Another Liberal minister contracted foodie firm with ties to senior staffer – National | 24CA News

A second Liberal minister gave hundreds in contracts to a foodie agency with household ties to a senior staffer in Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen’s workplace, Global News has realized.

Marci Ien, the minister of ladies and gender equality, gave $10,000 in constituency contracts to Munch More Media, a Toronto-based public relations agency specializing in selling the restaurant and meals providers trade.

Global News reported Thursday that the director of Munch More Media, Hiba Tariq, is the sister of Tia Tariq, who has held a number of senior staffer roles within the Liberal authorities over the past six years.

Hussen’s York South—Weston constituency workplace gave Munch More Media not less than $93,050 in taxpayer-funded constituency cash since January 2021, a Global News evaluation of public expense information confirmed.

Ien gave two contracts to Munch More Media, in response to expense information — one in March 2021 for $7,000, and one in July 2021 for $3,000.

Lobbying information checklist Tia Tariq as Ien’s director of coverage in May 2021.

She now works as director of coverage for Hussen.

Ien’s workplace informed Global News that Munch More Media was employed following the minister’s October 2020 byelection win to offer “communications and advertising support” for her newly-formed constituency workplace.

But in a press release, a spokesperson for Ien mentioned the lobbying registry incorrectly recognized Tariq as Ien’s director of coverage.

“Marci Ien has not met nor interacted with Hiba Tariq both now as a Minister, or in her capacity as the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre,” mentioned Johise Namwira, Ien’s press secretary.

“She was also not privy to any existing personal relationships between staff of Munch More Media to the office of (Minister Hussen).”

Requests for remark to Tariq’s authorities e-mail handle weren’t returned Thursday and Friday.

1:53
International Trade Minister breaks ethics legal guidelines over contract to pal, commissioner finds

Global News first reported the connection between Hiba Tariq and Tia Tariq Thursday night time. Tariq is at the moment a senior staffer for Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen, and Liberal sources describe her as considered one of Hussen’s closest advisers.

Hussen’s workplace acknowledged Thursday night time that the minister knew Hiba Tariq was the sister of considered one of his senior staffers. But they mentioned that the association was cleared by the federal ethics watchdog, and that every one House of Commons guidelines had been adopted.

Global News requested the ethics commissioner’s workplace whether or not it did in reality log out on the choice by Minister Hussen’s workplace to award contracts to Munch More Media and whether or not the commissioner was conscious of the familial connection between Tia and Hiba Tariq.

A spokesperson for the workplace mentioned it couldn’t reply our questions, explaining that any recommendation that it offers is confidential, as are any requests for recommendation acquired by the workplace.

11:02
Canada wants expert immigrants to assist construct house provide: Housing minister

Initially, Hiba Tariq denied that she had any private connection to Hussen previous to being awarded the communications contracts.

Tariq later admitted that she knew Hussen’s former director of coverage, Abdikhier Ahmed, who’s listed as a co-director with Tariq for the non-profit group “Empire of Goodness.”

Global requested Hussen if he had any private relationship to anybody at Munch More Media on Tuesday, however his workplace didn’t handle the query.

After follow-up questions, Hussen’s workplace admitted that Hiba and Tia Tariq had been associated.

Hussen’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to Global’s questions on Friday — together with whether or not or not the minister believed hiring the sister of a senior staffer constituted a private relationship, and to offer examples of Munch More’s work for his constituency workplace.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s workplace refused to reply particular questions in regards to the contracts between Hussen and Munch More Media, together with after they had been made conscious of the preparations and if the workplace is snug with a minister utilizing constituency funds for contracts with a senior staffer’s household.

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.