Originally from Burundi, Arielle Kayabaga was elected as the Member of Parliament for London West, the first Francophone and the first Black woman to be elected as a Member of Parliament in this riding since its creation in 1968. In 2018, at the age of 28, she was also the first black woman elected to London City Council.
Arielle Kayabaga was elected on behalf of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party of Canada. Arielle Kayabaga received 36.4% of the vote for the Liberals, followed by Conservative candidate Rob Flack with 32.2% of the vote, while NDP candidate Shawna Lewkowitz came in third with 25% of the vote.
Passionate leader
Described as a passionate leader, Arielle Kayabaga, prior to her election, chaired the city’s General Services Committee and served on the city’s Standing Committee on Finance. She was the Downtown Councillor for Ward 13, responsible for ensuring that the City of London’s policies are community-based, inclusive and reflective of the city. In addition, she represented the City of London on Tourism London, the Downtown Business Improvement Association, the Middlesex-London Health Unit, the Western Fair Programming Council and as a member of the standing committees of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Challenges met
Arielle and her family left Burundi in the midst of a civil war and she experienced first-hand the challenges that newcomers face with insecure housing and precarious employment in an unfamiliar place.
After graduating from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Arielle Kayabaga gained her first experience in government by supporting Members of Parliament through her work in the Caucus Services on Parliament Hill. Arielle Kayabaga was one of 29 young Canadians selected to represent Canada’s youth at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 16).
City Councillor and member of several organizations
Arielle Kayabaga subsequently entered municipal government through the London City Hall mentorship program and went on to run a successful campaign for City Councillor.
Arielle Kayabaga is an active speaker, having worked with the London Black History Committee and the Regional HIV Aids Connection. She has served and continues to serve on various local boards including the Black History Month Committee, the Urban League of London, the Southwestern Ontario Women’s Network, the Burundian-Canadian Cultural Association of London and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.
Assisting newcomers to Canada
Arielle Kayabaga is passionate about helping new Canadians settle in Canada and access the resources they need to make the transition easier. To do this, she focuses specifically on homelessness prevention, civic engagement and inclusive communities. As a single mother, city councillor and community activist, Arielle Kayabaga is said to embody the qualities of a new kind of political leader: progressive, resilient and optimistic.
In 2020, Arielle Kayabaga received the Pillar Community Leadership Award for her work in building a more equitable London, and Chatelaine magazine named her one of 33 black Canadians making a difference today.
