Summary: Rebel News Podcast – Sheila Gunn Reid | MP refuses $8,000 pay raise as food inflation hits 6% and Ottawa keeps spending

Date: February 12, 2026
Host: Sheila Gunn Reid
Guest: Chris Sims, Alberta Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Episode Overview

This episode of The Gunn Show focuses on the story of rookie Conservative MP Mike Dawson, who is refusing his $8,000 annual pay raise amidst soaring food inflation and ongoing government overspending. Host Sheila Gunn Reid is joined by Chris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to discuss broader themes of government accountability, fiscal responsibility, and misguided spending—including the federal government’s electric vehicle (EV) targets and repeated bailouts for Canada Post.

Key Topics and Discussion Points

1. MP Pay Raises During a Cost of Living Crisis

• Background: All Canadian MPs are due for an automatic 4.2% pay raise (about $8,000) on April 1, 2026, despite 6% food inflation and widespread economic hardship.
• Mike Dawson’s Stand: Conservative rookie MP Mike Dawson (Miramichi–Grand Lake) is publicly refusing the raise out of “good conscience,” citing his working-class roots as a former drywaller.
  • Quote (Sheila, 05:52):
    “At a time when everyday Canadians are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living, I cannot in good conscience accept the pay raise increase of nearly $10,000.”
• Historical Context: MPs continued to receive pay hikes through the pandemic lockdowns, unlike their constituents.
  • Quote (Chris, 02:38):
    “All during the lockdowns…MPs never missed one pay hike. Not one.”
• Cultural Impact: The refusal has resonated with taxpayers. Mike Dawson’s inbox was flooded with over a thousand thank-you notes within a day.
  • Quote (Chris, 08:50):
    “By the time we talked yesterday, he already had more than a thousand emails thanking him.”
• Call for Broader Action: Chris challenges MPs from every party to follow Dawson’s example as a matter of leadership.
  • Quote (Chris, 09:20):
    “All the Conservatives should stand up and do this. Frankly, all the NDP should… they’re the party of the working man, I thought.”

2. Ottawa’s EV Mandate Walk-back and Regulatory Strategy

• Original Plan: The government aimed for a full ban on gas vehicle sales by 2035.
• Policy Shift: The outright ban is replaced by regulatory quotas: 75% zero-emission vehicles in 2035, 90% by 2040—with incentives and subsidies for EV buyers.
  • Quote (Sheila, 16:00):
    “They’ve apparently switched and backed off from the EV mandate… It still remains unsustainable and crazy.”
• Guest Analysis: Chris Sims warns the new approach is more insidious, hiding policy impacts through complex regulation rather than clear mandates.
  • Quote (Chris, 18:38):
    “Instead of, you know, the bad guys… coming up over the ridge wearing red coats, they’re all now hiding in the bushes… Carney’s trying to hide it in regulation.”
• Cost and Feasibility Concerns:
  • The government’s own numbers put the transition cost at over $300 billion.
  • The market, not government intervention, should drive such transitions.

3. Canada Post – Chronic Deficits and Bailouts

• Current Situation: Canada Post has received nearly $2 billion in bailouts in recent years and continues to lose money (almost $4 billion over seven years).
  • Quote (Sheila, 22:25):
    “They have consumed another $1 billion in bailouts just recently… In a real economy, they would just be closed.”
• Public Sentiment: Nostalgia for Canada Post exists, especially in rural communities, but Chris and Sheila argue that taxpayers can't afford to keep propping it up.
  • Quote (Chris, 24:48):
    "A company whose job it is to deliver stuff needs to be able to deliver stuff while turning a profit. That’s really the end of the sentence."
• International Comparison: The UK’s Royal Mail found ways to modernize and turn a profit; Canada Post, coddled by government support, hasn’t tried.
• Bigger Picture: Canada’s debt load ($1 trillion+) and high annual interest payments ($1 billion/week) mean it’s time to stop subsidizing failing crown corporations like Canada Post, VIA Rail, and CBC.

4. Calls for Government Accountability and Systemic Change

• On MPs Claiming “Nothing Can Be Done”: Chris dismisses the excuse that pay raises are “automatic,” pointing out MPs themselves legislate their own rules.
  • Quote (Chris, 12:01):
    “You are legislators. Legislators. You make laws... You can change all of this if you want to.”
  • Metaphor (Chris, 14:05):
    “[It’s] like a janitor standing there literally in a hallway with a broom in their hand, and somebody spills… Well, what am I supposed to do? Well, maybe get sweeping.”
• Leadership by Example: Even small gestures matter; if federal politicians show leadership on pay or expenses, it can “change the culture of entitlement in Ottawa.”

5. Engagement, Activism & Ways to Support

• Chris encourages listeners to visit the Canadian Taxpayers Federation website, sign relevant petitions, and join their mailing list for updates and coordinated action.
  • Quote (Chris, 29:50):
    “When it’s time for us all to act at once… now you’re part of the team. In the meantime, you get updates from our newsletters—it’s a form of fellowship and you feel less alone in this fight.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chris Sims, on New Zealand’s leadership:
  “During the lockdowns… MPs never missed one pay hike. Not one… In New Zealand… Jacinda Ardern took a 20% pay cut.” (02:38)

• Sheila Gunn Reid, on pay raise hypocrisy:
  “It is frankly distasteful that parliamentarians are set to receive a raise while the working man and woman in this country hasn’t seen a decent raise in decades.” (05:52)

• Chris Sims, on the limits of ‘charity’ with pay hikes:
  “What that allows them to do is continue to collect their max pension afterwards… and get the tax credit.” (11:59)

• Sheila, summing up the Canada Post problem:
  “It’s just good money after bad over and over and over again.” (28:45)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• MP Pay Raise and Mike Dawson’s Refusal: 00:18–15:43
• Government EV Mandate Walk-back & Regulatory Discussion: 15:43–22:25
• Canada Post Bailouts and Fiscal Responsibility: 22:25–28:45
• Activism and How to Get Involved with CTF: 28:45–30:51

Tone and Atmosphere

The episode is conversational and passionate, mixing sharp criticism of fiscal mismanagement with humor and personal anecdotes. Both Sheila and Chris bring a sense of camaraderie and advocacy for the average Canadian taxpayer, with a candid tone—sometimes sarcastic or cheeky when discussing government failings.

Key Takeaways

• Mike Dawson’s principled stand against MP pay hikes puts pressure on other MPs to act with similar integrity.
• Federal backtracking on EV policies is more a shift to hidden regulation than a real retreat, and the financial burden remains unaddressed.
• Repeated bailouts for Canada Post exemplify unsustainable public spending at a time of soaring national debt.
• Citizen engagement and leadership from grassroots politicians are vital for reversing the culture of entitlement in Ottawa.
• Supporting watchdog organizations and independent media is key to holding the government accountable.

For more information or to get involved, visit: taxpayer.com