Despicable: After Roman Baber Asks Ontario MPPs To Live On CERB, Legislature Gives Unanimous Consent To Cutting Only Baber’s Salary

MoneySpencerFernando

It seems they find it ‘funny’ to be asked to live in the same kind of financial precarity and stress that most of their constituents face.

Ontario MPP Roman Baber – who was ousted from the PC Caucus for sharing information that questioned lockdowns – put forth a private members bill seeking to reduce the salaries of Ontario MPPs to the rate of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

The point Baber is making is that lockdowns have shuttered many businesses and eliminated many jobs, leaving people with no choice but to try and subsist on CERB payments.

So, shouldn’t the politicians who push those lockdowns also live on the same amount of money?

Well, it seems Ontario MPPs found it ‘funny’ to be asked to live in the same kind of financial stress that others face, since they responded by making a mockery of Baber’s bill and voting unanimously to cut only his salary:

“Wow. The Ontario legislature just gave unanimous consent to reduce @Roman_Baber’s salary to the rate of CERB.

This is in response to his PMB to reduce all members’ salaries to that rate, which he just tabled.”

“Baber asked for unanimous consent to move his bill forward it was denied. In response, Government House Leader Paul Calandra stood up and made the motion to reduce only Baber’s salary.”

“Calandra followed up with another one that would restore Baber’s salary once Toronto exited the grey lockdown zone (which it hasn’t entered yet) but that was denied. So, I guess it’s unclear what’s going to happen next for Baber.”

“Baber, by way of background, sits as an independent after being kicked out of the PC caucus for opposing the province’s lockdown.”

Baber has also commented:

“(1/3) Moments ago, Government House Leader @PaulCalandra denied my Motion for unanimous consent to move forward with my Bill to cut MPPs pay to CERB level. He then sought and passed a motion to cut my pay instead. I remained silent for fear of conflict of interest. Cont'”

“(2/2) @PaulCalandra decided to make a joke out of the situation. As 400k Ontarians have not resumed work, 153k jobs lost in January alone, people are desperate as they lose homes, life savings & businesses, the @OntarioPCParty Government said to them “Let them eat cake”.”

(3/3) The fault for @PaulCalandra‘s behavior is squarely with Doug Ford. Calandra should not lead the Gov in the House. His office email is paul.calandra@pc.ola.org Now is the time to join my fight by signing my petition to #LiftTheLockdown at RomanBaber.ca #onpoli

The message being sent by Calandra, the Ontario PC government, and the Ontario Legislature is clear:

They laugh at the prospect of living like their constituents, and they will ridicule and punish those who question their hypocrisy.

Does that sound like a well-functioning democracy to you?

In response, people are being urged to respectfully contact Calandra’s office and share their thoughts on this despicable situation:

Spencer Fernando

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