Canadians often ask where their hard-earned tax dollars go — especially when they see news about pay raises for politicians. Below is a clear breakdown of what public data shows, what remains unclear, and how to decide whether it’s all “worth it.”
What We Know
Federal Salaries (2025)
- Members of Parliament (MPs):
Base salary increased on April 1, 2025 from CAD $203,100 to CAD $209,800 — a 3.3 % raise. - Cabinet Ministers and Senior Roles:
Additional pay of about $99,900, for a total of roughly $309,700. - Prime Minister (Mark Carney):
Total salary of $419,600 (base + PM allowance). - Total Cost of House of Commons:
338 MPs × $209,800 ≈ $70.9 million, plus an estimated $12–15 million in extra pay for leadership roles.
Total ≈ $83–86 million per year.
Senate
- 105 Senators each earn $178,100, totalling about $18.7 million, or $19–20 million including leadership top-ups.
Ontario (Premier & MPPs)
- Doug Ford’s Salary (2023): $208,974
- Under the new MPP Pension and Compensation Act (2025), the Premier’s pay rises to about $282,000.
- MPPs and ministers also receive increases.
These figures exclude staff, offices, travel, housing, and pensions — costs that can triple the total expense.
When included, Parliament’s total cost is estimated at $400–500 million CAD per year.
Mark Carney’s 2025 Foreign Trips
Publicly listed trips:
- Paris & London (Mar 16–18)
- Washington D.C. (May 5–6)
- Poland, Germany, Latvia (Aug 25–27)
- Mexico City (Sept 18–19)
- New York — UN General Assembly (Week of Sept 23)
- London — GPA Summit (Sept 26–28)
- Washington D.C. — Working Visit (Oct 6–8)
- Sharm el-Sheikh — Middle East Peace Summit (Oct 12–13)
Travel postings exclude RCMP, RCAF aircraft, and certain security costs.
As of October 2025, no official public record details how much investment resulted directly from these visits.
What We Don’t Know
- Full totals for:
- Security and aircraft expenses
- Housing and constituency budgets
- Pension obligations
- Exact staff costs
Some data remains unpublished or aggregated in larger federal accounts, limiting full transparency.
Are They Worth It?
Comparative Salary Fairness
Is $200K + reasonable for the job’s responsibility and scrutiny? Some say yes, others call it excessive — especially when ordinary Canadians face inflation and stagnating wages.
Output vs. Input
High pay is justified only if governance improves — through sound policy, oversight, and results. Without measurable progress, raises erode public trust.
Transparency & Accountability
Value rises with openness. Canada publishes broad data, but opaque areas (travel, security) weaken confidence.
Opportunity Cost
Even if parliamentary spending is small compared to the $449 billion federal budget, every dollar spent here is a dollar not spent elsewhere — like health care or infrastructure.
Final Assessment
Parliamentary and ministerial salaries are large but not extreme relative to total federal spending.
However, frequent raises amid cost-of-living pressures create public backlash — with 80 % + of Canadians opposing recent MP pay increases.
Good governance deserves fair pay.
But Canadians have every right to demand measurable results, efficiency, and transparency in return for their tax dollars.
Sources
All figures and statements in this article are drawn from publicly available government documents and reputable Canadian news outlets. Readers are encouraged to review the sources directly for verification.
- Open Council – Member of Parliament Salaries (2025)
https://opencouncil.ca/member-of-parliament-salary/ - House of Commons – Report to Canadians (Financial Information)
https://www.ourcommons.ca/reporttocanadians/en/financial-information - Treasury Board of Canada – 2024–25 Main Estimates
https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/planned-government-spending/government-expenditure-plan-main-estimates/2024-25-estimates.html - Parliamentary Budget Officer – Personnel Expenditure Analysis Update
https://www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/publications/RP-2324-002-S–personnel-expenditure-analysis-update - Vauxhall Advance – Public Poll on MP Salary Raises (April 2025)
https://www.vauxhalladvance.com/news/2025/04/10/mp-salaries-frowned-upon-by-a-majority-of-canadians/ - Prime Minister’s Office – Official News and Travel Announcements
https://pm.gc.ca/en/news - Ontario Public Sector Salary Disclosure
https://www.ontario.ca/page/public-sector-salary-disclosure
Why This Information Matters:
Every taxpayer dollar represents trust — trust that those elected to serve will act responsibly, transparently, and with the public good in mind. Understanding how salaries, travel, and government operations are funded helps Canadians hold leaders accountable and strengthens democracy itself. Awareness is the first step toward ensuring that public service truly serves the public.
Thank you for reading and choosing to be aware of how some of your taxpayer dollars are being spent.
Wishing you all the very best,
Michael
Comments are always welcome.