Disgraced Senator Don Meredith gets to keep pension

Don Meredith will be able to collect an annual pension because former Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed him to the Senate, Treasury Board President Scott Brison has said.

A senator or MP who is expelled is only entitled to collect the contributions they made to the pension plan. Treasury Board President Scott Brison, whose department oversees parliamentary pensions, said there is nothing in the law that would allow his department to deny benefits to a senator or member of Parliament who resigns.

Amending the pension rules would require legislative change that wouldn’t apply to Meredith, Brison  after the government’s weekly caucus meeting.

“Even if an act of Parliament were changed, it would not apply retroactively,” he said.

“So let’s be very clear on what can or cannot be changed and not try to spin this and deflect responsibility from (former prime minister) Stephen Harper and the Conservatives,” he added.  Meredith was named to the Senate by Harper in 2010.