Information & Ethics Committee on June 4th, 2024

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

That is absolutely correct. The commissioner has said there is no need to evaluate my business affairs.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

I want to ask you a personal question, Minister Boissonnault.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Sure.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

When the Conservatives go on these witch hunts and say things like “you're corrupt”, call you “disgusting” or say that you're “part of a corrupt government”, what impact does that have on you and your family?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I can tell you that we've had people parked outside of my house for six weeks with a threatening vehicle that switches out every three to four days to comply with bylaws. Then, whatever Pierre Poilievre says in the House of Commons gets written all over those windows. My partner didn't sign up for that and neither did anybody on my block. It comes directly from the anger and the fear that the Conservative Party is spreading in this country.

I can tell you, Ms. Damoff, that it breaks my heart that you have made the choice that you have made to no longer serve your community and our country, because you are a phenomenal parliamentarian and an amazing parliamentary secretary.

When truth, reason and facts leave this place, it damages democracy. The decisions made by people around this table have life-altering consequences for people who do not put their name on a ballot.

I do not think that everybody around this table treats Canadians with the respect and care that they should when they become a member of Parliament.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Do you think Canadians expect more of members of Parliament? There are only 338 of us here. I consider it a great privilege to be serving the constituents of Oakville North—Burlington, and when colleagues start accusing others of lying, which is in essence what happened during the previous testimony and when, despite your answers, you were being contradicted by Mr. Barrett, do you think that it behooves us to behave in a more respectful way to one another?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I think at another time and another place with a different Conservative Party, a letter from the Ethics Commissioner clearing a member of Parliament, regardless of party, would have been enough to move on to committee business.

I don't know what's happened at this committee that it is embroiled in partisan attacks and can't get to its own business, but it is a sad day when that's the case.

I can tell you, Pam, what people say to me at their doors. They say, “Whether you're a member of Parliament, a member of the legislative assembly, a councillor or a school trustee, we elect you all to get along and to get stuff done for us, and game playing and name-calling are not what we want to see.” I was at doors last weekend, and I heard it again.

We can all hold ourselves to a higher standard, and I hope that we get there in this committee and across government.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

I will say that, in the past, I used to find that committees were the one place where collaboration would take place and where we were able to accomplish, I would say, really great things. We have a study on misinformation and disinformation that I think could be helpful for Canadians. Instead, this committee regularly gets deadlocked on the latest gotcha moment, and it's unfortunate that we're stuck in the mud because of accusations.

I thank you for being here today, Minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Thank you, Ms. Damoff.

Thank you, Mr. Boissonnault.

Mr. Villemure, you have the floor for six minutes.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Minister, thank you for being with us today.

My constituents in Trois‑Rivières are familiar with my background as an ethicist and often ask me questions about this committee's work. Some of them were interested in your being here today. They were troubled. They asked me to tell them what was going on and to give them some clarification.

Take two of my six minutes and tell me that story. What brings us here today?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

That's a very good question, Mr. Villemure.

I think part of it has to do with what Ms. Damoff said, which is that some Conservatives want to make clips for social media.

I was elected in Edmonton Centre in 2015. Then, in 2019, I didn't win the election, but I got my seat back in 2021. During my two years as a private citizen, I relaunched the company I founded in 1999 to earn a living. In fact, it was in the middle of a pandemic. I was alone in my office, and I rebuilt my network to work with people on various projects. In particular, I worked in Bolivia for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, to help that country rebuild its democratic institutions properly. I also worked with an organization in Thailand that wanted to help LGBTQ+ people have more space in civil society.

I also founded the Global Equality Caucus. This is of profound importance to me, because as a gay man and a gay parliamentarian, when I went to international events, I sought to meet with people like me to have discussions about how to move projects forward for our community, but there were no international fairs, so with a member of the House of Lords and a senator from Colombia, we created this international network.

In short, when I regained my seat, since I had agreements and clients, the Ethics Commissioner and his team said that I had to shelter this and that I had to entrust the management of my affairs to a third party. I appointed that third party, and I was always up front with the commissioner about the fact that Ms. Poon was registered as a lobbyist. I had known her for 10 or 12 years, so I had a great deal of confidence in her. That's why I appointed her the director of my businesses, which means that she sends documents to the Canada Revenue Agency every year. I submitted all the information to the Ethics Commissioner, who said there was no reason to look into my affairs.

The question is, why are we here today? In my opinion, it's because the Conservatives are trying to pick a fight and want my seat. They're here to try to belittle me, but I'll participate in the next election campaign, and I'll keep my seat because I serve my constituents with integrity as a responsible member of Parliament.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you very much.

You've just touched on the subject of my second question, which is why we're here this morning, but I'll add something.

I heard my colleague's questions earlier, which were quite vitriolic. Why are you here this morning, and why is there so much hate?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I think the Conservative Party today feels threatened by all the changes we're seeing here in Canada and elsewhere in the world. The Conservatives can't control these changes, and they're angry. That creates a certain rage within that party and a certain desire to diminish institutions and do harm to our country.

The Conservative Party Leader said that the charter's notwithstanding clause could apply to human rights. Is it my rights that are going to be circumvented? Will it be your rights as a francophone? Will it be the rights of trans people or the rights of indigenous people? What does he want to apply the notwithstanding clause to?

It boggles my mind that the Conservative Party today is so enraged by things it can't control, such as climate change, which it denies exists. Instead of looking for solutions to problems that we can see, such as forest fires, it wants to deny the reality and return to a country that no longer exists.

For all these reasons, I think the Conservatives are going to use every means at their disposal to win seats, and I'm going to prevent them from doing so in Edmonton Centre.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

At least it's clear.

I have two last questions for you, in closing.

First, what am I going to say to my constituents in Trois‑Rivières to summarize our exchange with you in one sentence?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

You can tell them that I followed all the rules.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

It's as simple as that, okay.

From your point of view, is there anything that could be improved on the Ethics Commissioner's side of things, to avoid this kind of situation, apart from the aspect that was mentioned earlier?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Villemure, you have a doctorate in ethics, if I'm not mistaken. You're one of the people who suggest studies to this committee. We have one of the best systems in the world, although it can always be improved.

I think we have to explain our system to Quebeckers and Canadians so that they can understand the level of scrutiny with which the Ethics Commissioner examines our personal files. I think it would go a long way to reassuring Canadians that we have a robust system here in Canada.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

In your opinion, then, the system has worked well.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I reacted according to the current system, and it's up to the committee to determine whether it wants to suggest other changes to our system.

I can tell you that I've always followed the rules. I worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and his team.

That's why I was able to answer your question, which was very clear, that Minister Boissonnault followed all the rules.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

You followed the letter and the spirit of the rule.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Absolutely. If we want to encourage people to get involved in democracy, I think it's important that they know there are systems in place to separate privacy from public affairs. I make sure every day that I'm on the right side of the law.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Boissonnault.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Thank you, Mr. Boissonnault and Mr. Villemure.

The next speaker will be Mr. Green.

You have the floor for six minutes.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Thank you.

Minister Boissonnault, the time between your last elected position and your most recent election was how long?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I was elected in 2015. I lost the 2019 election, and I won the 2021 election.