B.C. MLA’s questioning of Findlay’s income prompts doubts about her grasp on pensions

BURNABY — A recent post from BC NDP MLA Rohini Arora suggests she may lack a basic understanding of how Canada's key social security benefits actually work..On June 10, Arora replied to a post about the Conservative Party of BC’s reported plan to pay Findlay a base salary of more than $170,000, plus a vehicle and driver and other perks, by noting disclosure of her receiving her Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits on top of the base pay.“This would be on top of the three pensions she's currently collecting, according to Brent Chapman's disclosure — from the House of Commons, Old Age Security, and Canada Pension Plan,” Arora wrote.“Not to even mention her husband's MLA salary and his OAS and CPP,” Arora's post continued.The comment prompted questions and replies about whether Arora has a firm grasp of how Canada's main social security benefits actually work..Several users on X attempted to explain how these pension benefits actually work, with the BC NDP MLA responded flippantly: “Love that you had to come with an essay.”.Virtually all Canadians who work and reside in Canada receive Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits upon reaching the maximum qualifying age of 71.Put simply, individuals in Canada contribute to these pension funds over a lifetime of work and then have the money returned to them upon reaching retirement age — it's not optional.The type of disclosure statement referenced by Arora’s original post may appear familiar to those who have been closely following British Columbia politics in recent weeks.The same kind of disclosure, required of MLAs under the province's existing legislation, surfaced publicly during the Conservative leadership race. It came up amid a dispute between Findlay and leadership contender Peter Milobar, when it was revealed that Milobar’s wife was receiving income from her work with a First Nations band..Unlike employment income or fees from contracts, however — which can raise legitimate conflict of interest questions when tied to government business — CPP and OAS are automatic retirement benefits.For example, the BC NDP MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview, George Chow, who is in his mid-70s, would have certainly received exactly the same benefits on top of his salary of $122,042.91.Like Findlay, however, Chow's Old Age Security benefit would almost certainly be subject to a clawback.The same income-testing rules that apply to all seniors mean higher-earning MLAs from any party see a portion of their OAS reduced or eliminated entirely..Arora would be correct to say that, generally speaking, politics is a lucrative gig. Arora would also be correct in noting that Findlay's $170,000 base salary is significantly higher than the national average for annual income of roughly $60,000.Findlay's salary still remains fairly average for the leader of a major political party, even when you include her additional ‘pension income.’Arora's boss, BC NDP party leader and Premier David Eby, for instance, earned $227,112 last year.During the 2024 BC election, Arora herself earned a total income of $101,188.90, with $76,306.49 in expenditures and $24,923.44 in reimbursements..By contrast, even at their maximum rates, Canada's main two retirement benefits remain relatively modest for most Canadians. The average CPP retirement pension for new beneficiaries in 2026 is just $925 per month. When combined with the maximum Old Age Security payment, most seniors receive roughly $1,650 to $1,700 per month before taxes — an amount that has not kept pace with rising housing, grocery, and healthcare costs in recent years.The Western Standard reached out to Arora with an opportunity to set the record straight on whether she understands how Canada's main social security benefits work.She did not respond.

B.C. MLA’s questioning of Findlay’s income prompts doubts about her grasp on pensions

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