Jagmeet Singh & Gurkiran Kaur 'Realized Their Error' After Accepting A $1.8K Chair For Free
The NDP say they're now working with the ethics commissioner. 😬
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and his wife Gurkiran Kaur have recently debuted their new baby on social media, but the couple is now in hot water after some posts involved a gifted rocking chair.
In case you missed it, a few days ago Singh posted a picture on Instagram of him with their new baby girl. The photo showed him holding the newborn and sitting in a seat, which was tagged with the chair’s manufacturer.
The rocking chair in question was made by the luxury furniture design company Monte Designs and is valued at $1,895. In other words, this is not your grandma’s old wooden rocking chair.
In a statement to Narcity, the NDP director of Communications, Melanie Richer, said "The chair was given to Gurkiran. There was no expectation that Jagmeet would post about it."
However, when this new photo got posted, the tag created the perception that it was a gift to Singh. Instagram influencers and people with a significant following sometimes receive free items from businesses, in exchange for posts about their products.
The rule for what influencers and politicians can post about is a bit different. As a matter of fact, there is a House of Commons code that prohibits MPs from receiving gifts that could be seen as an influence on their duties, which is why all gifts and freebies to MPs must be declared.
Since the post, the couple has attempted to rectify the situation. Richer clarified that they have “realized their error and have paid for the chair.”
She also added that they are working with the Ethics Commissioner “to ensure that any gifts received are declared.”
Kaur gave birth to the couple's first child on January 3, 2022. They described being "filled with gratitude" and several days later, the child made her debut on Singh's TikTok.