Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Dec. 5th, 2024

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

No.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

—on what you think I should do.

I have not stated that I am indigenous and I've not ever stated that I seek indigenous status, so I haven't taken any steps—

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

I'll stop you right there, because I don't have a lot of time.

Pretendianism is not only harmful; it is fraud. I want to understand. What are you doing to seek guidance on how to make amends?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I really appreciate the question, Ms. Idlout.

I think pretendianism needs to be denounced. It's deeply harmful. It disrespects indigenous peoples and all the hard-fought battles that they have won to date.

I have been speaking with indigenous elders and community leaders, and that work will continue. The questions that I've been asking are these: How do we build trust in the relationship going forward? How should I best talk about who I am, my family and their history?

To Ms. Sinclair-Desgagné's conversation, I'm going to check in—and I have checked in—with indigenous leaders and elders about using Cree in my speeches. Do they still want me to do that? Do they still think that it's appropriate?

I'm having these conversations. I think that's part of my own learning journey here, Ms. Idlout, and I will continue to do that.

I will take your advice as well on how I should make amends, because I never intended to be unclear about my history or my family's history, and I think that is an important personal act for me when it comes to reconciliation.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

Thank you.

My last question is this: How are you repairing the pain and suffering you have caused to Canada's indigenous people? How will you be repairing this for indigenous peoples?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I hope that I have started by apologizing for using a term that was not as clear as it could have been. I will seek advice, as you've said, on how to make amends and listen to the harms done by people who seek false indigenous status and indigenous heritage, which I have not done and I won't do, and I will be very clear. I've apologized, and I hope that allows us to build from here.

I really appreciate your sensitivity and how difficult this is for the people you represent, Ms. Idlout. I take that very seriously. If I could, I would say thank you in your language, if that were appropriate, but I'd seek your consent to do that first, so I will just say thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Jamie Schmale]

Thank you very much, Mr. Boissonnault.

We will continue this second round of questioning, but we'll go back to five minutes.

We'll go now to the Conservatives and Mr. Cooper.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Boissonnault, have you commenced legal action against Mr. Anderson?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I have sought legal advice, Mr. Cooper, to look at all of my legal options against him.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

The answer to that is no, so let me get this straight. You claim you are not the “Randy” in Anderson's text messages. The first report of this Randy being implicated in the half-million-dollar shakedown of the Ghaoui Group was all the way back to six months ago, on June 4 of this year.

On July 17, Anderson testified at the ethics committee that the only Randy at Global Health Imports was you. That day, you issued a statement in which you said you were “deeply troubled” by Anderson's testimony and suggested he was using your name without your consent. That was five months ago.

If you truly had no involvement in this shakedown in the operations of Global Health Imports and if Anderson was using your name unbeknownst to you, I would put it to you that you would have sued Mr. Anderson five months ago, but you've done nothing. That is what you've said.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Jamie Schmale]

Go ahead, Mr. Drouin.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I'm seeking your advice. Is Mr. Cooper offering legal advice to Mr. Boissonnault, or is he just pontificating on something? Is he a lawyer?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

This is nonsense.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

I am a lawyer.

[A voice]

Do you not know he's a lawyer by now?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Jamie Schmale]

Thank you. I don't think that was a point of order. I think that was a question, and I appreciate it.

[A voice]

Does Michael Cooper have a photographic memory?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Jamie Schmale]

Mr. Boissonnault, the floor is yours.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

To Mr. Cooper's question, I have started the process to take legal action against Mr. Anderson now. I'll be very clear: One of the reasons I stepped away from cabinet was to be able to—

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Besides retaining counsel—

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Chair, do I get my time?

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

It's my time. I'm reclaiming my time.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Jamie Schmale]

Hold on.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Besides retaining counsel, have you taken any legal steps whatsoever against Mr. Anderson in the past five or six months?