Government Operations Committee on Oct. 31st, 2023

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

As for engagement with GC Strategies, do you have any right now?

[Colin Wood]

No, we're not working with GC Strategies right now on anything.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

They're not subcontracting from you, at this point.

[Colin Wood]

They are not.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

The issues going forward.... Given the circumstances you're facing now, have you changed the way you operate?

[Colin Wood]

I was explaining that earlier.

We take it seriously. The audits we go through under the International Standards Organization are intense. The audits are on our processes. We are audited every year. We are currently certified under the International Standards Organization.

In addition, part of that is a quality management system. We are examining what went wrong and how we can ensure it doesn't happen again.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Thank you very much for your testimony.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mr. Wood and Mr. Yeo, that is our time. Thank you for sticking around an extra nine minutes past the one-hour mark.

I suspect we might possibly have an invite for you to return. In the meantime, we will be excusing you. Thank you for your time with us today, gentlemen.

[David Yeo]

Mr. Chair and honourable members, I appreciate all the work you do and the time we've had today.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thank you for recognizing the work of the chair, Mr. Yeo.

Goodbye.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Give me two seconds.

On November 7, we have Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Utano confirmed.

Mrs. Kusie, go ahead.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Chair, given that we had Dalian and Coradix here today—I was putting the emphasis on the wrong syllable—I'm wondering where we're at with GC Strategies. When are they scheduled to appear?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

There's an update.

The ministers on the original motion will not be joining us, which is perhaps not a surprise. The other one is outstanding. Now that we've confirmed Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Utano, there's GC Strategies and Mr. Brennan individually. Mr. Brennan has declined. GC Strategies is playing hard to get. That would be a polite way of saying it. We have not been able to get a commitment from them, despite our clerk going above and beyond in trying to accommodate them. We're having difficulties with them.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

That's very disappointing to hear. I think we've seen again today from the testimony that they are central to determining what's going on exactly, and what is happening.

I think it's of the utmost importance—and I believe my colleagues agree—that we get them in front of this committee once again, and so I think I'm prepared at this point, Mr. Chair, to put forward a motion of summons. I'll read that into the record now.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Ms. Kusie, we'll require separate—

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Yes, I'm just referring to GC Strategies.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Okay, thank you.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Thank you. I move that in the context of the study of the ArriveCAN application, GC Strategies be summoned to appear before the committee on Thursday, November 2, by the Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We require names, not a company, sorry.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Excuse me.

I move that in the context of the study of the ArriveCAN application, Mr. Kristian Firth and—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

And Darren Anthony.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Pardon me?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

And Darren Anthony.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—Darren Anthony—thank you so much—be summoned to appear before the committee on Thursday, November 2.