BCMF on Randy Boissonnault’s Resignation: Too Little, Too Late

Vancouver, British Columbia,  — BC Métis Federation (BCMF) President Keith Henry is lamenting the lack of truth and trust in the federal government’s approach to reconciliation in the wake of Randy Boissonnault’s resignation.

Mr. Boissonnault recently served as federal Employment Minister and, before that, as Tourism Minister. At various times, he has claimed Cree and Métis ancestry, claiming he was “adopted by a Cree grandmother” or had “Métis ancestry” through an adoptive great-grandmother. These identity claims were used to access federal funding allocated for Indigenous-run businesses, which Mr. Boissonnault claims his business partner applied for without his knowledge.

“Mr. Boissonnault’s resignation from Cabinet is welcome news, but the way it has unfolded is deeply troubling,” said Keith Henry, BCMF President. “It feels like the voices of Indigenous people have to be so loud in order to be heard, which speaks to the inept leadership we see from the Canadian government on Indigenous issues right now.”

Former Minister Boissonnault insists there’s no wrongdoing and claims he has “confusion” over his identity. While confusion is understandable, what is not understandable is the instrumentalization of that confusion to posture as Indigenous for profit—which is what Mr. Boissonnault is alleged to have done.

“This is detrimental on two fronts: first, it undermines the trust that non-Indigenous Canadians have in the way reconciliation efforts are undertaken. And second, it sows mistrust in an already fraught identity landscape among Indigenous peoples ourselves, who have watched too many in the public eye claim Indigenous identity without clear evidence of it.”

BCMF calls for the examination of all avenues to investigate this matter, whether legal, criminal, or otherwise, and is dissatisfied with the Prime Minister’s lacklustre response to calls for Mr. Boissonnault’s resignation. The path toward reconciliation must be based on truth and trust, and the recent actions of Canada’s leadership demonstrate neither.

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About BCMF

The BC Métis Federation (BCMF) is a non-profit association that works with Métis communities to ensure the well-being of BCMF members. Through grassroots efforts, BCMF advocates on behalf of its many members living all across the province.

Media Contact

Keith Henry
President, BC Métis Federation
P: (778) 388-5013
E: K.Henry@BCMetis.com

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