The House of Commons is legally obligated to raise the salary of a New Brunswick MP, regardless of the MP’s preference, according to a recent affidavit filed in Federal Court. Eric Janse, the House clerk, explained that all Members of Parliament must receive the specified amounts outlined in legislation, and any deviation from this would violate the law and cause administrative issues.

Miramichi-Grand Lake Conservative MP Mike Dawson had filed a judicial review application in June to halt the $8,800 increase in his salary, prompting Janse to respond with an affidavit last month. The House Administration insists that the MP’s sessional allowance must be paid in accordance with the Parliament of Canada Act, including annual adjustments.

Granting Dawson the option to decline the raise would necessitate special administrative measures for him alone, requiring separate calculations of his sessional allowance each year. The base salary for MPs was $208,900 last year and increased to $217,700 on April 1, as per federal legislation tying MP pay adjustments to private-sector salary trends.

Despite the increase, Dawson has expressed moral reservations about accepting the raise while many Canadians are facing financial challenges. He likened the process to his responsibilities as a business owner in deducting federal taxes from employees’ pay, suggesting that rejecting the raise should be as straightforward as a digital transaction.

While Dawson has been donating his raise to charity, he believes he should have the right to refuse it entirely. House of Commons Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia and Janse have declined to comment on the matter, with legal arguments expected to be presented in the coming months.