Government Operations Committee on Oct. 31st, 2023

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Thank you, gentlemen, for being here today.

From our understanding, the CBSA hired GC Strategies to work on ArriveCAN. They in turn hired both of you.

Is this a regular relationship between your firms, where GC Strategies would hire Dalian and Coradix?

[Colin Wood]

Mr. Chair, we weren't hired by GC Strategies.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Did you sign a contract with GC Strategies?

[Colin Wood]

Yes. GC Strategies is a subcontractor that we occasionally work with. We worked with them on the Botler AI task authorization.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Would you submit that contract with the committee, please?

[Colin Wood]

Yes, we can.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Thanks.

What is the billing process?

[Colin Wood]

Our billing process for this contract in particular was deliverables-based. Once the contractor has completed the deliverable, it is signed off by a Government of Canada employee. Once we received the signed-off deliverable, we then invoice CBSA.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

You followed that process.

[Colin Wood]

Yes.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Do you do that for all billing?

[Colin Wood]

There were only two deliverables submitted against this task authorization until the contract was terminated in late December 2021.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Okay.

Who actually completed the work for ArriveCAN?

[Colin Wood]

We subcontracted that work to a company called GC—

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

To whom?

[Colin Wood]

Pardon me?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Go on, please.

[Colin Wood]

We subcontracted that work to GC Strategies, who was in partnership with Botler AI.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Okay.

Were you hired by the CBSA in order to help them fulfill their obligations under Bill C-65?

[Colin Wood]

We were provided a task authorization by CBSA to provide a pilot project with technology that was built by a company called Botler AI.

CBSA then informed GC Strategies that we received this task authorization. That's when they contacted us.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Can you please provide the committee with the contracts you signed with GC Strategies on the production of the ArriveCAN app, please?

[Colin Wood]

I'm confused, Mr. Chair.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

You already agreed to do that. Thank you.

I'll continue.

Can you provide any email communication that contains the words “GC Strategies”, “ArriveCAN” or “Botler”?

Would you table that with this committee, please?

[Colin Wood]

There are many emails that we send to CBSA. GC Strategies was included on some of those. Due to the sensitive nature of those emails, I don't think we're in a position to provide those at this time.

I would talk to CBSA, if you would like—

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

That's a no. Thank you.

Can you provide the contracts you signed with GC Strategies for the programs set by the CBSA to fulfill their obligations under Bill C-65, otherwise known as the Botler project?