Reid Helps Veto Big M.P. Pay Raise
February 22, 2005Ottawa – Local MP Scott Reid and other MPs on the powerful Procedures & House Affairs Committee of the House of Commons yesterday approved a Bill to block the $15,250 MP pay raise proposed last autumn by the Liberal Government of Prime Minister Paul Martin.
Under the new law proposed by the committee, MPs will receive only a $200 pay raise this year. In future years, MP salaries will be linked to the average annual income of working Canadians.
“This is a major step forward,” said Reid. “For the first time MP compensation will be linked to the income of Canadians. To give ourselves a pay raise in the future, we’re going to have to give Canadians a pay raise too – by creating the economic conditions under which the average annual income will rise.”
Reid emphasized that the adoption of the new formula is the result of the minority Parliament. “The Liberals wanted this pay raise badly,” he said. “But because the opposition parties have united to oppose it, we’ve been able to force the Liberals into accepting a new formula.”
The original Liberal proposal had called for the pay raise to be retroactive to April 1, 2004. MPs already earn $141,000 per year, and the planned pay raise would have taken the salary up to $156,250.
The previous pay raise, which increased MP salaries from $109,000 to the present level, took place in 2001. Reid had voted against that raise, and has been donating his annual pay raise to charity ever since. The funds donated by Reid since 2001 amount to over $90,000. So far this money has been used to purchase defibrillators (AEDs) for local fire stations and CPR training for high school students in the riding.
For more information or to speak with Mr. Reid
Please call (613) 257-8130 or (613) 947-2277.
Posted in: News