Newmarket-Aurora's newly re-elected Progressive Conservative MPP, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, spent $454,784 on Office and Support Staff expenses in 2024-25 – just shy of the $460,050 “global budget” she had been allocated by the Legislative Assembly.

In her first year as MPP in 2022-23, Gallagher Murphy was 32^nd out of 124 MPPs in spending on “office operations”. (Definitions see below).

The BBQs

In that year she spent almost a quarter of her office operations budget hosting her first “free” taxpayer funded BBQ. By contrast, she spent 8.3% of her Office Operations Budget on her 2024 BBQ.

In total, in her first term she spent $26,995 of taxpayers’ money on her free BBQs. 

In 2023-24, Gallagher Murphy moved up to 14^th out of 124 for spending on office operations before dropping back down to 36^th in 2024-25. 

Bread and circuses

MPPs need taxpayers’ money to do the job and I have no quarrel with members who staff their office at a level which ensures constituents can get a half decent service and don’t have to wait months for an appointment. Personally, I think it is a scandalous misuse of public money to spend precious tax dollars on “free” BBQs. But I am in the minority in holding this view. Bread and circuses have a long history in politics.

FordNation 

Since June 2022 Gallagher Murphy has become a well-known face about town as she relentlessly promotes herself and her FordNation persona. At Queen’s Park she is one of the highest spenders on “communications’.

Gallagher Murphy spent $41,476 on communications in 2024-25 (25^th out of 124 MPPs); $52,395 in 2023-24 (9^th) and $42,115 in 2022-23 (11^th)

Big hike in staff spending

Throughout her first term in office Gallagher Murphy had many problems with her staff, many of whom accused her of being an office tyrant. Just before the last Provincial election she settled a dispute with her former Office Manager, Teena Bogner, using a Non-Disclosure Agreement which effectively silenced Bogner.

In 2024-25 Gallagher Murphy's spending on support staff increased by almost one third over 2023-24.

Bogner had accused the erratic Gallagher Murphy of presiding over a toxic workplace.

Professional Decorum

In her statement of facts to the Ontario Labour Relations Board Bogner said she started work for the MPP on 9 April 2024:

"I promptly addressed administrative tasks that had been neglected for several months, mentored staff and worked to improve professional decorum and morale within the office which has experienced significant staffing changes."

Over the next four years, we shall see if the tempestuous Gallagher Murphy can learn how to run a happy ship.

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Note 1: (Definitions from the Speaker’s Report on Members’ Expenditures June 2023)

1. Support Staff: Sums include salaries paid to Queen’s Park and Constituency Office staff, includes funding for Members’ staff who were away on extended sick leaves.
2. Constituency Office Rent: includes expenses such as rent, utilities and janitorial services.
3. Office Operations: includes expenditures for urban travel, office supplies, advertising, staff travel, professional services etc
4. Communications: includes postage, mail preparation and distribution, printing, typesetting, artwork and photography for newsletters, flyers and target mailings

Note 2: The Provincial election was on 2 June 2022. Figures for newly elected MPPs such as Gallagher Murphy cover a ten-month period rather than the standard 12 months. The allocated Global Budget reflects this.

Note 3: The Toronto Accommodation Overage Allowance includes the "Toronto accommodation budget overages up to 5% of the base global budget". Whatever that means.