Patti Sonntag

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Patti Sonntag.

Former Liberal minister worked government contacts to ply COVID contracts without registering as lobbyist

Former Liberal minister worked government contacts to ply COVID contracts without registering as lobbyist

Former deputy PM Sheila Copps said she had permission not to register in contacting Anand's office. One offer was flagged by officials as suspicious

Carney says he resigned from 'all' his roles to run for Liberal leadership. Turns out he hasn't

Carney says he resigned from 'all' his roles to run for Liberal leadership. Turns out he hasn't

Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney has not yet resigned from his multiple international board positions, despite claiming this week that he had stepped down from all his roles to be “all in” on his bid to become Canada’s next prime minister. National Post contacted nearly two dozen organizations that Carney had public links to until recently. While he resigned from...

'Unprecedented situation': Opposition critics say Carney's leadership bid shows need for stricter disclosure rules

'Unprecedented situation': Opposition critics say Carney's leadership bid shows need for stricter disclosure rules

Opposition parties are pushing for stricter financial disclosure rules, warning that Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney could become prime minister before revealing his assets or potential conflicts of interest.

'It's just shocking': Liberal cabinet minister's shifting Indigenous identity scorned

'It's just shocking': Liberal cabinet minister's shifting Indigenous identity scorned

Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault says his shifting claims from being “non-status adoptive Cree” to recently stating his adoptive mother is “status Métis” are a “reflection of his family exploring their own history” and not him claiming Indigenous status. Boissonnault’s spokesperson Alice Hansen sent National Post a statement Tuesday offering new details about the minister’s changing stories about his adoptive family’s...

Liberal minister's former business questioned over 'Indigenous' claims in government contract bids

Liberal minister's former business questioned over 'Indigenous' claims in government contract bids

A company that belonged to federal Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault said it was Indigenous-owned while bidding on federal contracts.

Billions in federal contracts awarded to ‘Indigenous’ enterprises without verification

Billions in federal contracts awarded to ‘Indigenous’ enterprises without verification

The Canadian government awarded billions of dollars in contracts earmarked for Indigenous enterprises without always requiring bidders to prove that they were First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, a Global News investigation has found.

MP alleges Boissonnault’s former business partner ‘in contempt’ of parliamentary order

MP alleges Boissonnault’s former business partner ‘in contempt’ of parliamentary order

A former business partner of Liberal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault failed to comply with a House of Commons order to turn over records of his phone calls and texts by Friday.

Ethics commissioner to look into Minister Boissonnault’s business dealings

Ethics commissioner to look into Minister Boissonnault’s business dealings

The parliamentary ethics commissioner has reversed course and said he will examine the business dealings of federal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault. The surprise decision landed Tuesday during a parliamentary ethics committee hearing when Commissioner Konrad W. von Finckenstein committed to examining Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault’s alleged business ties to a lobbying firm and a medical supply business, which Global News...

Minister Boissonnault to testify before ethics committee over ties to lobbyist, PPE company

Minister Boissonnault to testify before ethics committee over ties to lobbyist, PPE company

Members of the Parliamentary ethics committee have approved a motion to call Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault and ethics commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein to testify about the minister’s ties to a lobbyist and a medical supply company revealed by Global News.

Tories grill Liberals in question period about minister’s ties to lobbyist, PPE company

Tories grill Liberals in question period about minister’s ties to lobbyist, PPE company

Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault faced heated remarks from Conservative MPs in the House of Commons Thursday about Global News’ reporting into his business activities. Tory MP Michael Barrett, who is a member of the ethics committee, asked Boissonnault why he is receiving “outstanding” payments from a lobbying firm owned by a longtime business associate and former employee, according to the...

Federal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault linked to PPE company embroiled in lawsuits

Federal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault linked to PPE company embroiled in lawsuits

Afederal cabinet minister remained listed as director of a medical supply company for more than a year while it was competing for provincial and municipal contracts, according to business registry documents obtained by Global News.

Federal minister Randy Boissonnault defends business ties to lobbyist

Federal minister Randy Boissonnault defends business ties to lobbyist

A lobbyist with business ties to federal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault met with high-level political staff in six federal departments, including one where Boissonnault was also associate minister, a Global News investigation has found.

Billion dollar rapid-test contracts favoured Chinese imports over cheaper Canadian-made devices

Billion dollar rapid-test contracts favoured Chinese imports over cheaper Canadian-made devices

The Canadian government awarded two of the largest medical supply contracts of the pandemic to importers participating in an invitation-only federal program rather than to Canadian manufacturers offering lower prices, according to a Global News investigation. The Toronto-area suppliers, BTNX and Switch Health, received contracts adding up to an estimated $2 billion for BTNX and $365 million for Switch Health...

Health Canada ignored warning signs before Ottawa spent billions on BTNX rapid tests

Health Canada ignored warning signs before Ottawa spent billions on BTNX rapid tests

Health Canada ignored critical warnings about a rapid-test supplier before approving its COVID-19 kits for distribution nationwide, Global News has found.

COVID test supplier received billions in pandemic contracts after submitting edited results

COVID test supplier received billions in pandemic contracts after submitting edited results

A rapid test importer landed an estimated $2 billion in federal contracts in 2021 and 2022, despite giving regulators incomplete data about its product’s accuracy, Global News has found. A year-long investigation into federal procurement revealed that BTNX, a small rapid test supplier based outside Toronto, deleted dozens of specimens, or samples, from a study it submitted to Health Canada...