Freedom advocate Tamara Lich was beside herself by the prorogation of Parliament in remarks to social media, last week. 

“If the Canadian government can prorogue parliament then their paycheques should be ‘prorogued’ also!” Lich said. “Instead they all get another nice, big fat raise on April 1.”

The federal government has yet to convey whether another pay hike is in the cards for elected officials.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament on January 6, owing to incessant Liberal infighting. The order remains in place until March 24, with a spring election likely to follow.

If the Canadian government can prorogue parliament then their paycheques should be ‘prorogued’ also!

Instead they all get another nice, big fat raise on April 1.

— Tamara Lich (@LichTamara) February 7, 2025

“Members of Parliament should have their salaries based on the average income of their EDAs, (with a cap) and job performance,” Lich said in a subsequent statement

“This would motivate them to work hard for betterment of the communities they represent and for their constituents.”

However, Parliament only needs to sit once every 12 months, according to the Constitution. The only hurdle to a prolonged prorogation is money, as the Liberal Party cannot approve funding outside the parliamentary process. 

The House of Commons quietly approved $21.6 billion in funding last December to sustain the federal civil service through March 31, 2025. 

Should another pay hike follow, it must receive majority support from MPs next month. A non-confidence vote is slated for March 26.

Members of Parliament should have their salaries based on the average income of their EDAs, (with a cap) and job performance.

This would motivate them to work hard for betterment of the communities they represent and for their constituents.

Take @MarkGerretsen for example.…

— Tamara Lich (@LichTamara) February 7, 2025

Backbench MPs take home $203,100 annually, while ministers earn $299,900 following a legislated pay increase last April 1. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took home $17,000 more year-over-year, or $406,200 annually.

Only 14% of respondents from a 2024 Leger poll endorsed the pay increase last April 1, with 80% opposed.

“The poll results are crystal clear: Canadians don’t think MPs deserve another pay raise,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. 

He claims only politicians themselves support continued pay hikes. 

From the onset of the pandemic, Trudeau has taken home $50,000 more in earnings, though the average annual salary among all full-time workers is $67,000, according to Statistics Canada.

Trudeau says times are tough for politicians too.

Sure, he took four raises during the pandemic, receives $389,000 salary, lives in taxpayer-funded mansions, gets gold-plated pension and perks, and bills you for fancy hotels and trips.

Do you feel bad for Trudeau? pic.twitter.com/lTzylFuuDJ

— Franco Terrazzano (@franco_nomics) August 30, 2023

The Taxpayers Federation says MPs “should know better than to give themselves raises” while Canadians contend with high mortgage payments, higher fuel costs, and food inflation.

Food costs for a family of four have risen significantly in recent years, going from $15,232.81 in 2022 to $16,288.41 last year. Further increases are expected as food inflation (2.6%) continues to outpace general inflation.

“MPs don’t deserve another raise,” Terrazzano told reporters last year, “and MPs don’t need another raise from their constituents struggling to fill the fridge.”

The taxpayer advocates were further annoyed by continued evasion to cut taxes, reported Rebel News.

On the same day as the parliamentary pay hike, the carbon tax increased to 17 cents per litre of gasoline, 21 cents per litre of diesel and 15 cents per cubic metre of natural gas. 

The federal government simultaneously hiked its excise tax on alcohol by 2% without a parliamentary vote, a move that cost taxpayers $40 million. 

“MPs are taking more money out of Canadians’ pockets and stuffing more money into their own and that’s wrong,” continued Terrazzano. “MPs should be providing tax relief, not hiking taxes and their own pay.”

Parliamentary representatives in Canada became the second-best paid electors in 2024 behind the United States ($236,433), reported the National Post.

The average family also paid up to $911 more in carbon taxes after accounting rebates, according to the budgetary officer.

Four out of five Canadians oppose the MP pay increase and are calling on Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland to stop the scheduled carbon tax and alcohol tax hikes.

FULL STORY: https://t.co/luRKqP2IRY pic.twitter.com/sl0waEix76

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) March 29, 2023

A shadow committee consisting of privy council members and senior opposition party members oversees MP salaries. In accordance with union contracts for public corporations, MPs take home a 4.2% annual pay increase, more than double general inflation (1.8%).

The previous Conservative government froze MP salaries during hard economic times — a measure of goodwill not reciprocated by the Liberals.

The former stopped automatic MP pay hikes in response to the 2008/09 recession, according to the Taxpayers Federation.

“We haven’t heard a single MP from any party forcefully try to stop the pay raise,” Terrazzano said. “All MPs should speak out against the tax hikes and politician pay raise.”

Rebel News attempted to reach the Conservative Party of Canada for comment but did not hear at publication.

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