Why do MP's make so much?

[solitaria]

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=ea318a9c-4e24-4556-847e-2c162a7f1d36

I don't understand why MP's make so much. The base salary is $150,800. For that amount of money a person should be highly skilled doing technical things that most people don't have the ability to do. Can't we just hire smart university students at a third of the salary so that we don't have to have all these pigs feeding at the trough? I am so against welfare for the rich.

Why can't we have forced turnover? Every year of public service has to be matched with a year of work in the private sector. The salary that a MP makes then can not exceed a hundred and ten percent of their salary that they received in the private sector going back to their last year of work in the private sector adjusted for inflation.

 

[trisket]

They really are nobodies, only a few have power in government.

 

[calloway]

I thought you were referring to Massage Parlours (MP's) and I had a great answer for you...

 

[danmand]

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=ea318a9c-4e24-4556-847e-2c162a7f1d36

I don't understand why MP's make so much. The base salary is $150,800. For that amount of money a person should be highly skilled doing technical things that most people don't have the ability to do. Can't we just hire smart university students at a third of the salary so that we don't have to have all these pigs feeding at the trough? I am so against welfare for the rich.

Why can't we have forced turnover? Every year of public service has to be matched with a year of work in the private sector. The salary that a MP makes then can not exceed a hundred and ten percent of their salary that they received in the private sector going back to their last year of work in the private sector adjusted for inflation.

Let us just get rid of all the elected people. then someone can run the country real efficiently, just like a company.

 

[LancsLad]

Let us just get rid of all the elected people. then someone can run the country real efficiently, just like a company.

Thanks , I'll be in charge starting Tuesday.



. Be very scared.


.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=ea318a9c-4e24-4556-847e-2c162a7f1d36

I don't understand why MP's make so much. The base salary is $150,800. For that amount of money a person should be highly skilled doing technical things that most people don't have the ability to do. Can't we just hire smart university students at a third of the salary so that we don't have to have all these pigs feeding at the trough? I am so against welfare for the rich.

Why can't we have forced turnover? Every year of public service has to be matched with a year of work in the private sector. The salary that a MP makes then can not exceed a hundred and ten percent of their salary that they received in the private sector going back to their last year of work in the private sector adjusted for inflation.

There are a lot of problems with your conclusions.

First of all, as danmand mentioned, MP's are ELECTED not hired.

Secondly, MP's are legislators and, in most cases, lawyers. A $150K a year salary is probably an average for a lawyers salary in the private sector.

Finally, I'm quite certain that the vast majority of MP's would make more money in the private sector. Particulalry those with a portfolio in cabinet.

 

[K Douglas]

I don't think these salaries are out of line when compared to other countries politicians. What is out of line is the gold plated pensions these guys get - there needs to be major reform in that area.

 

[trisket]

We have a poor selection of MPs now, image the type who would scramble for a job that paid less.
They'd either be power hungry or incompetent for other work, perhaps a handful would be noble and working for the betterment of society.

I agree with the need for more pension reform, it's too extravagant.

 

[clubber]

There are a lot of problems with your conclusions.

First of all, as danmand mentioned, MP's are ELECTED not hired.

Secondly, MP's are legislators and, in most cases, lawyers. A $150K a year salary is probably an average for a lawyers salary in the private sector.

Finally, I'm quite certain that the vast majority of MP's would make more money in the private sector. Particulalry those with a portfolio in cabinet.

I believe you are right her on every point. Becoming an MP is often said to be serving your country.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

I believe you are right her on every point. Becoming an MP is often said to be serving your country.

Yes. I believe most get into politics with the intention of serving their country. Unfortunately special interests and lobbyists have an influence that can lead to corruption.

I'm more concerned with regulating the impact of lobbyists and Senate reform than how much MP's are currently paid. This is why I support Harper's agenda related to government accountability.

 

[onthebottom]

That doesn't seem too high to me....

OTB

 

[solitaria]

There are a lot of problems with your conclusions.

First of all, as danmand mentioned, MP's are ELECTED not hired.

What's your point?

Secondly, MP's are legislators and, in most cases, lawyers. A $150K a year salary is probably an average for a lawyers salary in the private sector.

Finally, I'm quite certain that the vast majority of MP's would make more money in the private sector. Particulalry those with a portfolio in cabinet.

The median salary for a lawyer is not $150K a year. Also the $150K is the base salary.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

What's your point?

What's my point? You support hiring student legislators at a fraction of the cost. I support electing them.

Is it really that difficult to understand my point?

The average salary for a lawyer is not $150K a year. Also the $150K is the base salary.

It sounds about right to me although I'm sure many lawyers make more. This only illustrates my point further.

What is the average salary for a lawyer? Do you have data you can share with us?

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

Lawyers are a minority of legislators in the US.
Even among presidents. Only Clinton, Nixon/Ford,
FDR, Cooledge, Wilson and Taft (7) of the 16
presidents in the 20th Century were attorneys.
Only the US Senate has a majority of lawyers.
Nearly every legislature in the States has less
than half lawyers.

Why do the MPs earn so much?

That's not really that much. Many presidents
of US universities make far more than that.
Athletes and actors are the real money makers.

They really cash in after they're out of office.

I'm sure the numbers are similar in Canada. Having said that, those who are not lawyers are most probably professionals of some kind. Accountants, doctors, etc.

Again, the MP's pay scale doesn't seem inflated for me.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

I'd use the median income rather than the average income.

There's a huge difference between a tax attorney in a large
law firm compared with a public defender or a legal aid atty.

Sure, I can go along with that. Using median numbers, I would imagine them to be realatively close to $150K. Do you have data on this?

Lets assume the lowest on the pay scale is a public defender. I'm guessing in Canada a public defender would get at least $80K a year.

Now, do you prefer your legislators hired cheap out of college or elected?

 

[solitaria]

What's my point? You support hiring student legislators at a fraction of the cost. I support electing them.

Is it really that difficult to understand my point?

My point is that if we can hire another person (i.e. a bright university student) to do the same job at a fraction of the cost then we as taxpayers should question why we are paying a much higher rate to get the job done and if there is any way to change the system for the better.

What is the average salary for a lawyer? Do you have data you can share with us?

This is the median salary. The exchange rate is 1.06 or something like that.

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Attorney_/_Lawyer/Salary

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

My point is that if we can hire another person (i.e. a bright university student) to do the same job at a fraction of the cost then we as taxpayers should question why we are paying a much higher rate to get the job done and if there is any way to change the system for the better.

Who would hire these bright university students?

The thing I like about a democracy is I get to hire the legislators.

This is the median salary. The exchange rate is 1.06 or something like that.

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Attorney_/_Lawyer/Salary

Thanks for the link but I don't think it's necessarily accurate to take U.S. figures and factor in the exchange rate to get Canada's figures.

I maintain the majority of MP's are professionals and few would consider their government salary a big pay increase.

 

[danmand]

Who would hire these bright university students?

The thing I like about a democracy is I get to hire the legislators.



Thanks for the link but I don't think it's necessarily accurate to take U.S. figures and factor in the exchange rate to get Canada's figures.

I maintain the majority of MP's are professionals and few would consider their government salary a big pay increase.

Solitaria is 180 degrees off target. The problem we have in this country, as in most democracies, is that it is very difficult to get capable people to seek public office.

That is why I liked Trudeau. Anybody can argue about his policies. But he was clearly an intelligent and capable individual. We need his kind in politics on the left as well as on the right.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

Solitaria is 180 degrees off target. The problem we have in this country, as in most democracies, is that it is very difficult to get capable people to seek public office.

Agreed. It's also worth mentioning the majority of those who do seek public office, are not doing so for the money.

That is why I liked Trudeau. Anybody can argue about his policies. But he was clearly an intelligent and capable individual. We need his kind in politics on the left as well as on the right.

No one can deny Trudeau was extremely intelligent. The fact he came into politics from a position of wealth is also relevant. Less chance of getting corrupted.

While I agree these qualities are attractive, there is no guarantee an intelligent leader will not cause harm to his country (as I believe Trudeau did).

This can be corrected in a democracy and the reason I prefer to elect my legislators.

 

[danmand]

No one can deny Trudeau was extremely intelligent. The fact he came into politics from a position of wealth is also relevant. Less chance of getting corrupted.

While I agree these qualities are attractive, there is no guarantee an intelligent leader will not cause harm to his country (as I believe Trudeau did).

We can argue about Trudeau's legacy, and I am not pleased with everything he did.

In any event, maybe the results would have been better if there had been
equally capable people on the other side of the parlimentary chamber.

I think especially on the right side of the political spectrum, the most capable people
have more of a tendency to seek their fortunes in business. You and Lancs are prime examples
of extraordinary capabilities lost to the dance around the golden calf.