GC Strategies partner pleads ignorance while being questioned by MPs looking into ArriveCan

One of the partners at GC Strategies said Thursday he didn't know the answers to a number of questions posed by MPs on a parliamentary committee studying the ArriveCan controversy.

GC Strategies was one of the contractors that worked on the pandemic-era project, which the auditor general estimates cost just under $60 million.

Darren Anthony, a partner at GC Strategies, was appearing before the House government operations committee. His partner, Kristian Firth, appeared separately on Wednesday.

Anthony told the committee in his opening statement that he had little to do with ArriveCan beyond filing the security clearances for the company's subcontractors.

"I will answer all questions for which I have the knowledge to answer as best I can," he said.

"Firth handled all projects related to Covid and pandemic response, so I have very little to offer as insight into this committee's current work."

After his opening statement, Anthony said he didn't have answers to several questions asked by MPs about GC Strategies, including ones that didn't specifically touch on the ArriveCan app.

WATCH | ArriveCAN company owner says he hasn't read scathing AG report:

ArriveCAN company owner says he hasn't read scathing AG report

9 months ago

Duration 3:40

Darren Anthony, vice president of GC Strategies — the company at the centre of the ArriveCan app controversy — says he hasn't read the auditor general's report scrutinizing his firm's practices. Canada's AG estimated that the development of the pandemic-era tool cost taxpayers nearly $60 million.

NDP MP Taylor Bachrach asked Anthony what his role in the company is in relation to Firth. Anthony replied that he was a vice president of the company and that while he is only responsible for the contracts he signs, he and Firth are "50-50 owners."

"What is your fiduciary responsibility as an owner of the company? Is it only for your contracts or is it for the corporate entity?" Bachrach asked.

"I don't know the answer to that," Anthony replied. He stuck with his answer when Bachrach asked him again.

"I find that astounding," Bachrach said.

Conservative MP Michael Barrett asked Anthony who had provided the testimonials posted on GC Strategies' website. Barrett was referring to a number of endorsements from anonymous government officials, including an unnamed vice president of a "major Crown corporation" and an assistant deputy minister.

"You're saying the 'vice president of a major Crown corporation' — who that person is, is a mystery to you?" Barrett asked.

"That's correct," Anthony replied.

When Barrett asked Anthony if the endorsements on the company's website were fake, Anthony said he had "no idea."

WATCH | ArriveCan contractor defends 'cost of doing business' to committee:

ArriveCan contractor defends ‘cost of doing business’ to committee

9 months ago

Duration 1:58

One of the partners at GC strategies, Kristian Firth, defended the amount his firm was paid for the ArriveCan app during an appearance at a House committee.

During his own testimony, Firth refuted the auditor general's report, which said GC Strategies had been awarded roughly $19 million for its work on ArriveCan.

Firth said that the company had instead received closer to $11 million for ArriveCan and blamed the discrepancy on the government's poor record-keeping. In her report, Auditor General Karen Hogan noted that the total cost of the project was "impossible to determine" due to the Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) bookkeeping.

Anthony said he agreed that Hogan's report was inaccurate. But when Bachrach asked if he had read the report, Anthony said he hadn't.

When Bachrach asked how he could dispute Hogan's findings if he hadn't read the report, Anthony said he agreed with Firth's assessment.

After Bachrach's questions, Conservative MP Larry Brock grilled Anthony for not reading the auditor general's report.

"How on earth could you have prepared any less for this hearing by not taking 20 minutes to read the actual report? I find it absolutely astonishing, sir, and quite frankly it reflects very poorly on your credibility," Brock said.

Hogan said she found little in the way of documentation to show how or why GC Strategies was chosen to work on ArriveCan.

Hogan also reported that GC Strategies was involved in developing requirements that were later used for a competitive contract. That contract — valued at $25 million — was awarded to GC Strategies, the report says.

The report also raised concerns about CBSA officials having a close relationship with certain contractors, noting that the officials in question were invited "to dinners and other activities."

While Firth said Wednesday that he had met with some government officials outside of working hours, Anthony said he wasn't involved in any hospitality events.