Darrell Dexter loses election, wins big payday
Posted Oct 10, 2013 07:21:57 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Darrell Dexter may be out of a job, but he’s not out of a payday.
Kevin Lacey with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) told News 95.7 Dexter will receive an annual six-figure pension for the rest of his life.
“He is just 56-years-old but he will collect a pension of $131,000 when he signs out of his legislative office this year,” he said.
Lacey says that pension, for any taxpayer to buy, would cost $2.5-million, far out of the reach of any working family in the province.
Had Dexter won his seat on election night, Lacey said he would have been paid around $87,000 annually, so he’s receiving substantially more money through his pension than he would have with his re-election.
The CTF has long fought for changes to the MLA pension program.
“Consider the average salary in Nova Scotia is $40,000 a year, these are huge pension benefits for these politicians that worked a relatively short period of time,” explained Lacey.
He said no political party is willing to change the pension rule for politicians who are already collecting pensions; they only want to change the rules for people coming into office.
In order for a provincial politician to receive a pension, they must have served five years in government and be at least 55-years-old.
