Many Outgoing MLAs Set to Collect Generous Pensions
Prince George, B.C. – $13.3 million.
That’s how much the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says outgoing B.C. MLAs who did not win or seek re-election Tuesday night will receive in pensions (to age 80). 
MLAs are eligible for pensions after serving six years in office. They increase by the rate of inflation every year and can be collected at age 65. Taxpayers put in roughly $4 for every $1 a politician pays into their pension account.
“It’s time to end this rich pension scheme,” says Scott Hennig, CTF vice-president, communications.
“Most Canadians are lucky if their employer matches a dollar-for-dollar RRSP. There’s no justification for taxpayers to put in $4 for every $1 an MLA chips in.”
In addition to those pensions, outgoing MLAs can apply for up to $9,000 in retraining funds and qualify for up to 15 months of severance pay (as much as $127,323 each).
Sixteen MLAs retired or opted not to seek re-election while 11 were defeated Tuesday night.
Some of those pension totals include the following MLAs who were defeated:
- Richard T. Lee (Liberal MLA, Burnaby North, 16 years) – Initial annual pension payout of $67,520. Lifetime total to age 80: $1,167,657
- Naomi Yamamoto (Liberal MLA, North Vancouver-Lonsdale, eight years) – Initial annual pension payout of $38,883. Lifetime total to age 80: $672,435
- Marc Dalton (Liberal MLA, Maple Ridge-Mission, eight years) – Initial pension payout: $32,600. Lifetime total to age 80: $563,772.
Pension totals for some who opted to retire:
- Sue Hammell (NDP, Surrey-Green Timbers MLA, 22 years) – Initial annual pension payout: $87,420. Lifetime total to age 80: $750,323. (Lifetime payout is slightly lower as she will be 72 at retirement).
- Bill Bennett (BC Liberal MLA, Kootenay East, 16 years) – Initial annual pension payout: $83,504. Lifetime total to age 80: $1.23 million. Lifetime payout is slightly lower as he will be 67 at retirement.
- Gordon Hogg (BC Liberal MLA, Surrey-White Rock, 20 years) – Initial annual pension payout: $82,607. Lifetime total to age 80: $805,800. Lifetime payout is slightly lower as he will be 71 at retirement.
For a full list click here.
Comments
“It’s time to end this rich pension scheme,” says Scott Hennig, CTF vice-president, communications.
Is there a publicly funded pension plan out there that can’t be considered ‘rich’?
I sure don’t see my old age or C.P.P. going up. If any thing they want to put the old age eligibility higher on age limit and no more money. I personally think it is time for change for the tax payers. in my opion this is B.S.
And that is where my problem lies, are these people in it for the end result, which is a golden goose egg, or are there some that actually take it seriously. Guess that is why I don’t have any use for some of these tax gougers! I fight like hell to get my CPP and work my butt off all my life, and yet some of them coast through it all and say they are doing it for the good of the people. Not to mention all the incentives and special ‘extras’ they receive while on their throne. 2 things I really have no use for but I have no choice; politicians an and lawyers! There, my rant is done! Sometimes I wonder if anarchist is the way to go, and no not the rebellious ones, the ones who go about their business and make a statement by not voting because they have no use for the charades played. I know a couple, nice people who believe the power of the people is the way to,go.
Another perk they get is their families fly free with them
In our parliamentary system we ‘demand’ that citizens let their names stand for elected positions in ‘our’ government.
Many of these people leave their vocations/business to make their time ‘ours’. This is service to the community and country.
To attract people who have an interest /expertise in forming and participating in government there must be incentives.
Think about that…..let your name stand to service , then get beat up by cheap curmudgeons who can not see beyond the sales table at the local wallyworld.
Just because the ‘jealous’ in you can not get by your failings, you sit on here and spout your own personnel short comings.
I say the better the conditions the better people we will attract to run ‘our’ government, much better than a group of self-appointed ‘waldorf & statlers’ who snipe at anything because they have not educated the fear out of their being.
WE ‘demand’? These people VOLUNTEER to let their names stand for elected office. If elected, they are very well paid for the time they serve. The basic salary for an ordinary MLA is over $ 100,000 annually, not to mention all the other allowances and benefits. Far more, now, than most would’ve earned at the job they’ve left.
It didn’t used to be that way. In WAC Bennett’s time those MLA’s who didn’t make Cabinet, (and his Cabinet’s were ‘bare bones’ in numbers, compared to today, where we have a separate Ministry for virtually everything imaginable, and then some), most MLA’s had to have a regular job in their communities to be able to live. The MLA’s salary wasn’t large enough to keep him or her as the sole source of income. Dave Barrett changed that, raising his own pay to more than what the Prime Minister of Canada was then making! And MLA’s have been on the gravy train ever since.
Forgotten in all this, is that these people are supposed to be OUR representatives. They are NOT ‘experts’ at anything. Indeed, in any democracy we want the ‘experts’ to be ‘on tap’, not ‘on top’. They are found in the Civil Service, not in the Legislature. And should be always subject to dismissal if they can’t deliver the results WE, through our elected REPRESENTATIVES, desire. A politicians job is POLICY, not Administration, which the Premier and Cabinet are to only oversee.
Well said.
We don’t pay our political people enough to attracted top end people. Would you leave a position where you were well paid to run for office?
I am sorry to say that since we have been paying our political people more money we are not getting the “top end people”. We are getting people that are career political people that are no longer representing us. They represent a party. When they had to have jobs in the community they were part of “us”. I remember going to Bennett’s store in Kelowna & the premier waited on us. It was not for a political move, he was just like Mayor Moffat who waited on the citizens of Prince George in his store. Then we started paying our mayors enough money so they did not have to work, how is that working out. Now you say the mayor doesn’t listen to us, etc.
This is not a rant against all our political people because I do believe there are some who are trying to represent their communities and they would do so no matter how little they were paid
Can I click the “like” button on your post graymare?
Must be nice.
truth trumps ‘nice’
I think when people refer to the “golden pensions ” for public service workers it isn’t about the typical person working 20+ years to get a basic pension but rather politicians who can work for 6 years and get a fully indexed, 4 x contributed pension. Several of them double dip, if they eventually go federal as well. The unionized workers get a decent pension, but so should everyone else. The politicians have been in control of their pension and it is truly golden.
I want to know what bond will be making..she has done nothing but pad her retirement.. been basically useless in every ministry she has lead..but helps her retirement nicely…
BUT, she is a photo hound! Gets her pic taken to make it look like she is doing something! I voted for the party but I sure as h#%* didn’t vote for her specific! What is the worst of 2 evils I guess.
i don’t hav ea problem with them getting a pension. Like all of us they work and therefore get a pension. Fine. What I do have problem with is the high amount of the pension. They get more in pension than we do in our working years and WE are paying for it! Cut it back to a dollar for dollar contribution like the rest of us get (if we are lucky, ha, ha) and people won’t be so mad about it.
If you think the pay packet is big , have a look at the medical plan and other perks . Like 9K for career conciling to ease them into the revolving door . Member.leg.bc.ca open that and be amazed at the riches within .
Members.leg.bc.ca … I leaved out the s .
Im willing to bet there are a bunch of people whining in this thread who have never stepped out of their comfort zone and tried to do something difficult and risky to benefit themselves.
I give all those who have served a pat on the back for striving to do something which could make their and their families better!
Oh please. Getting out of their comfort zone? Politicians are in for one thing only, they have huge egos and they are control freaks. Show me a humble politician who doesn’t try to tell their constituents what is good for them. The high pay and golden handshake at the end is just a bonus for them.
you really think it high pay? How often have you had to invest your own money in an effort to get your job? Its a gamble and takes allot of work.
All I hear in this thread is whaaaaaaa.
Get off your asses and try something for yourself.
Listen to ol’ Tom, my god man are you actually defending these people? Must be an ex-politician who is living off his perks and pension! Don’t know about you, but I worked my whole life for a pension and to make a better life for my family. I invested time, hazards at my high stress job, pay cuts, shift work, etc. Sure it’s a gamble, but on the other hand they get a pension after 6 years! Take a look at what some of the ones that got ousted and what their pensions are. P. S. Plus they have better time off and more of it then I ever did. Far as I am concerned your post is invalid. I ‘got off my ass’ when I got into enforcement, so there is no basis on that statement you made!
Comments for this article are closed.