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QUESTION PERIOD — Privy Council

Ministerial Accountability

November 20, 2024


Hon. Leo Housakos [ + ]

Senator Gold, instead of removing Randy Boissonnault from cabinet, your government removes opposition members from the chamber for calling out Boissonnault’s fraud. Randy Boissonnault has shown his incompetence as the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, incapable of delivering anything meaningful. He should be fired just for that.

Randy Boissonnault was involved in the private company receiving money from the government while he was a minister. He should be fired for that.

Randy Boissonnault’s company had a partnership with a cocaine dealer. He should be fired for that.

Randy Boissonnault is a “pretendian,” fraudulently claiming to be Cree one day, then Métis the next and then White. He certainly should be fired for that.

Of course, Senator Gold, we know he was just fired for all that, but the question is the following: Why did it take so long? Why does the Prime Minister not have any integrity, and why did he not do the right thing sooner than today or a few minutes ago? Is it because the Prime Minister knows there are other members of his government who are also masquerading around, pretending that they are something they are not?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate)

Thank you for your questions.

The allegations against Mr. Boissonnault are allegations. He has answered and spoken to them openly. I will not repeat what he said. My understanding from the news story that just recently broke is that he and the Prime Minister agreed that he would step aside from cabinet as he continues to focus on clearing his name.

All the other insinuations in your questions — including your statements that he committed fraud and that he was in partnership — are allegations that are not founded in facts. Again, although I cannot persuade you, Senator Housakos, and some of your colleagues to show respect in this chamber when you ask questions, please have respect for the facts.

Senator Housakos [ + ]

I am saying the fact is that, finally, the Prime Minister did the right thing and asked him to leave; that’s the fact. The fact is that this former minister was running around pretending he was Indigenous when he is not.

That should also not surprise anyone because this is a government with a Prime Minister who has also used blackface, pretending to be a Black man when he is not.

Senator Gold, the question is the following: Why does this Prime Minister kick out of caucus a Black woman and an Indigenous woman, but he doesn’t kick himself out of government for doing the most deplorable thing, which is pretending he is Black when he is not?

I do my best to answer questions, but this one does not dignify a response. Honestly, Senator Housakos, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel here.

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