MPs receive 2.3 per cent pay rai

Under an automatic yearly hike pegged on an average from private-sector contract settlements, MP base salaries will jump nearly $4,000 to $167,400.

By TIM NAUMETZ Published: Friday, 03/27/2015 4:38 pm EDT HILL TIMES Online

PARLIAMENT HILL—MPs’ salaries will rise by a healthy 2.3 per cent on April 1, the day before they leave for a two-week recess. Under an automatic yearly hike pegged on an average from private-sector contract settlements, MP base salaries will jump nearly $4,000 to $167,400. That’s just the minimum. More than half of the 308 MPs—a total of 177 MPs including committee vice-chairs all the way up to Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary-Southwest, Alta.)—receive additional salaries for the roles they fill outside of their MP duties. Mr. Harper earns the most in additional remuneration—exactly double his MP stipend for a total salary of $334,800 after April 1. The prime minister and his family also live rent free at 24 Sussex Dr. with servants and at least one chauffeur, and free meals. Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer’s (Regina-Qu’Appelle, Sask.) additional salary will rise to $80,000, for a total annual income of $247,400. Mr. Harper’s full Cabinet ministers receive the same additional salary as Mr. Scheer, and thus will also see their total House of Commons income to $247,400. The additional salary for NDP Leader Tom Mulcair (Outremont, Que.), as Leader of the Official Opposition, is the same as the extra amount Mr. Scheer and the Cabinet ministers receive, so his salary also rises to $247,400. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) will receive a combined salary of $224,200 as leader of the other opposition party. Since the Green Party is not a “recognized party” in the House of Commons, since its two seats fall far short of the minimum a party requires to be recognized, Green Leader Elizabeth May (Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C.) receives no additional salary on top of her MP pay. Additional salaries for the remainder of the 177 MPs who get them go from a high of $41,500 for the Official Opposition House leader to a low of $5,900 for the 48 vice chairs of the 24 House standing committees. Mr. Scheer spread the news via emailed memos to all MPs on Friday.