Six-million-dollar MPPs

And Calandra cracks the whip

Presented by the Ontario Professional Planners Institute

ABOVE THE FOLD

PAYDAY AT THE PALACE — It’s probably the least politically palatable payday you could think of, but experts argue that hiking MPP salaries is a good thing.

For one, according to former ethics watchdog J. DAVID WAKE, MPPs frequently complained about the “static” nature of their base $116,550-salary, which Wake called “problematic.” Others argue that keeping MPP wages in line with inflation (or at least 75 per cent of what MPs earn on the Hill) is a sure way to attract the best people to public office.

But hiking politicians’ salaries at a time when everyone and their mother is struggling with cost of living isn’t exactly the best optics — even if Premier DOUG FORD did hint that a raise was coming.

So it tracks that the government decided to raise MPP salaries by 35 per cent and allow them to participate in a pension plan now, early in the mandate — prime time to pump out less-popular policies so voters don’t punish…