GC Strategies’ owners, Kristian Firth and Darren Anthony, are facing another summons to appear before the government operations committee due to the ongoing ArriveCan app controversy.
This decision followed the Conservative party’s successful motion last Wednesday, which was delayed by a day due to extended debates on amendments. The committee chair will determine the dates for Firth and Anthony’s testimony.
The motion also states that should the owners fail to appear, the House of Commons Sergeant at Arms is to take them into custody to ensure their compliance. This measure, however, requires the House’s endorsement to issue a warrant for their arrest, a step not automatically taken.
The summons arise amid renewed scrutiny of the ArriveCan app, especially after auditor general Karen Hogan highlighted the insane cost of nearly $60 million on the app—with the final tally unknown due to missing paper trails. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged it was “obvious” rules weren’t followed in the development of the ArriveCan app.
“Common-sense Conservatives are calling GC Strategies and its employees to testify under oath at a parliamentary committee,” said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre before the vote on Wednesday, according to Global News. “They’re refusing and so we’ve put forward a motion to have them arrested and physically dragged into the room to explain where our quarter-billion dollars went. Where’s the funds?”
The RCMP’s review of Hogan’s report adds another layer of investigation into the ArriveCan app’s development and financial mismanagement. So far, the whole ArriveCan app situation has resulted in a bunch of finger pointing and blaming, regarding hiring practices of contractors and more. While the CRA can come after you for not paying $50 in taxes, it’s puzzling in this situation over $60 million of taxpayer funds suddenly cannot be traced and there’s no consequences.
