Evidence of meeting #112 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cbsa.
A video is available from Parliament.
Director General, CARM Project Directorate, Canada Border Services Agency
There were two small contracts around that activity, and the major contract was in February 2018. The initial two contracts to begin work on CARM/ARL.... I don't have the precise dates in front of me, but they were awarded around March 2010.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Was the majority of the project funding allocated before October 2015?
Director General, CARM Project Directorate, Canada Border Services Agency
There were two allocations of funding. There was an initial allocation, as I mentioned, around that timeline. Then there was a contract award in February 2018.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Out of curiosity, how much of an expected loss of revenue would exist as a result of CARM's delay? I know that you have an estimate on why CARM exists, and it's expected to capture some funding. Do you have any idea?
Director General, CARM Project Directorate, Canada Border Services Agency
A rough estimate would be about $3 million a month.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Moor, it's postpandemic now and a new normal. Changes are being made. Do you still see poor record-keeping happening on any other projects at this point, recognizing some of the issues that have arisen from both the ombudsman and the Auditor General?
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
I think knowledge management and record-keeping will always be an issue. I think it's an issue around the world in terms of how you ensure that you have the right records, especially post-COVID, which I think impacted us particularly.
We are definitely putting in place ways in which we can improve our record-keeping. I think a good example of that is the procurement review committee. It will be completely minuted. All the records will be kept essentially by the governance unit.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
There are lots of suggestions about interrelationships between prospective contract bidders and relationships with employees. Do you think the CBSA has done enough to ensure that appropriate oversight is being taken in this respect?
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
I think it's very important to say that if a contractor has worked on developing an RFP, then they are precluded from bidding on that RFP. That is part of our rules and regulations. If we find that the investigation says that there's evidence behind that, then action will be taken on that. That is not acceptable.
The only time you can use a contractor to help you develop an RFP is when it's a technical requirement. The individual or the company who helped you then has to be precluded from bidding on that contract.
Liberal
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
I have not been approached by the RCMP.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
You're aware of the reviews, obviously, that are being done internally with respect to these issues.
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
I'm aware of the reviews being done internally. The security and professional standards directorate does report to the CFO. However, for reviews of executives, all the reporting is done directly to the deputy minister and the president. I am not party to any information on those investigations.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Have you ever felt pressured by elected officials with respect to these files?
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
No, I've not experienced any pressure from elected officials. Actually, as the CBSA, our minister is the Minister of Public Safety. I very rarely see the minister unless it is about supplementary estimates or main estimates.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Is the code of conduct amongst you and your team very clear?
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
The CBSA has a very clear code of conduct, which is always kept under review and which will be updated. We also have the overarching public safety ethics responsibilities as well.
Liberal
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
Maybe I can ask Alex Martel to answer this.
Executive Director, Procurement, Canada Border Services Agency
It's about 1,500 a year.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
With respect to the issue around the ArriveCAN component, there are some discrepancies still about the cost. You mentioned two different costs. One was in regard to the immigration component of it. One was in regard to the support for the pandemic. Can you elaborate a bit further on this?
Vice-President, Comptrollership Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
There are two elements to ArriveCAN. On my mobile phone, I still have the ArriveCAN app. I used it a couple of weeks ago to return to Canada.
One of the things the Auditor General did point out was that the benefits from ArriveCAN are still ongoing. The work we developed during the public health testing stage is now available for us to use for the advance declaration.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I'm sorry. That's our time, Mr. Sousa, unless you have a very quick question that he can respond to in writing.