ST. JOHN’S, NL: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Premier John Hogan to immediately repeal a new policy that grants secret golden parachutes to cabinet ministers just months before a provincial election.

“This is an outrageous slap in the face to taxpayers,” said Devin Drover, CTF Atlantic Director. “While families are struggling to pay their bills, politicians are secretly cutting themselves fat bonus cheques on the way out of office. It’s sneaky, self-serving, and completely unacceptable.”

The Newfoundland and Labrador cabinet quietly approved a new “transitional allowance” on April 1, granting ministers an extra cash benefit on their way out the door. This was without any public announcement or legislative debate, according to media reports.

Under the new policy, cabinet ministers are eligible to receive up to $48,664, a full year of their ministerial salary, on top of the severance payments they already receive. The policy provides one month’s pay for every year served in cabinet, with a minimum of three months and a maximum of 12.

Unlike the new MHA transitional allowance that replaced a prior severance model, this new ministerial benefit is stacked on top of existing severance entitlements. Since April 1, at least eight ministers have either resigned or announced they won’t reoffer in the upcoming election.

“There was no news release, no debate, no vote, and no public disclosure, just a secret cabinet decision that lines the pockets of politicians on the way out the door,” said Drover. “Hogan may not have been there when the decision was made, but he’s responsible now and it’s his job to clean up this mess by stopping this cash grab.”

The CTF is calling for the immediate repeal of the ministerial transitional allowance and is urging all political parties to commit to scrapping it if elected.