I would gladly pay them each a million dollars per year if it meant we got a House full of outstanding MPs. These are the people running our country, FFS. Complaining about MP pay is incredibly shortsighted. What we need to focus on is removing barriers to running for Parliament so that we can get better candidates that better represent Canadians.
No, we really aren’t. Not only do many highly qualified people make more than that, but the job also requires you to put your career (and pretty much your whole life and family) on hold. 200k is not that much when looked at more rationally (or comparing it to private sector jobs with similar requirements and high pressure) but we live in a land of crabs in a bucket eager to pull others down to the lowest level possible.
Absolutely, especially with the emboldened right wing over the past few years. Nobody I know has been personally targeted to any great degree, but it’s definitely bad out there.
There’s no point in having incredibly qualified MPs if they’re all whipped on every vote. And that’s the way Canadian politics works - an MP is just a glorified seat filler.
Get us an electoral system that breaks up the majority rule and allows MPs to actually represent their constituents, and I’ll fully support a gratuitous salary.
For now, I think paying the median wage in Canada would serve just fine to try to motivate these mushrooms to improve the working conditions of the 99%.
Join a party and choose someone better to run for MP, work to get that person to get elected.
Now you aren’t going to have a say in who represents other communities (they decide for themselves), but you most definitely can have more of a say in who represents yours. But complaining on the internet won’t accomplish this, you will need to put in some effort.
I am member of a party and I personally know several candidates. That’s how I know how high the barriers are. As @[email protected] said in another comment here, the system is set up in a way that makes it very difficult for anyone other than people who are effectively “retired”, whatever their age. And then we have the gall to complain that most politicians are out of touch with the average Canadian? Of course they are! It’s nearly impossible for the average person to run, let alone coordinate the requirements of the job if they manage to win. That’s how we end up with weirdo oligarchs like JT and PP who are completely divorced from your or my reality — they’re the only ones who are able to make it through the system as it’s currently set up. Harping about their salary is irrelevant because they don’t need it. They could be paid $0 and they would still want the job because all they care about is power and fame. Low-ish salaries only hurt the “middle-class” candidates — the accountants, professors, small business owners, etc.
If you can’t influence these people how would you go about influencing people to vote for you?
Seems like you might be projecting a little bit here. You want it to be you that has the fame and the power instead of them. You’ve indicated how you’re incapable of influencing others, and you only think in terms of power and notoriety. You equate democracy to an oligarchy. Why would I want to support your candidacy over the candidacy of someone else?
You’re so laughably off-base with this comment that I will no longer waste my time here. I’m not sure why you pulled a bunch of random insults and assumptions out of your ass rather than engage constructively.
I would gladly pay them each a million dollars per year if it meant we got a House full of outstanding MPs. These are the people running our country, FFS. Complaining about MP pay is incredibly shortsighted. What we need to focus on is removing barriers to running for Parliament so that we can get better candidates that better represent Canadians.
I mean according to this article they are making at least 200k/year. I’d posit we are in the land of diminishing returns at that point.
No, we really aren’t. Not only do many highly qualified people make more than that, but the job also requires you to put your career (and pretty much your whole life and family) on hold. 200k is not that much when looked at more rationally (or comparing it to private sector jobs with similar requirements and high pressure) but we live in a land of crabs in a bucket eager to pull others down to the lowest level possible.
I think it’s especially important to realize how stressful it is to constantly be in the public eye and be targeted for personal attacks.
Absolutely, especially with the emboldened right wing over the past few years. Nobody I know has been personally targeted to any great degree, but it’s definitely bad out there.
This, like every argument about executive pay, just demonstrates how overpaid those similar private sector jobs are.
You are making an argument against private sector pay, not for MP pay.
200k is overpaid for anyone in any context? I think you’ll find yourself in the minority there, but OK. FWIW I disagree.
Won’t get you far in Vancouver…
There’s no point in having incredibly qualified MPs if they’re all whipped on every vote. And that’s the way Canadian politics works - an MP is just a glorified seat filler.
Get us an electoral system that breaks up the majority rule and allows MPs to actually represent their constituents, and I’ll fully support a gratuitous salary.
For now, I think paying the median wage in Canada would serve just fine to try to motivate these mushrooms to improve the working conditions of the 99%.
Join a party and choose someone better to run for MP, work to get that person to get elected.
Now you aren’t going to have a say in who represents other communities (they decide for themselves), but you most definitely can have more of a say in who represents yours. But complaining on the internet won’t accomplish this, you will need to put in some effort.
I am member of a party and I personally know several candidates. That’s how I know how high the barriers are. As @[email protected] said in another comment here, the system is set up in a way that makes it very difficult for anyone other than people who are effectively “retired”, whatever their age. And then we have the gall to complain that most politicians are out of touch with the average Canadian? Of course they are! It’s nearly impossible for the average person to run, let alone coordinate the requirements of the job if they manage to win. That’s how we end up with weirdo oligarchs like JT and PP who are completely divorced from your or my reality — they’re the only ones who are able to make it through the system as it’s currently set up. Harping about their salary is irrelevant because they don’t need it. They could be paid $0 and they would still want the job because all they care about is power and fame. Low-ish salaries only hurt the “middle-class” candidates — the accountants, professors, small business owners, etc.
If you can’t influence these people how would you go about influencing people to vote for you?
Seems like you might be projecting a little bit here. You want it to be you that has the fame and the power instead of them. You’ve indicated how you’re incapable of influencing others, and you only think in terms of power and notoriety. You equate democracy to an oligarchy. Why would I want to support your candidacy over the candidacy of someone else?
You’re so laughably off-base with this comment that I will no longer waste my time here. I’m not sure why you pulled a bunch of random insults and assumptions out of your ass rather than engage constructively.
I’m sorry but I won’t be supporting your candidacy to represent my riding. You’re just lacking in the ability to connect with people.
Maybe if you work on your people skills you’ll have a better chance next time.