Bill C-518

[Topaz]

The House will debate on Bill C-518, which states that a MP or Senator charge with a offence and punished by at least 2 years in jail, would receive only the amount earned on their pensions to date of the offence. One question I have is in the case of the late Doug Finley, senator Finley was charged by Elections Canada and would go to jail but he copped a plea bargain and returned to the senate ,where he later died of cancer. Would his wife, still entitled to his pension??? http://www.capebretonpost.com/section/2013-12-09/article-3535883/MPs-to-debate-pulling-pensions-from-convicted-colleagues-in-Commons-and-Senate/1

[PIK]

If convicted of stealing , then no. But this goes farther then that, A chum of mine played the system many years ago and was put on comp, then they got him a government job and he just retired after 28 yrs and gets to keep his tax free 9g's/yr compensation checks. Then he say his wifes gets 3/4 of it if he dies. Made me puke.

[Argus]

I don't think it's appropriate to punish everyone for the actions of a few. And I don't think it's appropriate, or should be legal, to take away someone's pension. The only justification I could see would be if the senator or MP had never actually done the job or contributed anything to the pension during their time in office, which is unlikely.

Should such a law apply to anyone else? If a guy who works for Ford is convicted of spousal abuse does he lose his pension? Does anyone think he should? If a guy who works for Bell is convicted of driving under the influence would you have him lose his pension?

The law doesn't even require that a person be sentenced to 2 years in prison, merely that he be convicted of an offense that can carry a 2 year sentence. So if he is convicted of, say, mischief, and given a suspended sentence. Well, Mischief carries a possible term of ten years for property damage, so it qualifies under the law. An MP convicted of mischief would lose his or her pension. I don't consider that appropriate. The punishment for breaking a law is set forth in the criminal code. I don't see a need for further punitive measures from his or her employer regardless of the depth of public indignation.

[Wilber]

According to the link, they would have to be convcted of a crime that had a minimum sentence of two years, not a maximum. If one quits or is fired before serving enough time to be vested in a private pension plan, all they are entitled to is their contributions plus interest. Perhaps this just more in line with private regitered pension plans. More details required.

[cybercoma]

I don't think it's appropriate to punish everyone for the actions of a few. And I don't think it's appropriate, or should be legal, to take away someone's pension. The only justification I could see would be if the senator or MP had never actually done the job or contributed anything to the pension during their time in office, which is unlikely.

Should such a law apply to anyone else? If a guy who works for Ford is convicted of spousal abuse does he lose his pension? Does anyone think he should? If a guy who works for Bell is convicted of driving under the influence would you have him lose his pension?

The law doesn't even require that a person be sentenced to 2 years in prison, merely that he be convicted of an offense that can carry a 2 year sentence. So if he is convicted of, say, mischief, and given a suspended sentence. Well, Mischief carries a possible term of ten years for property damage, so it qualifies under the law. An MP convicted of mischief would lose his or her pension. I don't consider that appropriate. The punishment for breaking a law is set forth in the criminal code. I don't see a need for further punitive measures from his or her employer regardless of the depth of public indignation.

I couldn't have given my opinion any better than this. I'm with Argus here.