Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Contractor defends work on ArriveCan app, says conflict concerns were addressed

Share
OTTAWA -

A contractor that worked on ArriveCan is defending its integrity after Ottawa suspended its federal contracts following a report that its founder was a government employee.

Dalian Enterprises Inc. says steps were taken to address conflict-of-interest concerns before its founder, David Yeo, went to work for the Department of National Defence.

A spokesperson for the company says Yeo made the appropriate conflict-of-interest filing, resigned as a director and officer of Dalian and put his company shares in a blind trust.

The spokesperson also says Yeo agreed not to participate in any direct or indirect work the company was doing for the Defence Department.

And the company says Yeo began working for the department in September, "long after" Dalian completed its work on the ArriveCan app, which has fallen under intense scrutiny for its bloated cost.

The department said last week it was suspending Yeo and launching an internal investigation, after a media report noted his employment status and his company's past work on the app.

Federal auditor general Karen Hogan says disclosure from a public servant is important, especially if they have other employment income coming their way.

She told a House of Commons committee earlier this week that disclosure is essential so that a supervisor can assess if any outside work is incompatible with the person's job.

Treasury Board President Anita Anand also said recently when asked about Yeo that the government has rules in place to prevent conflicts of interest.

Dalian's spokesperson said Yeo would not be available for an interview.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2024.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected