Minister Boissonnault’s former associate contradicts public records on business dealings: report

Alex Dhaliwal
  |   July 30, 2024   |   Be the first to comment

A former business associate of Liberal minister Randy Boissonnault contradicted public records in testimony to the ethics committee.

Records obtained by Global News found that July 17 testimony by Stephen Anderson was at odds with interviews, corporate records and legal documents concerning Global Health Imports (GHI). He co-owned the medical supplier with Boissonnault until last month.

MPs questioned Anderson profusely on his two businesses, GHI and Global Healthcare Solutions (GHS). Not much is known about the latter company.

Questions on the matter revealed glaring discrepancies in statements by Anderson with public records and prior comments by Boissonnault.

Chief among them is that GHI had 121 employees. In June, Boissonnault said the company only had a few employees during his tenure.

A LinkedIn search revealed fewer than five employees, according to Global News.

Another discrepancy emerged surrounding a business transaction with buyers at The Ghaoui Group. Anderson said he entered into an agreement alongside GHI and GHS on September 7, 2022. He wrote in a sworn affidavit that “neither I, nor GHS, are parties to these agreements.”

However, an unfortunate warehouse fire, deliberately set, shuttered operations in September 2022. Anderson told MPs that GHI no longer generated revenue after the blaze, which Edmonton Police investigated but never unsolved.

NDP MP Green asked if Anderson still receives a salary or dividends. “There have been no payments since September, since 2022, since the incident that occurred in Edmonton,” he replied.

“Because there has been no business?” Green asks. “The business hasn’t been operating since 2022,” Anderson said.

“The fire resulted in the suspension of GHI’s Medical Devices Establishment License (MDEL), crippled GHI’s ability to operate its business,” Anderson’s affidavit reads.

However, Global found GHI remained active amid bids on municipal and provincial contracts after the fact. 

The medical supplier secured an $8.2 million contract with the Québec government to supply sanitary wipes two weeks later. Anderson purchased wipes on November 16, 2022 from an Edmonton-based supplier.

As of December 2023, GHI has been paid less than $100,000, with no new sales this year.

Subsequently, Anderson is subject to an ongoing fraud investigation after the supplier, Canada Medical, sued GHI in April 2023 alleging $65,000 in unpaid bills. 

GHI did not file a defence, and Canada Medical won by default, although the money remains outstanding. 

Canada Medical is one of six companies that has taken legal action against Anderson and GHI since 2021. The company has lost five lawsuits by default and settled one. Boissonnault is not named in any of the lawsuits.

During opening remarks, Anderson testified that all of his business dealings have been “ethical, legal, and completely above board.”

Carla Rodych, president of Canada Medical, condemned the statement. “It seems he doesn’t understand what ‘ethical’ means,” she said, condemning Anderson’s “antics” in not paying her company. She was further incensed by his claim that GHI shut down in September 2022, contrary to public records.

Rodych further claimed that Anderson “consistently made excuses and lied to avoid any fiduciary responsibility.” 

Employment Minister Boissonnault surrendered his 50% stake in GHI last month, amid continued controversy with the company. His office cites the politicization of his shareholder status for the decision.

Committee members questioned Anderson on July 17 as to whether Boissonnault was involved with GHI’s affairs after joining cabinet, which would be a breach of federal ethics laws.

After all, Boissonnault was still listed as a company director for 16 months after a return to politics in 2021. Federal and provincial registries were not updated until 507 after his appointment to cabinet.

Minister Boissonnault denied being the “Randy” mentioned between Anderson and Malvina Ghaoui, principal of The Ghaoui Group, in text exchanges, again reiterating no involvement in GHI after his September 2021 re-election.

Anderson blamed autocorrect for referencing “Randy” nine times to the buyer between September 6 and 8, 2022. One text mentions “Randy” being involved in a “partner vote” on the deal.

The messages also place “Randy” in Vancouver at the same time Boissonnault was there for a cabinet retreat. His office refuted those claims citing he was in meetings where all electronic devices were confiscated.

“That particular part of the text exchange blows Mr. Boissonnault’s cover,” MP Green said. The business deal is subject to a civil fraud lawsuit.

Anderson admitted to lying about the identity of "Randy" during testimony, offering to reveal the person's identity in private. MPs mostly declined, and Anderson named "Randy" to the committee clerk, though it’s unclear if the name was submitted by the deadline.

Conservative MP Michael Barrett criticized Anderson's credibility and called for Minister Boissonnault's removal from cabinet, although the ethics commissioner found no evidence of a breach of the Conflict of Interest Act.

MPs have summoned Boissonnault to testify again in mid-September, but it's uncertain if he will appear.

Alex Dhaliwal

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