The House of Commons recently defended its decision to increase the salary of a New Brunswick MP, stating that it was a legal obligation outlined in legislation. House clerk Eric Janse emphasized in a filed affidavit that all Members of Parliament are entitled to the prescribed amounts set by law, making it impermissible to deviate from these regulations.
Miramichi-Grand Lake Conservative MP Mike Dawson had sought a judicial review in Federal Court to block the $8,800 raise he was due to receive. In response, Janse submitted an affidavit stating that it is mandatory for the sessional allowance to be paid according to the Parliament of Canada Act, including any yearly adjustments.
Granting Dawson the option to decline the raise would necessitate special administrative actions by House staff to manage a separate calculation of his sessional allowance annually. The standard salary for MPs was $208,900 last year and increased to $217,700 on April 1, in accordance with federal legislation that ties MP pay adjustments to private-sector salary trends.
Despite the raise, Dawson expressed concerns about the financial challenges faced by many Canadians and his belief that he should have the right to refuse the increase. He highlighted the simplicity of adjusting pay electronically and mentioned his practice of donating the raise to charity. House of Commons Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia and clerk Janse declined to comment on the matter, with further legal arguments expected to be presented in the following months.