Canadian Cabinet minister steps down as his claim of Indigenous identity is disputed

OTTAWA, Ontario — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that his employment minister was leaving his post after weeks of questions about his past claims of Indigenous identity.

Trudeau said in a statement that Randy Boissonnault would step away from his Cabinet position immediately to "focus on clearing the allegations made against him.''

Boissonnault came under scrutiny after the National Post newspaper raised questions about whether he had any Indigenous heritage. The newspaper reported that a company he co-owned had applied for government contracts while claiming to be Indigenous-owned.

Boissonnault has been described as Indigenous multiple times in communications from the Liberal Party and in 2018 referred to himself as ''non-status adopted Cree.''

He has walked back those claims since the reports emerged, and opposition politicians from the Conservative and New Democratic Party this week called on him to resign.

His departure means there is no Cabinet member from the Canadian province of Alberta.

Trudeau has said he will lead his Liberal Party into the next election. No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms. The federal election could come anytime between this fall and next October. The Liberals must rely on the support of at least one major party in Parliament, as they don't hold an outright majority themselves.