The Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) is paying its new leader, Charles Milliard, a salary of $230,591 per year.
This is the agreement reached between him and the party, according to information provided to La Presse Canadienne on Wednesday by a spokesperson. It is the same as the one drawn up for his predecessor, Pablo Rodriguez.
Leader compensation has been a contentious issue for the PLQ in the past — particularly during the time of leader Jean Charest, who received a $75,000 supplement even when he was premier — but the party is now being transparent.
The PLQ is paying Milliard from its own funds since, like Rodriguez, he is not an elected member of the National Assembly and therefore does not currently receive any salary.
The $230,591 corresponds exactly to the salary he would receive if he were Leader of the Official Opposition, heading his parliamentary group in the National Assembly.
The agreement is valid until Oct. 5, the day of the general election, since Milliard intends to be elected as the MNA for Orford and thus enter the National Assembly.
Last summer, after Rodriguez’s election as leader of the PLQ at its convention, the party also justified its decision to pay its leader a salary equivalent to the Leader of the Opposition salary as established by the rules of the National Assembly.
“This decision reflects the nature of his current duties, which correspond in every respect to those of a national party leader in a position to prepare for government,” the party explained.
“He is now assuming the responsibility of leading the parliamentary team, defining the party’s strategic directions, preparing the government alternative, and publicly representing the Quebec Liberal Party throughout the province.”
Rodriguez had to resign in December following controversies surrounding the financing of his leadership campaign.
Milliard, who finished second in that race, was crowned leader on Feb. 13, at the end of a nomination period during which no other candidate qualified.
In October 2020, the Parti Québécois (PQ) also chose to pay its leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, a salary after his nomination as party leader, before he was elected as the Member of the National Assembly in the riding of Camille-Laurin in the October 2022 general election.
The National Executive Council then decided to pay him $120,000 per year.
The same treatment was allegedly given to Jacques Parizeau in 1988, when he succeeded Pierre Marc Johnson, and to André Boisclair in 2005, when he took over from Bernard Landry.
In 2008, Charest’s Liberal government was plunged into controversy following a leak by party president Jean D’Amour.
He revealed that Charest had been receiving a salary of $75,000 per year from the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) since he became party leader in 1998, even after becoming premier of Quebec in 2003. This position, however, guaranteed him a salary of $175,000 per year.
In December 2010, he had to relinquish his party allowance when Bill 48 was passed, which subjected all elected officials to a code of ethics.
Under this code, “an elected official may not receive, directly or indirectly and in any form whatsoever, a salary, allowance, financial assistance or any other benefit from a political party or a party body.”
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
