OTTAWA -- Highlights of the auditor general's reports released Tuesday:

  • Millions of people had trouble getting through to agents at federal call centres. Instead of giving callers the option of waiting, some centres sent them back to the automated phone system, directed them to a website or told them to call back later.
  • The RCMP isn't sure that all of its officers have access to the rifles and body armour needed to respond to an active shooter, almost five years after three Mounties were gunned down in New Brunswick. The national police force mismanaged the purchase, distribution and ongoing maintenance of semi-automatic rifles known as carbines.
  • Canada's refugee-determination system is unable to process claims on time despite reforms introduced seven years ago. The lack of flexibility meant that the 2017 surge of asylum seekers led to a backlog and longer wait times for protection decisions.
  • The Canadian sales-tax system failed to keep up with the rapidly evolving digital marketplace, meaning $169 million of GST on foreign products and services sold in Canada in 2017 went uncollected. In addition, the federal government could not assess and collect all sales taxes on e-commerce transactions.
  • Public funds might be supporting partisan advertising due to a lack of adequate controls. Only government advertising valued at $500,000 or more is reviewed by an independent body, even though less-expensive campaigns could represent a risk of partisanship.
  • The National Museum of Science and Technology houses a large portion of its collection in leased storage facilities, along with many objects that have yet to be assessed or catalogued. Poor conditions in these spaces pose risks of deterioration, damage and theft.