Randy Boissonnault, who served as Canada’s employment minister until Wednesday, faced allegations of misrepresenting his Indigenous heritage following reports in The National Post. Previously, he identified as the great-grandson of a Cree woman and was adopted into a family with Cree roots.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office announced that Mr. Boissonnault would “step away from cabinet” to address the allegations. This resignation poses a challenge for Trudeau, who has prioritized reconciliation with Indigenous peoples during his tenure.
The situation highlights ongoing frustrations within Indigenous communities regarding unauthorized claims of Indigenous identity. Mr. Boissonnault clarified that his adoptive family, which he thought was Cree, is actually Métis, a group recognized as Indigenous in Canada. This admission led to calls for his resignation from various political and Indigenous leaders.
Blake Desjarlais, a Métis MP, expressed concern over the issue of “race-shifting,” emphasizing that those who falsely claim Indigenous identity for personal gain will be challenged. Mr. Boissonnault has stated that he attended the Liberal Indigenous caucus as an ally, despite documents designating its members as Indigenous.
Jaime Battiste, chairman of the Liberal Indigenous caucus, confirmed that Mr. Boissonnault has never claimed Indigenous status during their collaboration. The National Post also reported that a medical supply company co-owned by Mr. Boissonnault had previously identified itself as Indigenous-owned in government contract bids, which he attributed to his former partner’s actions without his consent.
The Canadian government aims to allocate 5 percent of contracts to Indigenous businesses, raising concerns about potential exploitation of this initiative. Although Mr. Boissonnault frequently referenced his adoptive family's heritage, scrutiny increased following Conservative opposition inquiries into his business practices after his 2019 electoral defeat.
During a recent press conference, Mr. Boissonnault apologized for his prior statements regarding his heritage and noted that he is currently in the process of understanding his family background more accurately.