Evidence of meeting #127 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 business.
A recording is available from Parliament.
September 19th, 2024 / 4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
The first one from you says "Hello". Then the next one is, "Where in the world are you? Great to hear your voice". Somewhere in this, I assume Mr. Anderson called you, if you texted first and he responded and you heard his voice.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
It would have been after "Where in the world are you?", perhaps. Is that correct?
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
What you probably told him was, "Hey, I've got a Purolator account collection thing that came in. I'm going to send that to you." Is that right?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Yes, and that I didn't want to receive any more, so take my number off the list.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Basically, a second later, at 5:30:33 p.m. UTC, or whatever, you sent him the Purolator text.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Just so we're clear for the record, that is Greenwich Standard Time, so this happened at 11:40—the time that you're asking me about—11:28 a.m. Mountain Standard Time and then 11:29 Mountain, and at 11:30 Mountain, I forwarded the Purolator message.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you very much.
Then you said, “Saturday, drink”. Did you ever end up meeting him for a drink?
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Okay.
After you left the company, did you socialize frequently with Mr. Anderson?
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
After you left the company, you had very sporadic conversations with him. That is what I understand.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
How many conversations do you think you had with him after you left as a participating member of the company?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I couldn't even speculate a guess: four, maybe six, in a year or two.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I would imagine that if you were operationally involved in the business, you would have had way more conversations with him.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
During the time that you were operationally involved in the business previous to your election as a minister, how many times a week would you talk to Mr. Anderson?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
It would have been several conversations, text messages, emails a day.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Perfect.
I think we're left with the question....
You're here because Mr. Anderson chose to reference “Randy” in multiple text messages. That's the reason we're here. There are people claiming that you're that Randy. There's no proof of that. All we know is that Mr. Anderson either has somebody else named Randy, and he needs to tell the committee who it is, or he misleadingly used your name with different clients of his trying to somehow bring you in—perhaps there was a minister of the Crown involved—and trying to make himself more important.
However, the only person, Minister Boissonnault, who can actually answer that question is Mr. Anderson, correct? None of these other people that Mr. Bains asked you about—the list of people that you didn't know—would know if Mr. Anderson had exchanged text messages with you or not, presumably. Is that correct?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Not only is it correct, but it's verified in at least two letters from the Ethics Commissioner, one, that I can't possibly be the other Randy because there are no text messages to that effect. Then, in the most recent letter, he indicated very clearly that I've not been operating the company and considers this matter closed.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Again, the goal, I believe, of the Conservatives on the committee is not to find out who the other Randy is, if it's another Randy; their goal is only to try to make you be that Randy. The only issue here that can be answered is in text messages between you and Mr. Anderson and claims Mr. Anderson made. Truthfully, the only person who can answer that question—other than yourself, and you've clearly told us you're not that person—would be Mr. Anderson. Is that correct?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
He should indicate whether he used my name to advance his business interests without my knowledge or if there's somebody else out there with a name that's the same as mine.
Liberal