Arielle Kayabaga | |
|---|---|
![alt=Kayabaga in 2019 [1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aArielle_Kayabaga_-_26_January_2019_01_(cropped).jpg) Kayabaga in 2019 | |
| Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | |
| Assumed office June 5, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Carney |
| Preceded by | Mark Gerretsen |
| Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | |
| In office March 14, 2025 – May 13, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Carney |
| Preceded by | Steven MacKinnon |
| Succeeded by | Steven MacKinnon |
| Minister of Democratic Institutions | |
| In office March 14, 2025 – May 13, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Carney |
| Preceded by | Ruby Sahota |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Member of Parliament forLondon West | |
| Assumed office September 20, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Kate Young |
| London City Councillor | |
| In office December 1, 2018 – September 20, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Tanya Park |
| Succeeded by | John Fyfe-Millar |
| Constituency | Ward 13 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1990/1991 (age 34–35) Bujumbura, Burundi |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Children | 1[2] |
| Residence | London, Ontario |
| Alma mater | Carleton University |
| Occupation | Politician, settlement worker |
Arielle Kayabaga (born 1990 or 1991) is a Canadian politician who has represented the electoral district ofLondon West as a member of Parliament since 2021. She is currently serving as the Deputy House Leader of the Government in the45th Canadian Parliament.
Born inBujumbura, Burundi,[3] Kayabaga's family moved to Canada when she was 11 as refugees from theBurundian Civil War, living inMontreal for a year before moving toLondon, Ontario.[2] She earned a bachelor's degree in political science fromCarleton University in Ottawa in 2013.[4] Before her election to the London City Council, Kayabaga worked as a settlement worker for newcomers to London and nearbySarnia, Ontario.[2]
In 2018, she was elected to theLondon City Council at age 27,[2] becoming the first black woman to do so in the city's history.[5] As a city councillor, she chaired the Corporate Services Committee and sat on the Standing Committee on Municipal Finance,[6][additional citation(s) needed] In September 2020, London police launched an investigation after she reported her office receiving harassing phone calls.[7]
Ahead of the2021 Canadian federal election, she announced her intention to run for the federal House of Commons, winning theLiberal nomination for the riding ofLondon West three days before the start of the electoral campaign.[8] She won the seat with 36.8% of the vote, replacing outgoing Liberal MPKate Young.[9][10] She is the firstFranco-Ontarian to serve as MP for London West.[11]
In 2023, she passed a private member's motion, M-59, which amended the federal framework on housing for individuals with non-visible disabilities.[12]
On March 14, 2025, she was appointedGovernment House Leader andMinister of Democratic Institutions as part of Mark Carney's cabinet.[13] After being reelected in the2025 federal election on April 28, Kayabaga was not chosen to remain in cabinet in the subsequent shuffle on May 13.[14]
On June 5, 2025, Prime MinisterMark Carney appointed Kayabaga as the Deputy House Leader of the Government.[15] She was criticized for her public expenses during her short tenure, which Kayabaga acknowledged.[16]
| 2025 Canadian federal election:London West | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Arielle Kayabaga | 34,884 | 56.30 | +19.43 | ||||
| Conservative | Adam Benni | 22,920 | 36.99 | +2.84 | ||||
| New Democratic | Shinade Allder | 3,370 | 5.44 | –17.44 | ||||
| Green | Jeff Vanderzwet | 418 | 0.67 | N/A | ||||
| Canadian Future | Russell Benner | 183 | 0.30 | N/A | ||||
| United | Christine Oliver | 192 | 0.29 | N/A | ||||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | ||||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | 61,957 | 71.82 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 86,269 | |||||||
| Liberalnotional hold | Swing | +8.30 | ||||||
| Source:CBC[17],Elections Canada[18] | ||||||||
| 2021 Canadian federal election:London West | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Arielle Kayabaga | 25,308 | 36.88 | -6.08 | $91,373.14 | |||
| Conservative | Rob Flack | 22,273 | 32.46 | +4.53 | $114,644.53 | |||
| New Democratic | Shawna Lewkowitz | 16,858 | 24.57 | +3.22 | $72,003.76 | |||
| People's | Mike McMullen | 3,409 | 4.97 | +3.33 | $17,546.25 | |||
| Libertarian | Jacques Y. Boudreau | 773 | 1.13 | +0.4 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 68,621 | 99.25 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 517 | 0.74 | +0.27 | |||||
| Turnout | 69,138 | 68.49 | -3.00 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 100,947 | |||||||
| Liberalhold | Swing | -5.31 | ||||||
| Source:Elections Canada[19] | ||||||||