Evidence of meeting #125 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 anderson.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you, Mr. Green.
We'll move to our second round now. We'll go back to Mr. Barrett for five minutes.
Go ahead.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
Minister Randy Boissonnault's office is quoted in media reports as saying that Minister Boissonnault was at a cabinet retreat in Vancouver. The Liberal cabinet retreat was in Vancouver on September 6 to September 8, 2022.
Mr. Anderson, you have said that you had offices in Edmonton. You said today that you had offices in Edmonton and Quebec. But there are text messages from you, from September 6, 2022, where you say you need to update Randy on the wire transfer, because the west coast is closing in seven minutes and Randy is in the Vancouver office.
Do you know what Randy was in Vancouver on that date?
As an Individual
No. I did not know that he was in Vancouver on this date.
Conservative
As an Individual
As I have told you, Mr. Chairman, Randy was not involved after September of 2021, and it was an autocorrect.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
I don't think I want to get into asking you what you think an autocorrect is, but I can tell you that this isn't that. This isn't that.
It was Randy Boissonnault. It was Randy Boissonnault. There's only one Randy who's been involved in your company. You have said his name is Randy Boissonnault. You, sir, are the person who said Randy's name.
Is it your testimony today that in your nine references to Randy, every one of those nine is an autocorrect?
As an Individual
Yes. Randy Boissonnault was not involved with our operation or in any business relation after September of 2021.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
You certainly have said two different things. Were you lying then or are you lying now?
As an Individual
I am not lying in regard to Randy not being involved with the business after September of 2021.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
I don't believe you—we'll just get that out of the way—because your story doesn't add up.
We have the reference in the text message of your 121-person company, and you talk about Shawna, Felix and Randy. You can tell us who Shawna is. You can tell us who Felix is. But you can't tell us who Randy is, or you won't tell us who Randy is. That's because it's Randy Boissonnault. Is that correct?
As an Individual
Mr. Chairman, no, it is not correct.
I will go on to say that I will not tell the person's name simply because Shawna Parker and Felix Papineau, after everything that has happened, are in the same litigation that we are involved in, as employees of the organization, by this particular individual.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
Sir, just so you're aware, it's not your choice whether or not to answer the question. You must answer the question fully and truthfully, or you are—
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
Not answering the question...which you are not doing, is a contempt of this committee, and there are consequences for contempt. You have an opportunity today to clear the air and to say who the other Randy is. The reason you're not saying it is because it's Randy Boissonnault. Is that right?
As an Individual
Mr. Chairman, no, that is not correct. As I have said, I will fulsomely give this committee all the information in regard to Randy when we are in camera.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
Sir, you had a deadline in June to provide us with communication records. You didn't do it. The reason you didn't do it was that we would have seen these text messages, text messages that implicate the only Randy who's worked at your 121-person company, Randy Boissonnault.
Who bought the interest in the business that was held by a numbered company owned by Randy Boissonnault?
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
There were media reports about how, in June, Randy Boissonnault's numbered company sold his interest in GHI. Is that correct?
As an Individual
Mr. Chairman, I found out about that yesterday when there was an update to the Global story about how Randy had dissolved his shares. We have not had communication, and I contacted my lawyers this morning to find out if that was the case.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
Okay.
Now, is the Randy that you're talking about Randy Boissonnault?
As an Individual
Mr. Chairman, I didn't bring up Randy's name that time.
You asked whether I knew that Randy had sold his shares in the company—
As an Individual
—and I did not know that he had sold his shares in the numbered company.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
I just have to recap for you here.
You talked about Randy in the Vancouver office. With your words, you talked about Randy on the partner call. Multiple times, nine separate times, your words were that there was only one Randy who's worked at the 121-person company and your claim today is that it wasn't Randy Boissonnault.
