Longueuil mayor slashes her own annual salary, saying it's 'common sense'
Longueuil's new mayor, Catherine Fournier, has just given herself a pay cut, saying she wanted to act quickly on her campaign promise.
"As I mentioned during the election campaign, the salary of the mayor of Longueuil has been the subject of much discussion in recent years," she said. "I share the opinion of the population that it is inconceivable that this salary is higher than that of the premier of Quebec and that of the mayor of Montreal."
Longueuil city council tabled the motion for a bylaw in regards to the remuneration of elected officials on Tuesday night.
Fournier's paycheque will be reduced by $65,000, reaching a ceiling of $185,000 annually.
"It is a matter of common sense," she said. "I believe this is a first step in restoring and increasing the confidence of citizens in their municipal democratic institutions."
Fournier notes the money will be redistributed into the city's budget, pointing out the province as a whole could benefit from a conversation about salary for elected officials.
"I believe that we must be careful not to devalue elected offices in the wake of this decision," she said. "Many mayors of small municipalities earn a purely symbolic salary, yet they do considerable work on a daily basis and are accountable to the public."
The mayor of Longueuil was previously the highest-paid elected official in Quebec, with a salary of close to $250,000 per year.
Fournier is the third female mayor in the City of Longueuil's history.
She was previously a member of the National Assembly, representing the electoral district of Marie-Victorin.
She was originally a member of the Parti Québécois (PQ), but chose to later sit as an independent, saying the party had lost its way ideologically.
Fournier, who was the youngest member of the National Assembly, still considers herself a committed sovereigntist.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Israel says it reopened a key Gaza crossing after a rocket attack but the UN says no aid has entered
The Israeli military said Wednesday that it has reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, a key terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid that was closed over the weekend after a Hamas rocket attack killed four Israeli soldiers nearby.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.