The co-spokesman for Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, announced on TVA Nouvelles that he would give his salary increase to community organizations if the deputies’ salaries are increased.
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Given the fact that Quebec solidaire does not have enough political weight to block the increase that the CAQ majority wants, this is the solution that Mr. Dubois plans to use to maintain his position.
“I will give it all to organizations in my constituency,” he assures us, but explains that there would be no “party line on personal finance” for the united MPs, who will thus be free to accept the increase or not .
To the extent that the job of deputy involves approximately “60 hours” of work per week, Emmanuelle Latraverse points out, the hourly rate for elected officials is approximately “$33,” so for many, some adjustment is in order. .
“This famous basic salary, of $100,000 a year, there are only 10 deputies out of 125 who do it, including 7 from Quebec solidaire”, nuanced from the start Mr. Dubois.
“115 MPs out of 125 make a lot more… it can go to $160,000, $170,000, $200,000 a year,” he adds.
The co-rapporteur of QS nevertheless acknowledges that the issue of “the value of an MP” is excellent, but that it is up to a “committee that is not only independent but fully mandated to review all the amounts that members receiver.” to settle the matter.
“And this committee should be decision-making, that is, its recommendations should be binding,” he adds.
In an attempt to rally those in solidarity with his cause, Prime Minister François Legault on Tuesday apostrophized Mr. Dubois during question period in the National Assembly.
“I am thinking, among other things, of a young father who wants to offer his children as much as possible. I think it is normal for him to be offered compensation that is competitive with what he could have in the public sector, in the private sector… why should it be any different for politics? Why shouldn’t a father be able to go as far as possible for his children? Why?” asked the Prime Minister to his supportive counterpart.
Sir. Legault’s harangue especially irritated Mr. Dubois, who wants to remember first of all that “no one goes into politics to make, as Mr. Legault says, as much money as possible for his children.”
“People rarely enter politics for financial reasons. Regardless of party, they enter politics to defend their values, their social project, their vision of Quebec,” added Mr. Dubois, who refuses to instrumentalize political engagement.
The co-rapporteur for QS also reminds that it is not only politicians who want the best for their children, but that “nurses, teachers, workers, the self-employed also want the best. for their children.”
“These people work hard too, they sacrifice too. Right now these people are seeing their grocery bill skyrocket due to inflation. There are interest rate increases, rent increases and these people can’t give themselves a $30,000 a year raise,” Mr. Dubois still asserted.
