ALMA – PQ spokesperson Méganne Perry Melançon earns a salary that is close to that of the elected officials of her party, thus receiving $19,000 more than the amount paid by Québec solidaire to her co-spokesperson Émilise Lessard-Therrien.
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“Meganne is not comparable to Émilise, she is not a chef. This is Paul the comparable. But, Méganne earns a deputy’s salary,” confirmed a source from the PQ party.
The salary of the former member of Parliament for Gaspé does not include the 30% increase which was voted by elected officials during the last parliamentary session. Before this increase, the basic income was $101,561.
The PQ does not usually reveal the salaries of its employees.
Photo Agence QMI, Joël Lemay
The newspaper revealed last week that the new female co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire, Émilise Lessard-Therrien, will receive an annual salary of $82,000, much less than her colleague Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
For his part, Mme Perry Melançon is also paid thanks to contributions from PQ members. This position was created a year ago so that she could represent the party on several platforms and meet citizens throughout Quebec. She is also a female figure for the PQ, while the sovereignist party is represented only by men in the National Assembly.
Simon Clark/QMI Agency
When he was extra-parliamentary leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon earned a salary of $120,000, a little more than Mme Perry Melancon. The party points out that the former MP is not the leader of the party and that she does not have the same responsibilities.
During the pre-sessional caucus being held Wednesday and Thursday in Alma, the leader of the PQ affirmed that he was going to be uncompromising with parity in the next elections.
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Increase refused
Remember that the PQ refused the 30% salary increase voted in the National Assembly. According to the party’s spokesperson, Emmanuel Renaud, the deputies do not touch this additional sum which has since been paid to them. They are waiting to know the exact average salary increases for all state employees before confirming the amount they will officially pocket. For example, if the average increase is 21%, they will donate the 9% difference to charitable organizations.
A tax specialist will have the task of defining the salary of PQ elected officials, once the collective agreements are signed.
The PQ National Council will then decide whether spokesperson Méganne Perry Melançon will also be entitled to this salary increase.