Hussen’s office gave $93k in PR work to senior staffer’s sister’s foodie firm

Housing minister’s office admitted his director of policy’s sister is founder of Munch More Media after being approached by Global News.

Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen’s office admitted Thursday night that his senior staffer is the sister of the director of a foodie communications firm that received $93,050 in constituency funds.

Hussen’s office confirmed that his director of policy, Tia Tariq, is sisters with Hiba Tariq, the director of Munch More Media, the company that has been receiving lucrative contracts to help the York South—Weston MP reach out to constituents.

However, Hussen’s office said the arrangement was disclosed to the federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

“(Tia Tariq) has not been involved at all in any of the ways that Munch More Media assists Minister Hussen as a member of Parliament to his constituents,” said Brittany Hendrych in an interview with Global News Thursday night.

“We take these obligations very seriously when it comes to this … Everything — it was disclosed and the rules were followed in this case.”

Hendrych added that the minister’s office, where Tia Tariq works, and Hussen’s constituency office, which pays Hiba Tariq’s firm, are two separate entities.

Lobbying records show Tia Tariq has been working with Hussen since at least 2017, when he was minister of immigration, and has held a number of positions with Hussen’s office since. She now serves as Hussen’s director of policy.

Hiba Tariq, her sister, is the director of PR firm Munch More Media Inc., a foodie communications firm in Toronto. In a December 2015 Instagram post, Hiba tagged a fellow Instagram user, identifying them as siblings.