Halifax, NS: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is applauding the Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly and the Dexter government for initiating a review of MLA pensions. The review is clearly in response to a CTF campaign and report launched in September that exposed the gold-plated pensions for MLAs.

“The review launched today by Nova Scotia House Speaker is a step in the right direction in cleaning up the outrageously rich MLA pension program,” says Kevin Lacey, Atlantic Canada Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.  “We are tremendously pleased that they have heard the calls of the CTF, our supporters and Nova Scotians to launch a review.”

The CTF will be making a formal presentation to the committee calling for the replacement of the gold-plated pension plan with a defined-contribution, dollar-for-dollar matching pension plan.

“Hopefully the speaker picks a mix of pension plan experts and regular tax-paying Nova Scotians to sit on this review and not a bunch of former politicians or party-insiders,” continued Lacey. “This needs to be a real review and not an exercise in political white-wash.”

“Today is a first step in reforming these rich gold plated pension plans for politicians. Our federation will continue our fight until we see an end to this program that wastes taxpayers money,” concluded Lacey.