One wonders what François Legault was thinking when he decided to suddenly increase the salaries of deputies by $30,000 through a vote in the National Assembly in the midst of a period of high inflation, which hurt Quebec taxpayers a great deal. A recent poll shows that 74% of respondents are against this government initiative.
And to add to the inconsistency, the Legault government has been in tough negotiations with several public service unions for several months. One of the points is precisely the salary question. And the government does not apply to itself the same frugality that it intends to impose on state employees.
This salary update for elected officials, decided unilaterally by the main parties concerned (especially the majority party in the House), further widens the income gap between the MP and that of the average Québec employee ($131,766 compared to $55,706) and combines, in popular perception, with the recent tax cuts granted, which, according to several economists, favor higher tax brackets — which further reinforces voters in their idea that our governments are disconnected from their base, do not work only in their own interest and do not understand their concerns.
Finally, this decision further fuels the cynicism of voters towards the political class while producing an effect contrary to that sought by this salary bonus for elected officials, that is to say, attracting quality candidates to positively enhance the perception that have the voters of politicians…
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