Mr. Speaker, I hear what the hon. member is talking about. I would like him to explain it to some of his caucus colleagues who are receiving pensions from the Alberta government. One of them is sitting just behind him, but he is not there at the moment. We would like to have examples from themselves too.
We said we would look into the pension plan. There will be a committee to review it. At the same time I say to everybody that members of Parliament today earn $64,000. I can understand the member knows that he will not be re-elected so he will never have a pension. I understand that. However perhaps those who have served in Parliament for a long time, with the type of salary they have received and being 51 and going into the market, should have a pension.
As for the double dipping, we are willing to look into that if they get a job in government. If it is a question of having the pension too early in life, as it was in the case of one of the members of the Bloc Quebecois who quit last year, we will review that.
At the same time I do not like the tone that leaves the impression members of Parliament elected in every riding who earn less than a school principal or manager of a hospital are overpaid and are not rendering a service to the public of Canada.