VANCOUVER: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation reacted angrily to legislation introduced in the provincial legislature yesterday that would put BC politicians in the top 3% of income earners and reinstitute gold-plated pensions eliminated only 10 years ago as being too rich.

"We hoped the government would listen to growing public opposition to these changes, as they were contrary to the government's pre-election commitments, tainted by a commission clearly not on the same page and simply out of line with public expectations," said CTF BC Director Maureen Bader. "Politicians lament public mistrust and cynicism, but frankly they deserve it. At a time when the culture of political entitlement is being cleaned up in the rest of Canada, it's being further entrenched here in British Columbia. It is a sad day."

The Vancouver Province quoted then opposition leader Gordon Campbell April 24, 1995 committing to eliminate gold-plated pensions: 'I don't think it's appropriate to have pensions that are there now, particularly the gold-plated kind of pensions that politicians have voted for themselves in the past."

The Vancouver Sun quoted Gordon Campbell October 6, 1995 saying of gold-plated pensions: "For us, it is wrong for elected officials to take care of themselves better than the hard-working taxpayer who pays their bills."

What will the final pension price-tag be

Legislation introduced yesterday forces taxpayers to contribute $4 for every $1 contributed by an MLA to re-establish gold-plated pensions back to 1996 but also says that taxpayers will cover any additional contributions to make the plan 'actuarially sound.' "In other words, 'elected officials [will] take care of themselves before the taxpayer who pays their bills,'" stated Bader.

The $20-million Question

While Carol James and the NDP caucus appear ready to vote against the legislation, it is not clear whether each member of her caucus will write the Speaker to opt out of both the pay increase and new so-called 'pension plan'.

"Nobody is sure what the NDP opposition is doing," said Bader. "They seem to oppose the legislation but appear unable, or unwilling, to mount any kind of fight. Should the NDP caucus opt out of the pension plan, the $63-million pension pay-out would be reduced by $20-million."