By Franco Terrazzano

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released Leger polling showing 79 per cent of Canadians are against the upcoming member of Parliament pay raise on April 1.

“The poll results are crystal clear: the vast majority of Canadians don’t think MPs deserve a raise,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “It seems like the only Canadians who strongly support an MP pay raise are the politicians themselves.”

The Leger poll asked Canadians if they support or oppose the upcoming MP pay raise. Results of the poll show:

• 59 per cent strongly oppose
• 20 per cent somewhat oppose
• 10 per cent somewhat support
• 3 per cent strongly support
• 9 per cent unsure

Among those decided on the issue, 86 per cent of Canadians oppose the MP pay raise.

MPs give themselves pay raises each year on April 1, based on the average annual increase in union contracts with corporations that have 500 or more employees.

A backbench MP’s salary is currently $203,100. A minister collects $299,900, while the prime minister takes home a $406,200 annual salary.

The CTF estimates this year’s pay raise will amount to an extra $6,700 for backbench MPs, $9,800 for ministers and $13,400 for the prime minister, based on contract data published by the federal government.

After this year’s pay raise, backbench MPs will receive a $209,800 annual salary, according to CTF estimates. A minister will collect $309,700 and the prime minister will take home $419,600.

“Do MPs really want to pad their pockets with higher pay as they head into an election?” Terrazzano said. “After a pandemic, tax hikes, a cost-of-living crisis and now a painful tariff war, there’s no way MPs should be taking more money from their constituents.

“If politicians want to be true champions for taxpayers, they must push to stop this MP pay raise.”

The federal government stopped automatic MP pay raises from 2010 to 2013.

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Elon Musk revealed Monday that X was the target of a “massive cyberattack,” with IP addresses linked to the Ukraine region. Musk noted the attack was highly coordinated and suggested it could involve a large group or a nation-state.

Key Details:

• Speaking to Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow, Musk said, “We’re not exactly sure what happened, but there was a massive cyberattack to try to bring down the ecosystem with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area.”

• Earlier Monday, Musk posted about the attack on X, stating, “There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against X,” adding that the platform faces daily attacks but this one was particularly well-resourced.

• Musk, who acquired X (formerly Twitter) for $44 billion in October 2022, has faced increasing pressure as his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, deal with coordinated protests that he alleges are backed by left-wing billionaires like George Soros and Reid Hoffman.

Diving Deeper:

X suffered a significant cyberattack Monday, according to its owner Elon Musk. During an interview with Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow, Musk said that while the full details were unclear, the attack sought to “bring down the ecosystem” and had origins tied to the Ukraine region. He suggested the attack was well-funded and likely involved either a large, coordinated group or a nation-state.

Musk had earlier addressed the incident on X, stating that while the platform regularly faces cyber threats, this particular attack was on a different scale. “We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources,” he wrote, adding that efforts were underway to trace those responsible.

The timing of the cyberattack raises questions, as it comes amid widespread protests against Musk’s other ventures, particularly Tesla. Musk has accused high-profile Democrat donors, including George Soros and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, of financing the demonstrations. He has not provided direct evidence to support the claim, but the protests have coincided with an intensifying political battle over Musk’s influence in both the private sector and government.

Musk’s role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency has drawn praise from the president. Trump has credited Musk with spearheading efforts to reduce government waste and save taxpayers billions. Meanwhile, Musk’s companies, including SpaceX, hold lucrative contracts with the Department of Defense, making them frequent targets of scrutiny and opposition from political adversaries.

As X continues to investigate the cyberattack, the broader implications remain unclear. Whether a nation-state or an organized cybercriminal group was behind the attack could have significant ramifications, particularly given the geopolitical tensions surrounding Ukraine.