In 1995, 61 Members of Parliament made a principled decision to opt out of the gold-plated MP pension plan.

Although the government tinkered with the plan's particulars by cutting the amount taxpayers would have to contribute from $6 for every $1 an MP contributed, to just under $4, these 61 MPs would have nothing to do with these pathetic reforms.

They chose their principles over pensions and sacrificed millions of dollars in future pension income in the process.

MP compensation has been a CTF priority since our inception. This past February, we submitted Proposals to Ensure Honourable Salaries, to the Blais Commission, which was set up to address the issue of MP compensation.

We reiterated our call that the gold-plated MP pension plan should be scrapped and replaced with a matching dollar-for-dollar, defined contribution, group RRSP scheme.

This would be considered fair and acceptable by most taxpayers.

Not surprisingly, the Blais Commission's recommendations on maintaining revenue neutrality and making MPs salaries fully taxable were ignored by Parliament. Moreover, Blais' stabs (however imperfect they were) at pension reform were also ignored.

Instead, Parliament passed Bill C-47 (the MP Pay Raise Act) which allows MPs who opted out in 1995 to retroactively opt back into the gold-plated taxpayer funded version of Freedom 55 for the political class. Forty-eight MPs (38 Reformers, 6 Liberals and 4 Bloc members) now find themselves in this position.

To their credit, 32 Reformers have reaffirmed their commitment to stay out of the plan according to a recent CTF survey. As for the 16 other MPs, it now appears that some who said "No Thanks!" in 1995 are now prepared to pull an Oliver Twist and say "Could I Have Some More Please " when it comes to reclaiming their far too generous pensions.

So we've begun a campaign -- using radio spots in selected ridings -- to remind these MPs of their so-called principles. We encourage you to visit our website at www.taxpayer.com to see how you can remind MPs of their 1995 commitment.

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"It's lining its own pockets-looking after its own self-interest. It is not representing the people of Canada." -- Jim Hart, Reform MP, (Okanagan-Coquihalla) June 20, 1995, The Edmonton Journal

"The new plan is hardly any better or different from the old plan. Members with any conscience will think twice before going into this tax trough and opt out." -- Bill Gilmour, Reform MP (Nanaimo-Alberni) Hansard, June 22, 1995

"Canadian won't forget the day the Liberals decided money was more important than integrity and principle." -- John Williams, Reform MP (St. Albert), Alberta Report, September 25, 1995

"I stated that if I had to choose between an overly generous pension during a time of restraint or no pension at all, I would go without it. I have notified the government that I am saying no thanks to their generosity with the taxpayer's money. If they had a conscience, they would do the same thing." -- Jim Gouk, Reform MP (West Kootenay-Okanagan), Castlegar Sun, August 9, 1995

"I wasn't elected for the pension. There's something more to public service than the gratuities you get for it." -- Dan McTeague, Liberal MP (Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge), Vancouver Sun, July 25, 1995