Delay could mean $7m to N.S. MPS’ pensions

A Liberal/ndp bill to amend the federal Elections Act could be worth nearly $7 million combined to four Nova Scotia MPS.

Introduced last month by Liberal Dominic Leblanc, the minister responsible for democratic institutions, and NDP MP Daniel Blaikie, Bill C-65 would allow for two days of advance voting, extend on-campus voting, on-site voting in long-term care homes and “take steps toward” allowing people to vote at any polling station in their riding.

It would also push back the scheduled date for the 2025 federal election by one week, from Oct. 20 to Oct. 27.

That change would allow 80 MPS, among whom four are Nova Scotian, to qualify for pension if they lose their seats in the 2025 election.

The 2019 federal election was held on Oct. 21, meaning that MPS first elected that year who lose their seats next year would fall short by two days of the legislated requirement for pension eligibility of having served six years.

According to Canadian Taxpayers Federation calculations, the change would cost taxpayers $120 million in pension payments to MPS if all 80 of them lost their seats in 2025 and then lived to 90 years old (the average male life expectancy in Canada is currently 82.6 years).

Here’s what it could mean to the four Nova Scotian MPS elected in 2019:

■ Kody Blois, Kings-hants, Liberal: $2.217 million

■ Jaime Battiste, Sydneyvictoria, Liberal: $1.784 million

■ Chris D’entremont, West Nova, Conservative, $1.538 million

■ Mike Kelloway, Cape Breton-canso, Liberal: $1.409 million

Those figures assume the MPS begin collecting full pensions at age 65 (although they are eligible to start on a reduced pension at 55) and live to 90.

The amounts vary dramatically due to the age differences of the MPS. Pensions automatically increase in line with the consumer price index.

Assuming inflation of two per cent (it’s currently around three per cent), 33-year-old Kody Blois’s $34,000 annual pension entitlement would be worth significantly more if he starts it in 32 years than 53-yearold Mike Kelloway’s entitlement.

If turfed, all MPS also qualify for severance of half their salary that is set according to their duties, ranging from $97,000 for Blois to $120,000 for D’entremont.

According to Leblanc the delay of the 2025 federal election by a week is to avoid overlapping with the Hindu festival of Diwali, which will happen on Oct. 21 of that year, and Alberta municipal elections.

However, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation counters that the federal government refused to reschedule the 2019 election to avoid the Orthodox Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret.

“I think Canadians view this as a very obvious attempt to have a lot of politicians who are afraid they’ll loose the next election get money from taxpayers for life,” said Jay Goldburg, interim Atlantic director for the federation.

Because the Conservatives made gains in the 2019 election, 32 of their MPS would qualify for a pension under the changes along with 22 Liberals, six NDP and 20 Bloc Quebecois.

LOW IN THE POLLS

The change comes as the Liberals and NDP are low in the polls.

According to poll aggregator Canada 338, if an election were held today, 87 Liberals and three NDP MPS would lose their seats, while the Conservatives would gain 90 seats.

The Chronicle Herald reached out to all four Nova Scotia MPS who would be affected by the change and asked how they would vote.

“I’m guessing I’m probably voting against it, though that’s a decision that will be made by our party leader and whip,” D’entremont said in a phone interview.

“… Do I think politicians deserve pensions? I know they do work hard and sometimes they’re not that employable afterwards. But this is the stuff that people really don’t like — when you go and change stuff that you should leave well enough alone.”

D’entremont said he plans on running and winning in the next federal election.

Jaime Battiste said that he wasn’t involved in drafting the bill and hasn’t been briefed on it yet.

“I haven’t decided whether I’ll vote in favour,” said Battiste in a written response.

“My sole priority in changes to the Elections Act is ensuring that my constituents have increased and accessible access to voting in the next federal election — I am far more concerned with the strength of our democratic process than I am my own pension, and my support of this bill will ultimately be determined by its ability to uphold free, fair, and inclusive elections in Canada.”

Kelloway also provided a written statement which read, ““Much the same as my constituents, I’m also just learning of the election date proposed in Bill C-65. My focus remains squarely on delivering for the people of Cape Breton-canso, but I look forward to getting briefed on this proposed change when the time comes to debate it. It’s also worth noting that, especially in the case of a minority government, an election can occur at almost any time. In our system of government, setting an election date can often be just a formality.”

Blois has not yet responded to a request for comment Tuesday.

Goldburg said that because the Liberal party and NDP both support Bill C-65, he expects it will go through.