The Conservatives said testimony from Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault’s business partner indicates he might be guilty of violating ethics laws. New text messages unearthed at a House of Commons committee on Wednesday suggested Boissonnault continued to direct his company while he was a cabinet minister. “In fact, Boissonnault’s companies received nearly $120 million in government grants and contracts, including during the time when he was a minister,” said the Conservatives said in a Wednesday statement. If he continued to influence his company while serving as a cabinet minister, the Conservatives called this “a clear violation of Canada’s ethics laws.” The text messages cover the time he was in cabinet and seem to show that. At one point, the texts between his business partner and his client refer to Randy being in Vancouver when he was attending a cabinet retreat in 2022. Global News reported in June his former business partners were texting a Randy about deals involving a $500,000 payment. His business partner admitted he had lied to Global News about the identity of the other Randy, confirming it was Boissonnault. The Conservatives pointed out this is not the first time he has been dishonest with Canadians. He had engaged in dishonest behaviour when he made false claims he had worked as a journalist and had first tried to conceal he had an interest in a company lobbying the Canadian government. He testified the Randy referenced in the texts was not him but another one no one had heard of and happened to work at the same company he had a 50% ownership stake in. His business partner confirmed there was only one Randy who ever worked at this company and that was him. The text messages include nine references to the only ‘Randy’ conducting business for Global Health Imports (GHI), which points to a cabinet minister doing personal business while being in politics. The Conservatives concluded by saying Canadians “have a right to know if Boissonnault broke the law.” “Common Sense Conservatives have passed a motion ordering Boissonnault to testify before Committee again,” it said. “If there is nothing to hide, then the Liberals will end the coverup now.” The House of Commons Ethics Committee (CEC) scheduled a special session to investigate a conflict of interest involving Boissonnault and GHI on July 10. READ MORE: ‘Who's the other ‘Randy’’?: Ethics committee to investigate Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault for conflict of interestThe hearing would convene on July 17, despite Parliament being in summer recess. During the hearing, the CEC will question business partners of GHI. Boissonnault could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
