Liberal MP Arielle Kayabaga is facing renewed scrutiny after refusing to say whether publicly paid staff were doing campaign work while collecting taxpayer-funded salaries — a move that would violate clear Treasury Board rules. Instead, the government now claims the $173,574 she billed over just nine days was mainly “vacation pay.”Blacklock's Reporter says a spokesperson for the Government House Leader insisted nothing improper occurred. “She kept the existing staff that were in place prior to her arrival,” said Mark Kennedy. “Ms. Kayabaga did not hire any additional staff.”Kayabaga echoed that line in a written statement but declined to speak with reporters. She directed all further inquiries to the Government House Leader’s Office, while the Privy Council Office wouldn’t comment at all..The London West MP held the titles of Government House Leader and Minister of Democratic Institutions from March 14 until the election call on March 23. Parliament wasn’t sitting and no House business was underway. Despite that, she billed six figures for “personnel” — including on March 21, two days before the election, when she publicly appealed for campaign volunteers.“I want to keep fighting for London West and I want to do it with you,” she posted on social media. She encouraged followers to volunteer, request signs or donate..But Treasury Board guidelines are clear: taxpayer resources cannot be used for partisan ends. The rules warn ministers and exempt staff that departmental financial, material and human resources must not be used to support campaigns — and that they must avoid even the appearance of it.Kayabaga’s brief time in cabinet raised eyebrows from the start. When sworn in, she acknowledged she didn’t yet know what her responsibilities were. Reporters questioned why the government even needed a House Leader with Parliament shut down.“Well, we don’t have an exact answer on that,” Kayabaga responded at the time. She added that the government needed to “be unified” and that “Team Canada is not just for the Liberal Party.”.Yet when pressed on whether she had contacted the other House leaders, she admitted she hadn’t. When asked about her priorities, the new minister replied only that she wanted “a democracy that is secure.”Now, the controversy has shifted from questions about her job to questions about her payroll. With $173,574 charged to taxpayers in just over a week — and no clear explanation beyond “vacation pay” — the government is offering little transparency. And with Kayabaga refusing interviews, London West voters and Canadian taxpayers are left to sort through contradictions on their own while the Prime Minister’s Office stays silent.
