A new poll commissioned by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation suggests Canadians overwhelmingly oppose an upcoming pay raise for members of Parliament and strongly support one MP’s decision to reject it.

According to the Leger survey, 78% of Canadians support Conservative MP Mike Dawson’s decision to refuse the automatic pay increase scheduled for April 1. Only 15% said they oppose his move.

The same poll found that 80% of Canadians oppose the MP pay raise altogether, while just 13% support it.

MP salaries are adjusted automatically each year based on changes to average private-sector wages. This year’s increase is expected to add thousands of dollars to MPs’ base salaries, which already sit just under $200,000 annually, with additional compensation for cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries.

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Dawson has publicly rejected the raise, saying it would be inappropriate for politicians to take a pay bump while many Canadians are struggling with high food prices, housing costs and persistent inflation.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on other MPs to follow Dawson’s lead and either refuse the increase or freeze salaries altogether.

The poll results come amid growing public frustration over the cost of living, federal deficits and government spending. With four out of five Canadians opposing the raise, the findings suggest political leaders may face mounting pressure to justify — or reconsider — automatic salary increases this spring.