Urgent elections: the pensions of 142 federal lawmakers are at risk

Nobody talks about it, but everyone thinks about itSaid the conservative MP elected in 2015 who preferred to remain anonymous.

According to the Retirement Benefits Act for Members of Parliament, these allowances are paid to those members who have contributed to the plan for at least six years.

However, 142 deputies were elected for the first time on October 19, 2015. Any defeat in the poll before October 19, 2021 would deprive them of the MPs pension scheme.

It is, at a minimum, a retirement allowance of just over $ 32,000 a year from the age of 65 that can slip through their fingers. This amount is indexed and becomes more generous depending on the number of additional years of service.

The base salary for MPs is currently $ 185,800 per year. Parliamentary ministers and secretaries in particular receive more generous salaries and allowances.

According to our statistics, more than half of the Canadian Liberal Party bloc (92 MPs, including 23 ministers) are in this state. Ministers like Diane Lebouthillier and Jean-Yves Duclos, who may face tough races in a potential fall election, are part of the lottery. The retirement allowances for 31 conservative lawmakers, 9 members of the bloc, and 7 new democrats are also at stake.

This is the least of my worries, I don’t care. It really is not in my fearsFired Bloc member Gabrielle St.Mary, who was elected in October 2015 and has nearly six years of service. If there is an official elected for the salary and pension, then he is really not there for the right reasons, Cuts.

We did not show up for a pensionAnd adds Daniel Blakey MP for the National Democratic Party.

Behind the scenes, however, an elected official admits that this question may encourage some of his colleagues to postpone the retirement they had planned to take on at the end of their term. For older MPs, this may influence their decision to run or not, Explains the federal attorney who prefers not to be named, due to the sensitive nature of the question.

Topic of taboo

Genevieve Teller, a professor of political studies at the University of Ottawa, understands that parliamentarians are uncomfortable addressing the issue publicly. It’s a little taboo, it’s all about the wages of elected officials, Emphasizes.

It raises the concerns of elected officials, because there is a perception that they are well paid, and therefore we do not want to show it much in the public sphere.as you say.

In his eyes, there is no doubt that the relevant elected officials are considering this. I think MPs are as human as everyone else. Like you and me, the compensation issue is important. It takes us a job, a salary, a pensionShe explained.

A member who has not attained six years of service receives a lump sum amount as a retirement bonus, and thus recovers his contributions with interest.

A factor in launching an election campaign?

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Photo: Canadian Press / Sean Kilpatrick

The majority of Justin Trudeau’s party bloc is concerned about this retirement issue. Could this affect the prime minister and the date chosen to call the elections?

The financial considerations of individual members of parliament should never be taken into account when deciding to hold electionsNDP Representative Daniel Blakey remembers.

And according to Geneva Teller, this does not weigh down the scale. Strategists near the prime minister’s office will think more about the party’s interest as such, and now, [vont se demander] Is it possible to get the majority? remember.

Justin Trudeau’s team also understands that it cannot be delayed for long if they want to dissolve Parliament, knowing that the municipal elections take place on November 7 in Quebec.

When will the elections be held?

On Tuesday, federal lawmakers adopted, almost unanimously, a non-binding motion calling for avoiding holding elections during the pandemic.

However, for the Trudeau government, it is not easy to define the bottom line that will mark the end of the health crisis.

Behind the scenes, liberal strategists are suggesting that starting in mid-August, a first window could open for the start of an election campaign with a ballot taking place at the end of September. This scenario could come true If the epidemiological situation is going well and the opposition parties render Parliament suspendedAs a liberal source says.

If the fall window isn’t favorable, Justin Trudeau may be tempted to wait until the next federal budget in 2022 before it gets drowned.

In this case, an additional 142 deputies will receive a guaranteed pension.