He has three seconds.
Go ahead, Minister.
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.
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
It doesn't add up, Minister. If it's not you, how is it that Global News couldn't verify who the Randy was? Anderson said there was some other Randy in charge of logistics, but when Global News looked into it, they found that the guy who held himself out as responsible for logistics is one Edward Anderson, not a Randy.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Mr. Cooper, I have no operational relationship to that company, and so the matters of staff are not in my purview.
Let me state again, for the record, from this morning's article, from the Ghaoui Group, “We have had no direct communication with Mr. Boissonnault at any point in our dealings with Stephen and the companies,” and Mr. Anderson has said that that Randy is not me.
I have not received any communication from—
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Through you, Mr. Chair, Minister, in looking at the text message from Randy to Anderson, it states it's 15:14 eastern standard time. This is a text to someone who is in Alberta in a text message about a client in California.
What is 15:14 eastern time? Well, it happens to be the time zone of Ottawa. Is that just another coincidence, Randy?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I have no idea, because I did not receive those texts, and I have no operational relationship to this company. It's a time zone—
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
It's a time zone in a text that I have nothing to do with. Mr. Anderson has said that's not me. Mr. Ghaoui—
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Mr. Cooper, he has eight seconds. Let him respond, please.
Go ahead, Mr. Boissonnault.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am not the Randy in question. Mr. Anderson has indicated that I'm not the Randy in question, and the Ghaoui Group has said they've had no communication with me.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Not only is it eastern time, Ottawa, but it also says to “be available in 15 for a partner call.”
You said you had previously been a partner. Is it just another coincidence? Is it just another Randy?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
The operational word in your statement, Mr. Cooper, is “previously”. I ceased to be an officer and a director of GHI in October 2021, full stop.
Conservative
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Minister, Ghaoui Group thinks it's you. Global News can't track down who the other Randy is. The Randy who's texting happens to be referencing eastern time. You happen to be a member of Parliament serving a lot of your time in Ottawa. You said you were a partner. The text message references a partner. This is a small operation. You have a 50% stake, and the fact that you can't identify who the other Randy is doesn't pass the smell test. If there isn't another Randy—
Conservative