Boissonnault Removed from Cabinet Amid Controversy Over Indigenous Heritage Claims
Alberta MP Randy Boissonnault has stepped down from his cabinet position following allegations surrounding his business dealings and scrutiny of his claims about Indigenous ancestry.
“The prime minister and MP Randy Boissonnault have agreed that Mr. Boissonnault will step away from cabinet effective immediately. Mr. Boissonnault will focus on clearing the allegations made against him,” a spokesperson for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated.
Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor will temporarily oversee Boissonnault’s employment, workforce development, and official languages portfolio.
NDP MP Blake Desjarlais, a Métis representative from Alberta, welcomed the resignation, accusing Boissonnault of “race-shifting” and being a “Pretendian” — a term for individuals who falsely claim Indigenous identity.
“This sends a clear message to Pretendians across the country. If you pretend to be Indigenous for benefits, funding, or prestige, you will be found out,” Desjarlais told reporters.
Desjarlais noted that Indigenous constituents in Edmonton had long questioned Boissonnault’s claims but had struggled to get definitive answers.
NDP MP Don Davies criticized the delay in action, accusing Trudeau’s government of lacking an ethical compass.
Liberal MP Jaime Battiste, a Mi’kmaq from Cape Breton and chair of the party’s Indigenous caucus, said Boissonnault never claimed Indigenous identity directly to him but mentioned having family members with Indigenous heritage.
“People calling him a fake in the House isn’t accurate,” Battiste said. “He never claimed to me to be Indigenous. There’s no one definition for Indigenous identity in Canada.”
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak expressed concern over the allegations, emphasizing the harm caused by misrepresentation of Indigenous identity and calling for stronger verification measures.
Boissonnault has been under scrutiny for months, with the House of Commons ethics committee investigating whether he continued to engage with his former business, Global Health Imports (GHI), while serving in Trudeau’s cabinet. GHI, which bid on federal contracts, claimed to be “Indigenous-owned” in 2020.
Text messages from Boissonnault’s former business partner, Stephen Anderson, referring to a “Randy,” raised questions about potential ongoing involvement. Boissonnault has denied the allegations, stating Anderson used his name without consent.
Controversy deepened when it emerged that Boissonnault had referred to an adoptive great-grandmother as a “full-blooded” Cree woman. His office later clarified that she was Métis, attributing prior statements to lifelong beliefs about his heritage.
Boissonnault has since apologized for the discrepancies and distanced himself from previous claims.
Adding to the scrutiny, GHI shared a post office box with a woman implicated in drug busts. Boissonnault denied knowing her and denied any connection to criminal activity.
Boissonnault’s resignation marks a significant political moment amid ongoing calls for greater accountability and measures to protect the integrity of Indigenous identity.
