Arielle Kayabaga was first elected as the Member of Parliament for London West in 2021, becoming the first Black woman to represent London in the House of Commons.

Ms. Kayabaga has served on several parliamentary committees, including the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, the Standing Committee on Health, the Standing Committee on Official Languages, and the Standing Committee on Science and Research.

Born in Bujumbura, Burundi, Ms. Kayabaga immigrated to Canada as a refugee at the age of 11. She is passionate about addressing the issues that immigrants and refugees face when coming to Canada and a proud advocate for access to affordable housing.

Prior to being elected to the House of Commons, Ms. Kayabaga was also the first Black woman to be elected to London City Council. She also worked as a settlement worker for new immigrants to Canada, advocating for homelessness prevention, global economic and social development, women’s health, and civic engagement and inclusiveness.

Ms. Kayabaga holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University. In 2023, she was selected as a 2023 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and was honoured as Politician of the Year by One Young World.