The House of Commons has defended its decision to increase the salary of a New Brunswick MP, stating that it was mandatory under legislation despite the MP’s objections. House clerk Eric Janse submitted an affidavit in Federal Court emphasizing the legal obligation to adhere to the prescribed pay rates for all Members of Parliament. The affidavit was in response to Miramichi-Grand Lake Conservative MP Mike Dawson’s attempt to block the $8,800 raise he was set to receive.
Janse argued that deviating from the mandated sessional allowance, as outlined in the Parliament of Canada Act along with annual adjustments, would be unlawful and impractical. Granting Dawson the option to refuse the raise would necessitate special administrative efforts exclusively for him to maintain a separate calculation of his sessional allowance each year.
Last year, MPs’ base salary stood at $208,900 and increased to $217,700 on April 1 in accordance with federal legislation linking MP pay adjustments to private-sector salary trends. Despite the raise, Dawson expressed reservations about accepting additional income while many Canadians faced financial challenges. He highlighted the simplicity of managing pay electronically and suggested that objecting to the raise should be feasible.
As a gesture, the first-term MP has been donating his raise to charity but maintained his desire to voice dissent against the increase. The House of Commons Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia and Janse declined interview requests on the matter. Legal arguments for the case are anticipated to be presented within the next two months.
For more information, click [here](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/miramichi-mp-mike-dawson-pay-raise-9.7302006).