Taxpayers to Ontario politicians: take pay cuts now
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021
Toronto, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s Ontario Director, Jasmine Moulton, released the following statement criticizing the Ontario government for playing political games in the legislature today with regards to the serious issue of pay cuts for politicians:
“This government should be ashamed of the way it behaved in the legislature today – playing political games, instead of doing the right thing for the struggling taxpayers who pay their salaries. Politician pay cuts are no laughing matter. Politicians around the world and across the country have taken pay cuts, and Ontario taxpayers deserve some leadership on the issue from Queen’s Park.
“The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has been calling on politicians to take pay cuts since the start of the pandemic to show solidarity with struggling taxpayers. More significantly, taking a pay cut would provide politicians with the moral authority to ask Ontario’s 1.3 million government employees to do the same.
“The cost of government employee compensation is Ontario’s largest operational expense every year, representing about 50 per cent of spending – or $72 billion – in 2019. Ontario government employees receive over 10 per cent more than comparable employees working outside of government, in addition to better pensions and earlier retirement.
“Instead of handing out another $720-million government-wide raise this year, Ontario politicians must first reduce their own pay then bring government employee compensation back in line with reality to shave over $7 billion off the province’s bloated deficit this year.”
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Jasmine Moulton
Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
p. 416-573-5458