A Federal Court judge has temporarily stopped the government from sharing an internal investigation report into a former Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) official tied to one of the main contractors behind the controversial ArriveCan app.
As reported by The Globe and Mail, the sealed draft report looks into Cameron MacDonald’s involvement with GCStrategies, a private IT staffing firm that secured major federal contracts for the ArriveCan app and other government tech projects. MacDonald was a senior CBSA official during ArriveCan’s development and now works as an assistant deputy minister at Health Canada.
Justice Henry Brown granted the injunction this week after MacDonald filed for a judicial review of the CBSA’s decision to distribute the report. The court agreed to keep the report confidential for the time being, citing the potential harm to MacDonald’s reputation if it were released before the legal process plays out.
The government argued the delay could hinder transparency and oversight of public servants, but the judge sided with MacDonald, writing that the risk of reputational damage outweighed the need for immediate disclosure.
MacDonald has claimed in court that the CBSA’s investigation was biased and retaliatory, following his criticism of agency leadership at a parliamentary hearing. His lawyer, Chris Spiteri, said the ruling affirms concerns about fairness in the CBSA’s handling of the case, stating that MacDonald welcomes an independent review, not one led by “the same organization trying to shield its executives.”
The CBSA had shared a copy of the draft report with MPs earlier this year, and some described the contents as alarming. The RCMP is conducting a separate investigation, but no conclusions have been made public.
The judge emphasized that the injunction doesn’t weigh in on the truth of the allegations from either side—only that the report will remain sealed while the judicial review moves ahead.
The ArriveCan scandal centres on the federal government’s COVID-19 app, which ballooned from an initial $80,000 budget to nearly $60 million, largely through contracts with private IT firms like GCStrategies.
Last month, the Auditor General said Ottawa broke rules on ArriveCan contracts worth $92 million. GCStrategies, a two-person team that works from home and outsourced the work, has since been banned from bidding on new federal contracts.
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Did the ever find how much of this was being funneled back to the Liberal Party or the Trudeau family? $10 million? $30 million?
Did they ever figure out how all those childhood falls ruined your logic, crippled your critical thinking, and gave rise to your paranoid ideation, along with your band of missionary-minded dimwits who blindly upvote your nonsense?
You ok sweetheart?
Don’t worry man, these people are just in complete denial of just how corrupt their beloved liberal party is. Any sane person would understand that a party that pays out $93 million for an app which should have cost $80,000 is corrupt to the core. It’s all about stealing and pocketing as much taxpayer dollars as they can.
Yup. The same people repeatedly watched the Liberal Party/Trudeau Family money laundering scheme, where they’d pay tens of millions to friends so their friends could donate millions back to them, and made excuses for it.
But, that’s not why our emoji friend replied. She has a bit of a crush on me.
Yup. The same people repeatedly watched the Liberal Party/Trudeau Family money laundering scheme, where they’d pay tens of millions to friends so their friends could donate millions back to them, and made excuses for it.
But, that’s not why our emoji friend replied. She has a bit of a crush on me.
the judge sided with MacDonald, writing that the risk of reputational damage outweighed the need for immediate disclosure.
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If MacDonald was so worried about his reputation, why did he get "dirty" in the first place and now hiding being a skirt…er robe.
You will be exposed!