Former Associate of Minister Randy Boissonnault Alleges He Deceived Reporter Regarding Another ‘Randy’ in Text Conversations

Efforts by MPs to uncover if a mysterious “Randy” named in text messages refers to Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault were inconclusive during an ethics committee meeting on July 17 aimed at determining whether the minister violated conflict of interest rules.

Tory MPs have now demanded that Mr. Boissonnault reappear before the House of Commons committee after his business partner confessed to lying to a reporter about the existence of a second “Randy” employed at their company.

Mr. Boissonnault’s former partner, Stephen Anderson, testified before the committee on July 17, where he attributed the appearance of the name “Randy” in text messages from 2022 to an autocorrect error while discussing their business venture. He refrained from disclosing the correct name that should have been used in the messages.

MPs on the committee are investigating whether Mr. Boissonnault played an active role in the business while serving as a minister. Ministers are required to disclose their business dealings and assets to the ethics commissioner and cannot engage in any operational activities to prevent conflicts of interest.

Mr. Boissonnault lost his seat in the House of Commons in 2019 but was re-elected in 2021 and later appointed as the Minister of Tourism. He was later reassigned to the employment portfolio in July 2023.

In text messages from 2022, Mr. Anderson mentioned a “Randy” multiple times while discussing a deal with a client.