The House of Commons has stated that it was obliged to raise the salary of a Member of Parliament from New Brunswick, regardless of his preference. This decision was based on the requirement to adhere to the amounts specified in legislation, as outlined in an affidavit submitted by House clerk Eric Janse in Federal Court. Miramichi-Grand Lake Conservative MP Mike Dawson had sought to halt the $8,800 salary increase through a judicial review application filed in June. In response to this, Janse’s affidavit emphasized the legal obligation to pay MPs according to the Parliament of Canada Act without exceptions.
Granting Dawson the option to decline the raise would necessitate special administrative procedures for calculating and maintaining a separate sessional allowance solely for him each year during his tenure as an MP. The base salary for MPs was $208,900 last year and was raised to $217,700 on April 1, in accordance with federal legislation that links MP pay adjustments to private-sector salary trends.
Despite the salary increase, Dawson has voiced concerns about accepting additional funds while many Canadians face financial challenges. He highlighted the simplicity of electronic payment processes and expressed disappointment in not being able to refuse the raise outright. Dawson, a first-term MP, has been donating his raise to charity but believes he should have the right to object to the raise entirely.
House of Commons Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia’s spokesperson, Olivier Duhaime, confirmed that both Scarpaleggia and Janse declined interview requests on the matter. Full legal arguments for the case are anticipated to be submitted within the next two months.