The Parti Québécois (PQ) joins Québec solidaire (QS) in asking the government to postpone the salary increase for MPs until 2026.
The leader of the PQ, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, made the announcement at a press briefing on Thursday, saying that his caucus of three deputies had thought about it for “several days”.
The day before, QS had explained that it was against a $30,000 increase in the salaries of deputies, but suggested, given the government’s determination, to bring it into effect after the next election, in 2026.
The parliamentary leader of QS, Alexandre Leduc, had reached out to other political parties to support his amendment to Bill 24 which gives concrete form to the salary increase.
Thursday, Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon said he found QS’s suggestion “reasonable”.
He announced that his party will vote for Bill 24 if the government agrees to delay the hike until 2026; otherwise he will vote against.
“We judge that vis-à-vis the hundreds of thousands of workers in the public sector, health and education, it is indefensible and uncomfortable,” said the PQ leader.
And if the CAQ government proceeds with an immediate increase, the three PQ will only accept the equivalent of what will be granted to public sector workers.
“We will make an average of all the collective agreements that do not result […] and we will only take what is granted, […] in all solidarity. »
The PQ would appoint an auditor to calculate the average of what will be granted in salary increases over four years to the workers.
This is what the PQ deputies will pocket. The rest will be donated to charity, said Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
Under the bill tabled on May 11 by the government parliamentary leader, Simon Jolin-Barrette, the base salary of elected officials would increase from $101,561 to $131,766.
To justify this increase, Prime Minister François Legault argued this week that “fathers” should make sure to “earn as much money as possible” for their children.
The Quebec Liberal Party supports the government’s initiative.