An anti-lockdown MP proposed reducing political salaries in solidarity with ordinary Canadians forced onto benefit payments by the government’s pandemic response, only to have the bill rejected and the legislature vote to reduce his salary instead.
Ontario member of the provincial parliament (MPP) Roman Baber introduced a bill in the Ontario parliament this week to reduce MPP salaries to $500 a week, the amount given to Canadians under the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). This ‘We Are All in This Together Act’, he said, would give lawmakers an incentive to end lockdown by leaving them in the same situation as the public.
Baber’s private members’ bill was rejected but was countered by Progressive Conservative group government leader Paul Calandra, who put forward a motion to reduce just Baber’s salary to the $500 a week level instead. The proposal to target only the anti-lockdown member of the Ontario parliament passed with the unanimous consent,
