Son of former Prime Minister roasted for calling Toronto politician 'nepo baby'

Ben Mulroney is taking heat online after suggesting former Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton is a "nepo baby." 

Mulroney, the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, took the shot at Layton, the son of former federal NDP leader Jack Layton and stepson of current Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, over the latter's plan to regain a City Council seat.

Mulroney called out the thrice-elected politician on X in response to a tweet from Ontario NDP MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam endorsing Layton's bid for council. 

"But definitely NOT a nepo baby, right?" asked the media personality, who notably shares a last name with a former world leader. "Just trying to figure out who with a famous last name earned their success and who didn't," added Mulroney.

But definitely NOT a nepo baby, right? Just trying to figure out who with a famous last name earned their success and who didn’t. https://t.co/qOvv77YN7Y

— Ben Mulroney (@BenMulroney) August 17, 2026

The post drew a deluge of comments from users accusing Mulroney of hypocrisy.

You might wanna check your last name, Ben...

— Will Adams (@ThisIsWillAdams) August 17, 2026

Several users piled on, including one who said, "You are the kettle calling the pot 'black,'" adding, "Nepotism got you where you are."

I can’t tell if this is parody or you being serious?

— Santina Colacino 🇨🇦 (@scolacino) August 18, 2026

Others defended Layton, like one comment which reads, "I think a nepo baby is when you use your parent's name to get famous & become something like an entertainment presenter, not when you do actual work and are good at it."

Mulroney began his media career as a columnist for the Toronto Sun in the late 1990s, at the same time his former Prime Minister father sat on the board of directors of the Sun's then-parent company, Quebecor.

From there, Mulroney served stints on various CTV television shows, including etalk and Your Morning, before moving over to Corus Entertainment in 2023, where he has hosted Toronto This Weekend, The Ben Mulroney Show, and The West Block.

While one could argue Mike Layton's career also stemmed from familial connections, many users pointed out that his political path was secured by the voting populace. Layton entered the political ring in 2010 as a candidate to replace outgoing Ward 19 councillor Joe Pantalone, winning in a landslide, with similarly one-sided wins in 2014 and 2018.

Layton stepped back from politics in 2022, when he announced he would not run for re-election as Ward 11 councillor – remaining undefeated across three elections.