Liberal MP Arielle Kayabaga (London West, Ont.) charged taxpayers $173,574 in personnel costs during a nine-day period in March — despite spending the entire time in her riding and attending no House of Commons or cabinet duties, newly released Public Accounts show.
Kayabaga was appointed Government House Leader on March 14, 2025, a role she held only until the federal election was called on March 23. During that brief span, her office billed $157,028 for “personnel,” even though Parliament was not in session and she was not required to be in Ottawa.
According to her public social media posts, Kayabaga spent that period attending local events in London, including a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, a factory tour with the Prime Minister, a mosque visit, and a series of campaign-related stops.
After being briefly named Minister of Democratic Institutions, she billed an additional $16,546 in staff costs between March 14 and March 31 — a period in which cabinet operations were supposed to be limited under federal election rules.
In total, Kayabaga’s personnel spending reached $173,574, with no recorded parliamentary duties.
Kayabaga did not respond to questions about how such expenses were justified during an election period, when ministers are expected to separate official business from political activity and adhere to strict caretaker conventions.
The Privy Council Office declined to comment on the personnel charges, pointing instead to the 2025 Guidelines on the Conduct of Ministers, which restrict cabinet actions during election campaigns to emergencies and essential government operations.
Despite these limitations, the expenses approved under Kayabaga’s brief tenure have prompted renewed scrutiny of how cabinet budgets are used — and monitored — in the days leading up to a federal campaign.