Hi John,
You need to see the message YOU sent the parliamentary committee that’s setting the next election date.
In my presentation to the committee, I just told them what supporters like you have told me: politicians shouldn’t delay the next election and give dozens of MPs pensions they don’t deserve.
And I got a surprise at that committee that I’ve never seen before.
In case you need some background, here’s what’s happening. The government says it wants to avoid having the next federal election on Diwali, a religious holiday. But moving the election one week later would make up to 80 MPs eligible for taxpayer-funded pensions. And those pensions would cost taxpayers up to $120 million.
So I went to the committee meeting and gave MPs a simple message: either make the election earlier or delay the pension eligibility date, because taxpayers shouldn’t get stuck with bills for extra MP pensions.
You can watch the Canadian Taxpayers Federation testify in Parliament by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsOsJTJgoMw
Here’s the best part: Your pressure against these politicians is working.
One Liberal MP said he receives “many emails” from Canadian Taxpayers Federation supporters like you and added “you’re pretty prolific in reaching out to elected officials.”
Then the results of that pressure started to show.
Conservatives have opposed moving the election date to give more politicians a pension from the start and they reaffirmed that position. The Bloc did the same. Then the NDP stated it’s going to vote against giving more politicians a pension. So that means all of the opposition parties are against moving the election date and giving pensions to dozens of ineligible MPs.
Then came the real shocker: A Liberal MP said she would vote against her own government and oppose delaying the election.
“I’ll be supporting keeping the election date on Oct. 20,” MP Sherry Romanado said at the parliamentary committee.
That took guts to speak up for taxpayers and push back against her own government. And it shows your pressure is working.
Here’s the next step in the fight.
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc is scheduled to testify at committee on Thursday, Nov. 7.
This is your chance to tell Minister LeBlanc that MPs from every party, including his own party, are against moving the election and giving pensions to ineligible MPs.
And when you click the automatic link below, a pre-addressed email will pop up. It will also BCC us, because it helps to know what people are telling politicians.
Will you email Minister LeBlanc and tell him to listen to MPs from every party and make sure taxpayers don’t get stuck paying for pensions for ineligible MPs?
- YES – I’ll email Minister LeBlanc (just click this link and a pre-addressed email will pop up)
- No – I don’t want to send my MP an email today (if you’d like to tell us why, just click here)
Note: In case the automatic link isn’t working on your device, here’s the minister’s email address: [email protected]
Thank you for fighting for taxpayers – you’re making a difference!
All the best,
Franco Terrazzano
Federal Director
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
P.S.: Minister LeBlanc needs to hear what you think about the government delaying the election to give dozens of extra politicians a taxpayer-funded pension. Here’s his email: [email protected]