MPs looking to have ArriveCan contractor rebuked by Speaker of the House of Commons

MPs are looking to bring an ArriveCan contractor before the House of Commons to be formally rebuked by Speaker Greg Fergus.

On Friday, Fergus found there was a prima facie breach of MPs' privilege when GC Strategies' Kristian Firth declined to answer certain questions during a committee appearance earlier this month.

Following Fergus' ruling, Conservative MP Michael Barrett moved a motion calling on MPs to order that Firth appear before the bar of the House to be publicly admonished.

Barrett said that by refusing to answer MPs' questions, Firth was "obstructing the work of Parliament and its committees."

"These are people who casually make a mockery of Canada's House of Commons," Barrett said in reference to Firth and GC Strategies.

Firth appeared before the House government operations committee two weeks ago to testify about GC Strategies' involvement with ArriveCan.

An auditor general report found that the soaring cost of the project — estimated at roughly $60 million — was in part due to the government's over-reliance on outside contractors like GC Strategies.

That same report found that GC Strategies was involved in developing requirements that were later used for an ArriveCan contract. That contract — valued at $25 million — was later awarded to GC Strategies, the report says.

A separate report by Canada's procurement ombudsman found that the criteria used in awarding the $25 million contract were "overly restrictive" and "heavily favoured" GC Strategies.

During his committee appearance, MPs repeatedly asked Firth which government officials he worked with to develop the criteria for that contract. Firth avoided those questions, citing an ongoing RCMP investigation into ArriveCan, even though he said he hadn't been contacted by the police force.

Public admonishment before the House is a very rare measure that has only been used five times since the early 1900s. It's referred to as being "brought before the bar" in reference to a brass rail meant to bar strangers from entering the chamber.

Former MPs Ian Waddell and Keith Martin were admonished by the Speaker in 1991 and 2002 respectively. 

If Barrett's motion passes, Firth will be the third private citizen to be admonished since 1913. The most recent case was in 2021, when the then-president of the Public Health Agency of Canada appeared before the House after the agency failed to turn over documents to a committee relating to the firing of two scientists from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

Support for admonishing Firth appeared to be gaining support from all parties in the House of Commons. But one part of Barrett's motion — stating that Firth must answer further questions when he appears before the House — raised concerns for some Liberal MPs.

Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen questioned how Firth answering questions in the House would work.

"My concern about the manner in which [Barrett] has brought this forward is how we conduct this operation, exactly," he said.

Gerretsen suggested that the House procedures committee examine the issue and report back to MPs before Firth is summoned.

Barrett replied that procedures are in place to have the Speaker read written questions provided by MPs.

"A further committee study, a further delay, are not what we need," Barrett said.

The House adjourned Friday before a vote on the motion was held. MPs will resume debate on Barrett's motion when the House returns on April 8.