Boissonnault’s former company awarded federal contract in potential conflict of interest

Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault’s former medical supply company won a federal contract while he was in office and co-owned the business.

Elections Canada awarded Global Health Imports (GHI) a contract in January to supply the agency with disposable gloves. At the time, Boissonnault owned a 50 per cent stake in the company.

Generally, ministers are allowed to own shares in a private company while serving in cabinet as long as that company does not obtain federal contracts.

Elections Canada is a non-partisan government agency that administers general elections and byelections, among other duties.

The contract, now posted on the federal government’s public database, is valued at $28,300. It began on Jan. 5 and runs until the end of the year.

Elections Canada confirmed the contract is active, but the agency said it has yet to use it because it has not needed to order disposable gloves.

To date, no payments have been made to GHI, Elections Canada said.

Tory ethics critic Michael Barrett said he intends to refer this information to Canada’s ethics commissioner requesting he look into whether Boissonnault broke conflict of interest laws.

“We need that independent investigation,” he said.

“Randy Boissonnault should not be serving in the federal cabinet if he is found guilty of breaking Canada’s ethics laws.”

Edmonton Centre MP Boissonnault is already under scrutiny from the ethics commissioner over allegations he communicated with his former business partner, Stephen Anderson, about a multi-million-dollar business deal while in office.

Ethics laws also prohibit ministers from operating or managing private companies while serving in cabinet.

Boissonnault, who is the sole minister for Alberta, said he resigned as a director of GHI