LETTER

No pensions for corrupt politicians  

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has launched a petition asking Legault government to make sure corrupt politicians lose their taxpayer-funded pensions.

Corrupt elected officials have already got their hands on more than enough taxpayers’ money. It is wrong to ask those same taxpayers to pay for their pensions.  The pension fund for municipal elected officials currently allows for a maximum pension of $3,025 per month, totalling an annual payment of $36,306 for which municipal officials are eligible when by age 60. For every dollar municipal politicians pay into their pension fund, taxpayers pay $3.37.

Former Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum is likely eligible for the maximum amount. If he collects his pension until age 90, he will receive more than $1,089,000 in pension payments. Applebaum has been in the news  following a court decision stating he could keep his $268,000 taxpayer-funded severance package despite being convicted on corruption charges.

Applebaum was convicted of eight corruption-related charges in 2017. Former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt pleaded guilty to three corruption-related charges in 2016. Corrupt elected officials like Michael Applebaum and Gilles Vaillancourt have already taken more than enough from taxpayers. They don’t deserve to get one more cent from taxpayers’ pockets.

The CTF’s petition is available here: www.taxpayer.com/media/No-pension-for-corrupt-politicians .

Renaud Brossard, 

Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Montréal