“New jaw-dropping reserve pay numbers” reads a sensational headline on the Canadian Taxpayers Federation website. “Approx. 82 reserve politicians paid more than prime minister in 2008-09,” the article claims. Shocking indeed.
But is it true? The Right Honourable Stephen Harper earns $157,731 per year as Prime Minister, another $157,731 as a Member of Parliament, and is afforded a car allowance of $2,112 totalling $317,574. According to the CTF, the Prime Minister’s after tax income is $184,000.
Fortunately, the CTF was kind enough to publish the data used in the aforementioned claim on its website, and it does not take more than a quick glance to see that the methodology (or lack of) is problematic. For one thing, in the case of British Columbia and Alberta, it would appear that salaries have mistakenly been tallied twice. Oops. Furthermore, the CTF has added, where applicable, travel and per diem allowances, honoraria, and “Other Remuneration” to the base salary of native politicians, inflating their values.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister’s salary of $184,000 includes no travel and accommodation allowances, nor per diem amounts. Of course there is a perfectly good reason for this – all MPs are supplied an annual budget of $284,700 (plus “applicable supplements”); their salaries need not be used for expenses incurred while going about their business. According to the Internal Member’s Expenditures report published by The Board of Internal Economy, MPs are, “…allocated 64 travel points each fiscal year, of which 25 special points may be used for travel anywhere within Canada. A travel point is equivalent to one return trip.” Not bad. Moreover, MPs are provided $25,468 for “accommodation and per diem expenses.” Finally, the House of Commons Administration incurs expenses from MPs “to support Members in the discharge of their parliamentary functions.”
In 2009/10, Mr. Harper racked up $74,613.01 in travel expenses, all of which was paid by the House of Commons, a paltry sum compared to the $143,679.87 in travel expenses, that Liberal Leader Mr. Ignatieff generated. At any rate, taking Mr. Harper’s after tax salary and adding it to all his expenditures ($281,255.67) and it can be said that the Prime Minister cost taxpayers at least $465,255.67 last year. Moreover, given that Mr. Harper is supplied with a house, and has access to a private jet, it is doubtless much more than that. For whatever reason, the CTF did not include any of Mr. Harper’s expenses when calculating his salary, but as noted above, travel and other allowances counted toward native politicians salaries. How is this comparison fair? Well, it is not.
A little rudimentary research shows MPs are furnished with a substantial helping of cash, in addition to their hefty salaries. Thus, the Prime Minister is much more costly to Canadian taxpayer’s than his $184,000 after tax salary would suggest. The same goes for MPs. For example, Mr. Ignatieff’s expenditures totalled $570,984.10 for the year. Paul Calandra, a lowly Conservative backbencher, generated $529,320.29 in expenses. A costly trained seal indeed. On the other hand, it seems highly unlikely that many native politicians would have access to the kind of funding MPs receive, beyond their salaries and travel expenses already accounted for in the CTF’s data.
Despite such shortcomings, the CTF is treated as a credible organization, rather than a petty fringe group that appeals to the uninformed public. In response to the CTF’s findings, Lorne Gunter, a right-wing hack for the second-rate National Post writes, “Off-reserve leaders are a bargain [in] comparison [to First Nations leaders]. “Few MPs, provincial legislators or municipal councillors,” he writes, “make more than twice what their average voters make.” Why, that sure is true Lorne. Paul Calandra! What a steal he is! How many voters can charge their employer $500,000 per year in expenses?
Finally, who are we to say that native leaders are not worthy of their salaries? We know nothing of what they do, what their jobs entail, or how hard they work. We are being presumptuous when we react with righteous indignation to the supposed overpayment of native politicians. In my view, it comes from the tired old stereotype of the lazy Indian; that pathetic assumption that natives drink and gamble their money away, while clambering for higher welfare payments. Or the equally pathetic stereotype of the corrupt Chief, robbing his people, plunging them further into poverty, while living the high life. (And thereby conveniently exonerating non-natives from feeling any responsibility for the deplorable conditions of numerous First Nations.) On the other hand, what do we assume high-priced MPs are doing when they cannot even be bothered to show up in the House of Commons? Serving their constituents?
I conclude therefore, with a proclamation that the CTF should fuck off for using poorly analyzed data to appeal to Canadians’ latent racism. Douchebags.
