Bill Matthews, Simon Page, and Mary Gregory made statements and, with Nancy Tremblay, answered questions.

Garnett Genuis gave notice of the following motion:

That the committee report to the House its deep dissatisfaction with the value for money in spending $54 million on the ArriveCan app. It also acknowledges that the Harper Government successfully developed multiple apps at a fraction of the cost, including:

• The TravelSmart app: developed for $416,030 (Launched on December 19th, 2015)
• The CanBorder – Border Wait Times App: developed for $89,981.77 (Launched on May 18th, 2016)
• The CBSA eDeclaration App: developed for $122,712 (Launched in 2017)
• The Canadian Armed Forces App: developed for $107,992 (Launched on July 1st, 2016)
• CRA’s Business Tax Reminder App: developed for $138,800 (Launched in August 2014)
• The Veterans Matter app: developed for $132,464 (Launched in 2010)
• The MyCRA app: developed for $2.8 million (Launched in February 2015)

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

Stephanie Kusie moved, — That the committee postpone the deadline for recommendations on the ArriveCAN study in order to extend the study for an additional four meetings in light of the recent reports that the RCMP is investigating allegations of misconduct by three companies involved in the development of the ArriveCAN app; that, over the course of the four meetings, the committee will hear testimony that includes, but is not limited to, the following witnesses regarding this investigation, the evidence and its findings, and that the testimony heard during those meetings be included in the final report on the ArriveCAN Study, and recommendations be accepted up to a week following the final week of testimony.

• Ritika Dutt, Botler
• Amir Morv, Botler
• Kristian Firth, GC Strategies
• Cameron MacDonald, Former CBSA Director General
• John Ossowski, Former President of the CBSA
• Sergeant Kim Chamberland, RCMP
• Erin O’Gorman, President of the CBSA
• Minh Doan, Former CBSA Vice-President and CIO
• Antonio Utano, Former CBSA Executive Director
• Vaughn Brennan, Consultant
• Jeremy Broadhurst, Chief of Staff for the Minister of Finance
• David Yeo, Dalian Director
• Anthony Carmanico, Dalian Director
• Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board
• Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
• Dominic Leblanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

Debate arose thereon.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the committee postpone the deadline for recommendations on the ArriveCAN study in order to extend the study for an additional four meetings in light of the recent reports that the RCMP is investigating allegations of misconduct by three companies involved in the development of the ArriveCAN app; that, over the course of the four meetings, the committee will hear testimony that includes, but is not limited to, the following witnesses regarding this investigation, the evidence and its findings, and that the testimony heard during those meetings be included in the final report on the ArriveCAN Study, and recommendations be accepted up to a week following the final week of testimony.

• Ritika Dutt, Botler
• Amir Morv, Botler
• Kristian Firth, GC Strategies
• Cameron MacDonald, Former CBSA Director General
• John Ossowski, Former President of the CBSA
• Sergeant Kim Chamberland, RCMP
• Erin O’Gorman, President of the CBSA
• Minh Doan, Former CBSA Vice-President and CIO
• Antonio Utano, Former CBSA Executive Director
• Vaughn Brennan, Consultant
• David Yeo, Dalian Director
• Anthony Carmanico, Dalian Director
• Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board
• Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
• Dominic Leblanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
• Mark Weber

The committee resumed consideration of the motion, as amended.

After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The committee resumed consideration of the motion of Julie Vignola moved on Thursday, September 28, 2023, which read as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(c), the committee undertake a study of the changeover of the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) from Sun Life to the Canada Life insurance company and that, to do so, the committee examine matters including:

1. the quality of the insurance coverage, taking into account the circumstances and needs of federal public service employees;
2. the efficiency and effectiveness of the new insurance plan, particularly as concerns the online claims service and the telephone service offered to participants and health professionals;
3. the mechanisms that Public Services and Procurement Canada used in awarding the PSHCP contract to ensure the contractor had the capacity to serve the entire federal public service and provide the expected services, and;
4. the measures that will be taken to correct the situation;

That the committee allocate at least four meetings to conduct this study and that it invite to appear, for two hours per panel, the following witnesses:

1. the Minister of Public Services and Procurement at the time the contract was awarded to Canada Life (in March 2023);
2. the current Minister and officials from Canada Life, and;
3. any other witnesses it deems necessary;

That the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Government table a comprehensive response.

and of the amendment of Majid Jowhari moved on Thursday, September 28, 2023, which read as follows:

That the motion be amended by replacing the words “four meetings” with the words “one meeting”; and by deleting after the words “the following witnesses:” the following: “(a) the Minister of Public Services and Procurement at the time the contract was awarded to Canada Life (in March 2023), (b) the current minister and”.

After debate, it was agreed that the motion be amended to read as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(c), the committee undertake a study of the changeover of the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) from Sun Life to the Canada Life insurance company and that, to do so, the committee examine matters including:

1. the quality of the insurance coverage, taking into account the circumstances and needs of federal public service employees;
2. the efficiency and effectiveness of the new insurance plan, particularly as concerns the online claims service and the telephone service offered to participants and health professionals;
3. the mechanisms that Public Services and Procurement Canada used in awarding the PSHCP contract to ensure the contractor had the capacity to serve the entire federal public service and provide the expected services, and;
4. the measures that will be taken to correct the situation;

That the committee allocate at least one meeting to conduct this study; that witnesses be submitted to the clerk of the committee by 12 p.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response.

It was agreed that the motion, as amended, be adopted.

It was agreed, — That the committee invite the Parliamentary Budget Officer to brief the committee on his recent reports on Thursday, October 19, 2023.