(Quebec) The Legault government tabled its bill on Thursday to increase the salaries of MPs by at least $30,000 per year. “It’s a catch-up that was due,” pleaded Prime Minister François Legault.
“There was an independent committee that looked into the file to ensure that salaries were competitive,” he added in a hasty press scrum just before the tabling of the legislative text by the government House leader and Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette.
Short, the bill increases the basic allowance for MNAs from $101,561 to $131,766, as recommended by the Thériault-Ouellet committee made public last month. This is an increase of 30%, as explained this week in detail. The same increase will apply to the additional allowance received by 115 of the 125 deputies because they hold parliamentary office (this allowance corresponds in fact to a percentage of the basic allowance). Added to this is an expense allowance of $38,184 that the bill does not change.
The legislative text adds that “the basic allowance is increased by any amount equivalent to any increase in the maximum of the salary scale of a holder of a senior position applicable to the first officers, vice-presidents and members of a level 4 government agency”.
“In addition, it is specified, each deputy receives an amount equivalent to any other salary increase granted to holders of a higher position to which the scale” cited above is applicable.
The bill is on track to pass by the end of the session on June 9. The salary increase will apply as soon as it is sanctioned.
The independent committee was made up of former MPs Lise Thériault (PLQ) and Martin Ouellet (PQ), as well as a human resources specialist, Jérôme Côté. It was formed in February at the initiative of the CAQ and the PLQ, and released a report a month later.
The committee recognizes that the basic indemnity of a member of the National Assembly is higher than in the other provinces. But he adds that the intensity of the work is greater here, because Quebec has chosen to fully exercise certain constitutional powers. Also according to his report, the basic allowance of a deputy is slightly lower than the maximum salary of a political adviser who works for him. The salary of councilors has increased by 30% in 10 years while the allowance of elected officials has increased by 15% during the same period, according to the committee.
MNAs also have a lower basic allowance than many executives in the public and parapublic sectors. There has been a “gap” over the years and we must “close this gap”, according to the committee. He also justifies a salary increase by highlighting the workload of a deputy and his atypical schedule.
The report does not take into account the MP pension plan, which is very generous and has no equivalent anywhere. The bill will make this plan even more generous.