Should Canadian MPs have received a $8,500 pay hike April 1, bringing their annual pay to $203,100?

Poll: Pay hike for MPs?

Photo: The Canadian Press / Sean Kilpatrick

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is criticizing the federal government for hiking carbon and alcohol taxes today along with increasing Member of Parliament pay.

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making life more expensive today with his tax hikes,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “The feds should be providing relief, not hiking taxes that make Canadians’ lives more expensive.”

The carbon tax increased today to 17 cents per litre of gasoline, 21 cents per litre of diesel and 15 cents per cubic metre of natural gas. The carbon tax will cost the average family up to $911 more this year than they get back in rebates, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

The CTF also called the federal government out about increasing the excise tax on alcohol by two per cent without a vote in Parliament. This year’s federal alcohol tax increase will cost taxpayers $40 million, says the CTF.

The group also criticizes the pay raise for Members of Parliament. They took a raise today ranging between an extra $8,500 to $17,000. A backbench MP’s salary is now $203,100. A minister’s salary is $299,900, while the prime minister’s salary is now $406,200, according to the CTF.

“MPs are taking more money out of Canadians’ pockets and stuffing more money into their own and that’s wrong,” Terrazzano said. “MPs should be providing tax relief, not hiking taxes and their own pay.”