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But as taboo as it might be to observe, there is still no ignoring the elephant in the room: this crisis is very, very expensive. That’s why it’s important for our MPs to get ahead of the inevitable fiscal challenges ahead and vote to cut their own paycheques. For both practical and symbolic reasons, Canadians need to know that the people in charge are willing to make sacrifices themselves, before asking the rest of us to endure even more pain.

Photo by Justin Tang/The Canadian Press/File

Consider the enormity of the task. The Parliamentary Budget Officer projects next year’s federal deficit will be $184 billion, seven times larger than it was predicted to be just two months ago, and that analysis assumes that there will be no additional spending measures forthcoming.

Eventually, all of the measures will have to be paid for and that will require many painful choices. It won’t happen overnight, but over time, the public sector will be forced to endure salary cuts, reduced staffing levels or both. Pet spending projects and nice-to-have programs will take a backseat to core government services. Prospective tax measures designed to recoup government revenues that have been decimated by the dormant economy will have to be balanced against the risk of trampling on the recovery.

Many Canadians who have seen their paycheques shrink through no fault of their own fairly wonder why MPs should be immune from this predicament. Many MPs already understand this, which is why nearly half of them have voluntarily agreed to donate their annual pay increase this year. They know full well that taking a pay hike during this crisis looks bad, especially when they are already earning $178,900, which is triple the average Canadian household income of $59,800.