Newly released texts raise fresh questions about Randy Boissonnault's business dealings

New text messages unearthed by Conservative MPs on the Commons ethics committee show Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault's former business partner Stephen Anderson citing the name «Randy» in multiple text messages — a year after he claims he stopped working with the minister.

The opposition parties are looking into whether Boissonnault was continuing to do business with his previous company after being sworn into cabinet.

Cabinet ministers are forbidden from managing or operating a business or commercial activity.

Text messages brought forward at Wednesday's ethics committee show nine text messages in which Anderson mentions a «Randy» in correspondence with Malvina Ghaoui, a businesswoman who has since sued Global Health Imports (GHI), the company co-founded by Boissonnault and Anderson.

In one text, Anderson mentions «Randy» being in Vancouver — at the same time Boissonnault was at a cabinet retreat in that city.

The text reads: «asking as west coast is closing in seven minutes and Randy is in the Vancouver office.»

Anderson, who was testifying at committee, insisted he was not referring to Boissonnault. He said all references to «Randy» were autocorrects but declined to share publicly the identity of the «Randy» mentioned in the texts.

«Every one of those nine (instances) is an autocorrect?» asked Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett.

«Yes,» said Anderson.

But none of the text brought forward at the committee hearing show Anderson correcting any autocorrects.

Anderson told Global News that there was a second Randy who was the head of GHI's logistics — a claim he admitted was a lie during Wednesday's committee hearing.

«I admit that I panicked,» said Anderson.

«So you lied,» said NDP ethics critic Matthew Green.

«To the