A Trudeau cabinet minister faces an ethical quandary for accepting taxpayer-funded Taylor Swift tickets for himself and his daughter.

Harjit Sajjan, the federal minister who oversees the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, will be among 120 guests invited by PavCo, the provincial Crown corporation that owns and operates BC Place, where Swift will perform thrice this weekend.

Opposition MPs assert he only received those tickets owing to his access to the prime minister, who also attended a Swift concert.

Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan defends accepting taxpayer-funded tickets to a Taylor Swift concert in B.C. for himself and his daughter. pic.twitter.com/OnPfHjOGPK

— True North (@TrueNorthCentre) December 4, 2024

Carson Binda, the B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), says politicians should donate PavCo’s tickets to charity instead of pocketing them themselves.

“It is outrageous that tickets that could go to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, that could go to the stadium’s operating expenses, are instead being handed out to politicians and political allies,” he said. 

PavCo estimates it can host some 40 guests per event in its suite, where Sajjan and his daughter will be during one of the concerts.

“This is actually supporting a very good cause, something that Taylor Swift also supports as well,” Sajjan told reporters Wednesday, who donated $1,500 to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank at the behest of the Crown corporation.

“That should not happen,” maintains Binda.

WATCH: @Franco_Nomics of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joined The @EzraLevant Show to discuss the 2024 "Teddy Waste Awards."

The awards are given out annually by @taxpayerDOTcom to shine light on the worst instances of government waste.

REPORT: https://t.co/BOHrJQCyJi pic.twitter.com/A7fIhjaqRS

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 13, 2024

Other dignitaries, including Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, provincial tourism minister, Spencer Chandra-Herbert and B.C. Premier David Eby declined their concert invitations.

Chandra-Herbert told Global News the tickets should go to someone “who will generate good growth for our province, who is a key partner in terms of community benefit.”

PavCo donated more than 100 tickets and four suites under the BC Place Community Benefit Program, with more than $1 million raised.

One of the suites went for $320,000 at the Hospital Foundation gala, while the Victoria Hospital Foundation raised $260,000 for 14 seats in another suite.

WATCH: @franco_nomics of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joins The @EzraLevant Show, where he tells guest host @SheilaGunn Reid how the Trudeau Liberals' bureaucratic hiring spree is driving up debt for Canadians.https://t.co/71eVdOJF2S

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) July 24, 2024

Conservative MP Michael Barrett deplored Sajjan's decision to take the tickets. “He’s only receiving that gift because of who he is and his access to the prime minister ... It’s absolutely inappropriate,” he said.

Barrett concurred that Sajjan should give them to charity “because it’s the right thing to do, not to get himself out of some kind of ethical conundrum.”

A spokesperson for the minister said he only accepted the tickets after receiving clearance from the Ethics Commissioner, reported Global.

The Office of the Ethics Commissioner told CBC News it would not be considered a gift under the Conflict of Interest Act, given Minister Sajjan made a charitable contribution to the food bank.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling for a pay freeze on MPs ahead of Budget 2023.

"MPs don't deserve another raise and MPs don't need another raise from their constituents who are struggling to fill the fridge," says @franco_nomics. pic.twitter.com/GoMPFdCyRW

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) March 27, 2023

Franco Terrazzano, also from the Taxpayers Federation, said it’s “outrageous” the minister accepted taxpayer-funded tickets.

“Sajjan already takes a $300,000 taxpayer-funded salary so if he wants to go to a concert he can and should pay for the tickets himself,” he told Rebel News.

Sajjan told reporters his family already purchased four tickets for a Toronto Swift concert, but sold them at cost in place of the Vancouver venue.

"I'm actually very happy to be able to raise money and create greater awareness for the food bank," he said.

Swift will finish her world-renowned Eras Tour this Sunday in Vancouver after nearly 150 performances spanning five continents, dating back to last year.

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