Philippe Couillard is denouncing the politicization of the debate on the salary of deputies

Photo Simon Clark/Journal de Quebec

Charles Lecavalier

Friday, December 8, 2017 14:01

UPDATE
Friday, December 8, 2017 14:08

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The debate about a pay rise for mps 5000 to $ 10,000 to compensate for the future taxation of their allowances by the federal government will have to be set by an independent committee, stated Philippe Couillard, who is critical of the politicization of this issue.

• READ ALSO: Discussions behind the scenes to raise the salary of mps

“Is it in the interest of democracy, that the working conditions of elected representatives to recede? I do not think […] we need an independent committee, because the members who decide on their remuneration are in a conflict of interest,” said Philippe Couillard on Friday at the record of his political year.

Québec solidaire denounced Thursday in The Journal, maneuvers “on the sly” to the national Assembly to increase the salary of elected officials in order to protect their purchasing power. The same day, the parliamentary leader Jean-Marc Fournier has also indicated that the LIBERALS rejected this proposal. He then accused the QCA of wanting to increasing the remuneration of mps.

“We will not be the instigators of this approach, we will leave that up to the CAQ. I understood that the people of the CAQ, in the office of the national Assembly, agreed to increase the wages […] I think they have like a double language,” said Mr. Fournier.

Couillard is denouncing the politicization

Mr. Couillard has condemned the over-politicisation. “The trouble there, is that partisan politics is interwoven with these discussions. Everyone is sitting in dog earthenware and is waiting for the first move to say: “Aha! You want to increase the salary of the deputies! Looks like you’re not good, look at if the world is not going to be happy!”” said Mr. Couillard.

Moreover, he said that the liberal Party doesn’t file a bill to compensate for the loss of wages of the deputies, because “it’s going to be immediately criticised”.

He also regretted that politicians – he has not appointed its parliamentary leader Jean-Marc Fournier – use discussions “behind closed doors” of the Office of the national Assembly to extend a “trap” to other political formations.

“The problem is the confidence that we grant each other. If, in a meeting like that, the elected officials decide to go in one direction, and that it is a trap to be quickly denounced the day after the decision is communicated, we will never make progress,” said Mr. Couillard.

Ottawa announced last march its intention to impose the allowances of members of provincial parliament from January 2019.