Solidarity Quebec: Its spokeswoman, Émilie Lessard-Therin, pays less than the GND

Quebec Solidaire's new spokeswoman, Émilie Lessard-Terriand, will eventually receive an annual salary of $82,000, significantly less than her colleague Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.

Manon Massey's successor compensation was revealed in a largely unnoticed tweet at the end of the day on Friday, December 22, just before the holiday break.

“The Executive Committee of Québec Solidaire (QS) has adopted a resolution setting the annual remuneration of our spokesperson Emilie Lessard-Therrien at $82,000 per year,” wrote Québec Solidaire (QS) Director General Myriam Fortin.

For her part, the former Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue member said she was “very happy about it.” [se] From now on, focus on what matters: touring Quebec to root ideas of solidarity throughout the province.

M^I Lessard-Therrien declined an interview request Monday.

Controversy over his salary

The issue of the new spokesperson's salary was discussed last fall, after Émilie Lessard-Therrien revealed that she had no intention of demanding a salary equivalent to the MP's basic salary, or approximately $130,000 a year.

“It's not the same work,” she explained on X, formerly Twitter.

In fact, her compensation will be much less than that of Manon Massé, who received $158,119 in her role in the National Assembly.

The same applies to Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, whose spokesman remains at his side. With the recent pay increase for elected officials, they receive an income of $177,884, but have committed to donating $30,000 annually to charitable organizations.

precedents

However, over the years, many non-elected party leaders have received salaries equivalent to those of members of Parliament. This was the case, in particular, for Philippe Couillard and Paul St. Pierre Plamondon, before they entered the Salon Bleu, and it is the case now for Éric Duhaime.

The question would have been more sensitive within a feminist party like Quebec Solidaire.

A few days after the election of M^I However, Lessar Therrien, his rival in the race, Ruba Ghazal, stressed that the salary is an “administrative issue” and has “absolutely nothing to do with the issue of parity.” [ou du] Feminism.”