Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault has resigned from cabinet as the embattled Liberal minister faces allegations of fraud and a connection to an international drug trafficking ring. Edmonton Police Service has confirmed the Al minister’s former company and business partner Stephen Anderson are under investigation following allegations of fraudulent business dealings from 2022, when Boissonnault was 50% shareholder. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and members of his party have repeatedly called for Trudeau to fire him, but the prime minister this week defended him and said Boissonnault is doing just fine.The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a statement, said: “The prime minister and MP Randy Boissonnault have agreed that Mr. Boissonnault will step away from cabinet effective immediately."Boissonnault "will focus on clearing the allegations made against him," said the PMO.Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor will step in to temporarily fill Boissonnault’s portfolio, which also includes workforce development and official languages. .Two separate American companies have accused Boissonnault’s former company, Global Health Imports (GHI), and Anderson of ripping them off hundreds of thousands of dollars each. Boissonnault has consistently denied any involvement with the failed business transactions, yet “Randy” is mentioned by name in text messages from that same time frame, where Anderson said he has to “consult Randy” before moving forward on the deal. As a result, MPs have repeatedly mocked Boissonnault for saying it must be someone else, and calling him “Other Randy.” Boissonnault at this time is not under criminal investigation, but the Commons Ethics Committee has re-opened an investigation into whether the minister committed any crimes while serving as an MP. .Boissonnault said he stepped down from the company when he was re-elected to the Liberal cabinet in 2021, but he held onto his shares until late June 2024. The minister has also falsely claimed indigenous heritage to reap the benefits of federal subsidies, and GHI was discovered to share a mailing address with an international cocaine trafficking operation that has been twice busted by police.
Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault has resigned from cabinet as the embattled Liberal minister faces allegations of fraud and a connection to an international drug trafficking ring. Edmonton Police Service has confirmed the Al minister’s former company and business partner Stephen Anderson are under investigation following allegations of fraudulent business dealings from 2022, when Boissonnault was 50% shareholder. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and members of his party have repeatedly called for Trudeau to fire him, but the prime minister this week defended him and said Boissonnault is doing just fine.The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a statement, said: “The prime minister and MP Randy Boissonnault have agreed that Mr. Boissonnault will step away from cabinet effective immediately."Boissonnault "will focus on clearing the allegations made against him," said the PMO.Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor will step in to temporarily fill Boissonnault’s portfolio, which also includes workforce development and official languages. .Two separate American companies have accused Boissonnault’s former company, Global Health Imports (GHI), and Anderson of ripping them off hundreds of thousands of dollars each. Boissonnault has consistently denied any involvement with the failed business transactions, yet “Randy” is mentioned by name in text messages from that same time frame, where Anderson said he has to “consult Randy” before moving forward on the deal. As a result, MPs have repeatedly mocked Boissonnault for saying it must be someone else, and calling him “Other Randy.” Boissonnault at this time is not under criminal investigation, but the Commons Ethics Committee has re-opened an investigation into whether the minister committed any crimes while serving as an MP. .Boissonnault said he stepped down from the company when he was re-elected to the Liberal cabinet in 2021, but he held onto his shares until late June 2024. The minister has also falsely claimed indigenous heritage to reap the benefits of federal subsidies, and GHI was discovered to share a mailing address with an international cocaine trafficking operation that has been twice busted by police.
