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OTTAWA — The federal authorities has suspended contracting with the medical provides agency co-founded by non-Indigenous Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault following revelations that it bid on authorities contracts whereas claiming to be “wholly” Indigenous-owned.
In a press release, Public Providers and Procurement Canada (PSPC) introduced that it had briefly suspended International Well being Imports Company (GHI), which was co-founded by Boissonnault and his ex-business companion Stephen Anderson in early 2020, from bidding or receiving federal contracts whereas it investigated the agency.
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The suspension comes two weeks after the National Post revealed Thursday that GHI had twice bid for federal authorities medical provide contracts in 2020 whereas declaring itself “a completely owned Indigenous and LGBTQ Firm” and “Aboriginal.” But round that point, Boissonnault mentioned in an interview that he was “white” after mentioning repeatedly for years within the Home of Commons that he was “non-status adopted Cree”.
Final week, Boissonnault resigned from cupboard over shifting statements about his connections to Indigenous ancestry over his political profession in addition to rising controversy over GHI and his former enterprise companion Anderson.
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“The suspension will final for a interval of 90 days and could also be prolonged as obligatory till a last resolution concerning the provider’s standing beneath the Ineligibility and Suspension Coverage is rendered,” the division mentioned.
The assertion says GHI solely has one energetic contract, with Elections Canada. The company issued a “full stop-work” order to GHI on Nov. 20, the identical day Boissonnault resigned from cupboard.
“Elections Canada has confirmed that no deliverables have been obtained and no funds have been made in opposition to the contract,” reads PSPC’s assertion, which notes that the contract didn’t embody an “Indigenous set-aside requirement.”
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