Federal politicians of all stripes are under increasing pressure to take a haircut on what spending watchdogs call a "gold-plated" pension plan, especially as government reins in expenditures to help eliminate a $31-billion deficit by 2015-16.
The screws have been tightened even further as the government looks for billions of dollars in cuts to federal programs and considers increasing the qualifying age for Old Age Security to 67 from the current 65.
The final decision on politicians' pensions falls with Treasury Board president Tony Clement, who said Tuesday all spending — including pensions for MPs — will be examined. But the government refuses to commit to cutting pension benefits for parliamentarians.
"We're reviewing the matter and all options are on the table," Clement told reporters Tuesday, but he wouldn't say whether that will actually amount to trimming the benefits.
The Conservatives were forced to explain themselves after government House leader Peter Van Loan seemed to indicate on Monday that the Tories would push for the secretive, multi-party Board of Internal Economy to trim pension benefits for MPs.
"We don't think it's right that we would be asking all of government and all of Canadians to accept that we make savings across the board if we aren't prepared to do that ourselves," Van Loan said Monday when asked if the government will cut MPs' pensions.
The minister's officials later explained he was referring to finding savings from the House of Commons budget — on such things as office and committee expenses — and not MPs' pensions.
On Tuesday, Van Loan said any possible cuts to the parliamentary pension plan are up to Clement's office.
"MPs' pensions are the responsibility of the Treasury Board president," he said. "We've asked the Board of Internal Economy to reduce the spending, come up with serious commitments to reduce all of the spending of the House of Commons."
Asked whether he personally believes MPs should scale back their pension plan as federal programs and services face cuts, Van Loan said: "I think that's something you've got to ask Tony Clement."
The NDP and Liberals also won't say whether they support cutting pension benefits for members of Parliament. The Liberals say they're open to reviewing the political perk and the NDP insists an independent panel should decide the matter, not MPs.
"I don't know very many people who went into this business for the money. Second of all, if the Canadian public can judge and decide, Canadian institutions can judge and decide, whatever people decide is fair and reasonable is okay with me," interim Liberal leader Bob Rae said Tuesday.
"We're not interested in having an argument about it. Let the issue be settled."
Members of Parliament are eligible to collect full pension benefits at age 55, if they sit in the House of Commons for six years or longer.
Qualified MPs currently serving will be eligible to collect an average pension of nearly $55,000 a year in 2015, according to a recent report from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
The spending watchdog says citizens cough up about $23 for every dollar MPs and senators contribute to the "gold-plated" parliamentary pension plan.
Twenty MPs will be eligible to collect more than $100,000 a year if they leave office in 2015, according to the taxpayers group.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: Jason Fekete
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