate at least two criminal charges, fraud and bribery,” he said.
Page 10 of the report alleged an ArriveCan contractor “solicited a bribe.”
The documents also suggested a federal manager attempted to destroy thousands of ArriveCan records sought by investigators.
Auditor General Karen Hogan said irregularities in ArriveCan contracting raised suspicions of serial lawbreaking in a June 10 report titled “Professional Services Contracts With GC Strategies Inc.”
“I have no reason to believe this is unique,” she said.
MacDonald’s 2024 testimony at the government operations committee had him denying any role in cost overruns.
“I delivered a detailed costing of $6.3 million,” said MacDonald adding he was “not responsible for the $60 million budget.”
Auditors to date have not explained the 900% cost overrun.
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