TorStar is reporting “Former Reform MPs set to collect large pensions“,
Almost all the remaining MPs from the old Reform Party — including Stephen Harper — stand to collect over $100,000 a year in pension benefits once they retire.
Back in 1993, a group of 52 Reformers took Ottawa by storm, capturing the public attention with their stand against so-called gold-plated pensions for Members of Parliament.
At the time, they said they would refuse to collect their pensions as a way of leading by example and fighting the deficit. […]
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has calculated what their annual pension benefits would be if they retired at the end of 2010. The numbers are approximate, since details on each MP are not made public.
Jim Abbott. MP for Kootenay-Columbia, B.C.: $108.516
Diane Ablonczy, MP for Calgary Nose Hill: $126,076
Leon Benoit, MP for Vegreville-Wainwright, AB: $104,778
Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville, SK : $118,668
John Cummins, MP for Delta-Richmond East, BC: $118,668
John Duncan, MP for Vancouver Island North: $80,648
Stephen Harper, MP for Calgary Southwest: $150,244
Dick Harris, MP for Cariboo-Prince George, BC: $118,668
Jay Hill, MP for Prince George-Peace River, BC: $142,637
Keith Martin, MP for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca: $119,159
Chuck Strahl, MP for Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon: $155,733
From Globe and Mail “Ex-Reformers face embarrassment of pension riches“,
They rode into Ottawa as freshman MPs decrying the “fat-cat” pensions on offer, and now, many years later, the handful of former Reformers still serving in Parliament have racked up generous retirement packages of their own.
It’s an awkward blessing of riches for 11 former Reform Party MPs – including Prime Minister Stephen Harper – as the restraint-minded Tory government ponders cutting public-servant retirement plans to help slay the deficit.
Nearly all former Reformers still in the Commons are in line to receive annual pension payouts of more than $100,000 – stipends that are fully indexed to the cost of living and fully guaranteed by the taxpayers of Canada.
The Conservatives are so far silent on any plans that would see members of Parliament share the pain as they considering curbing perks in the retirement packages of federal bureaucrats.
Some MPs have the titles “Honourable”, some even “The Right Honourable”, in this case, I can understand some people may want to call these MPs “Dis-Honourable” for publicly rejecting the pensions to score points and then accepting these pensions years later when no one seem to be watching.
Note that I don’t want the MPs to starve or have tiny pension plans that some of them may be tempted to take bribes or planting political favours. At the same time, it is a bit despicable to do what these MPs are reportedly likely going to do soon. Will see what happen and if these former Reform MPs have any dignities left.
