Ford justifies top-ups for MPPs amid tough cost of living, unfair base salary [Video]

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province’s “tough” cost of living is one of the reasons why his government recently handed promotions to three Progressive Conservative MPPs, topping up their salaries by more than $16,000 a year.

The promotions, the premier suggested, are to make up for the “unfair” base salary of $116,000 a year, which was first frozen in 2007 and has been kept in place by successive premiers, including Ford.

Global News was first to reveal that newly elected MPP Tyler Allsopp, who won the Bay of Quinte byelection on Sept. 19, will be promoted to parliamentary assistant to the minister of long-term care.

Political critics have pointed out that while Allsopp has been sworn in, he has yet to step foot inside the Ontario legislature as an elected official, and have questioned whether he’s deserving of a promotion.

Ford made the comments at an unrelated news event in Brockville, Ont., with …