Evidence of meeting #122 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was randy.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Mr. Chair, I think I've answered this question, and it was a requirement—
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
—to use the numbered company.
I have provided all information regarding my financial affairs and my business affairs to the Ethics Commissioner, who has said there's no need to look into my affairs.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Green.
That completes round one.
We're going to go to the five-minute rounds and then two and a half and two and a half.
Just as a reminder, there will be equal time for the question and for the answer. I don't want people interrupting each other. Wait until the question is asked and wait until the answer is given. If I have to intervene I will in order to move things along.
Mr. Cooper, you have five minutes.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Minister Boissonnault, you held the title of partner at GHI before you were elected. Is that correct?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I actually can't remember that, but partner was the title I used while I was operating the company.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Thank you for confirming that.
GHI is not exactly a big operation. There was you, there was Anderson, and there were a few employees. Is that correct?
Conservative
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I do not know who the other Randy was. They were somebody who was hired after I was, but I do not know—
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
You have a 50% stake in the company. There are only a handful of people there. You presently have a 50% stake in GHI, and you mean to tell me you have no idea, out of a handful of people, if it is not you, who the other Randy is. Are you serious?
Conservative
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I have had no operational involvement in this company since I was elected. The company has hired and probably let go of people since I was there. I am not allowed to know about the operation of this company, Mr. Cooper, because it is not permitted by the Ethics Commissioner, and so I followed all the rules.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Minister, thank you for that.
Minister, that is nonsense, and you know it.
I'm going to go to the text—
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
It's not nonsense, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, that is not a fair statement. It's not nonsense. It is the truth.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Let him finish, please, Mr. Boissonnault.
Go ahead, Mr. Cooper.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Minister, your answer simply doesn't add up. There's more to it than that, because if it's some other Randy, then why did the Ghaoui Group believe that the Randy referenced in the text messages was you? Why?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Mr. Chair, it would be inappropriate for me to have anything to do with operational matters. I stepped away from the company in the fall of 2022. Of course I don't know who the employees are. In the article today, it says that I am not—
Conservative