Boissonnault’s former business partner claims autocorrect to blame for ‘Randy’ text messages

Liberal furniture curate Randy Boissonnault’s erstwhile business partner stunned MPs Wednesday by claiming aggregate matter messages referring to business dealings pinch “Randy” were nan consequence of an autocorrect error.

The House of Commons’ morals committee is probing Boissonnault’s narration pinch Global Health Imports (GHI), a institution he co-founded pinch Edmonton entrepreneur Stephen Anderson earlier he was re-elected arsenic a Liberal MP successful 2021.

Global News reported that Anderson allegedly sent a bid of matter messages referring to a partner named “Randy” successful September 2022 – aft Boissonnault was sworn successful arsenic a Liberal furniture minister, and a twelvemonth aft he said he “ceased progressive involvement” pinch nan company.

Boissonnault held shares successful GHI, which he was legally allowed to do, until disposing of them 2 weeks ago.

Conflict of liking laws prohibited elected officials from operating aliases managing backstage businesses while successful office.

A bid of matter messages from Anderson betwixt Sept. 6 and Sept. 8, 2022, reference a business partner named “Randy” moving pinch GHI, and suggested that “Randy” was moving retired of a Vancouver agency connected that day.

“With regards to nan infamous matter connection featured by a Global News story, nan different Randy, I dream members of nan committee tin understand that this was an unfortunate autocorrect suggestion,” Anderson told MPs.

Opposition MPs were not buying Anderson’s autocorrect explanation, astatine times openly accusing him of lying and laughing during his testimony.

Conservative MP Michael Barrett pointed retired that Anderson’s matter messages referenced “Randy” 9 times complete 2 days, casting uncertainty connected nan autocorrect explanation.

“I deliberation that (Anderson’s) concerned astir naming Randy Boissonnault arsenic nan different Randy that’s progressive because it would beryllium damaging to Randy Boissonnault’s estimation and would beryllium damaging to his expertise to proceed to service successful Justin Trudeau’s cabinet,” Barrett told reporters aft nan meeting.

“If I was Mr. Boissonnault I’d besides beryllium acrophobic of a speech happening successful public, and I deliberation that would harm his reputation,” NDP MP Matthew Green said.

“Unfortunately for Mr. Anderson, he doesn’t get to prime and take … erstwhile and wherever he’s going to show nan truth.”

Anderson ignored reporters’ aggregate questions arsenic he walked from nan committee room to an elevator.

He told MPs that he lied to Global News erstwhile first contacted astir nan matter messages, explaining that he had “panicked” and said it was different business partner named “Randy.” He besides referred to nan different Randy arsenic a female during his testimony, but refused to personality them.

In a connection released aft nan hearing, Boissonnault’s agency said nan curate was “deeply troubled and disappointed” by Anderson’s testimony.

“If Mr. Anderson has subsequently been utilizing my sanction without my consent to summation influence, he should simply explicate that to nan committee,” nan connection read.

During his ain grounds past month, Boissonnault many times said he was not nan “Randy” referenced successful nan matter messages and that he had had nary “operational role” astatine GHI since joining furniture successful 2021.

As a result, Boissonnault argued, he could not reply questions astir who nan company’s partners were successful 2022 and who nan different “Randy” allegedly employed astatine GHI is.

Boissonnault’s agency added Wednesday that he has had “no communication” pinch Anderson since Global News collapsed nan communicative astir Anderson’s matter messages, and nary members of his unit helped Anderson hole for his committee testimony.

“I person ever conducted myself successful an ethical mode that follows nan tone and nan missive of those (ethics) rules,” Boissonnault told nan morals committee successful his grounds past month.

At nan clip of nan matter exchange, which Global News first reported successful June, Boissonnault was tourism curate and subordinate finance minister.

Boissonnault, who has since been promoted to employment minister, founded GHI pinch Anderson during nan first weeks of nan COVID-19 pandemic successful 2020. Boissonnault ran nan institution alongside Anderson until he re-entered authorities nan pursuing year.

The MP for Edmonton Centre, Boissonnault said he resigned from his position arsenic partner and head erstwhile he won backmost his spot successful September 2021.

Corporate documents show that he remained a 50 per cent shareholder until astir 2 weeks ago, erstwhile he disposed of his shares.

In matter messages sent connected Sept. 8, 2022, Anderson told 1 of GHI’s buyers that “Randy” had asked for a “partner call” to talk a deposit nan purchaser was expected to ligament to GHI. In different matter sent astir 30 minutes later, Anderson told nan purchaser he had spoken to “Randy” and 2 different GHI employees.

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The buyer, Malvina Ghaoui of The Ghaoui Group, a California-based individual protective instrumentality procurement company, is now suing Anderson and nan 2 different GHI employees, Felix Papineau and Shawna Parker, complete allegations of fraud.

Boissonnault is not named successful nan suit.

The Ghaoui Group alleges successful tribunal documents that Anderson misled Ghaoui Group into trading a ample shipment of nitrile gloves and past did not return nan company’s astir $500,000 deposit.

All 3 GHI labor contradict nan allegations of fraud.

In tribunal documents, Anderson alleges that Ghaoui ordered nan incorrect type of gloves connected behalf of her purchaser and past pulled retired of nan woody erstwhile she realized nan mistake. Because Ghaoui Group didn’t clasp up its extremity of nan transaction, Anderson argues successful a sworn affidavit, GHI was entitled to support nan deposit.

The specifications of nan lawsuit are unproven and still earlier nan courts.

Global News reporters person spoken pinch respective of GHI’s suppliers and owners of businesses that neighbour GHI’s Edmonton warehouse. No 1 interviewed has heard of different worker named “Randy” different than Boissonnault.

NDP MP Matthew Green, a personnel of nan committee, told Global News connected Monday that he felt Anderson should attest aft Boissonnault’s committee quality connected June 4, which he said near him pinch much questions than answers.

“Minister Boissonnault’s grounds could person cleared nan aerial connected a batch of questions.… Unfortunately, his grounds didn’t do that,” Green said.

Following Global’s reporting connected nan texts and Boissonnault’s testimony, Canada’s morals commissioner launched a preliminary probe into nan minister. In nan days aft that announcement, committee members unanimously passed a mobility inviting Anderson to look earlier nan committee and for him and Boissonnault to move complete their telephone records for Sept. 8, 2022.

The Edmonton Centre MP handed complete telephone records for his 3 devices arsenic good arsenic screenshots from messaging apps to nan Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner’s office. In a missive to Boissonnault connected June 25, morals commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein wrote that he does not intend to motorboat a general investigation.

“I nary longer person concerns that you whitethorn person contravened your obligations nether nan (Conflict of Interest Act) and will return nary further action astatine this time,” von Finckenstein wrote.

At nan extremity of Wednesday’s hearing, members of nan morals committee voted to request much answers and records from Anderson regarding nan “other Randy,” and gave nan Edmonton entrepreneur until Friday astatine noon to move complete nan documents.

The committee besides voted to telephone Boissonnault backmost for different hr of grounds successful ray of Anderson’s appearance. That gathering is expected to return spot successful September erstwhile nan House of Commons returns from its summertime hiatus.