(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

RAISES ARE 'UNTIMELY'

Red Deer’s MPs say they’ll donate legislated April 1 raises

Mar 28, 2020 | 5:41 PM

RED DEER, AB – Local MPs Blaine Calkins (Red Deer-Lacombe) and Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer-Mountain View) have released a joint statement saying they’ll be donating their 2020 raise which comes into effect April 1.

The raise was legislated 15 years ago in Bill C-30, the pair note.

“This is a legislated pay raise that, given the current state of affairs in our country, is not only untimely but frankly, it’s in poor taste,” said Calkins. “Conservative MPs raised this issue to the Liberal government and thus far no legislation has been brought forward to address it. As individual MPs, we can’t stop the legislated pay raise from happening; however, we can decide what to do with it.”

Dreeshen says they will donate the net increase to local charities over the next year.

“We recognize that many people are losing their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and this is placing increased pressure on our local non-profits charitable organizations,” he says. “We want to help by making this donation.”

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Last year, individual increases averaged about $3100 per year. MPs currently make $178,900 yearly, while the prime minister makes double that at $357,800.