Normally deeply divided, many MPs from across all three main federal political parties are united in their opposition to proposed cuts to parliamentary spending that could significantly affect the way they do their jobs.
On Wednesday, Government Whip Gordon O'Connor called a closed-door meeting to look at ways MPs can curb spending, including slashing perks that go along with the job -- which some MPs are fighting to protect.
CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife said Ottawa is considering spending cuts of between 5 and 10 per cent across the board for the coming budget -- including cuts to Old Age Security.
A 10 per cent cut to the $586-million budget for Parliament would mean a reduction of $58.6 million.
That could result in a scaling back of MP office budgets, a drop in round-trip flights from 64 to 52, and the elimination of all business-class flights for MPs.
"A lot of them are upset. They don't want to have fewer flights, they don't want to lose their business class flights, they don't want to see cuts to their office budgets and surprise surprise, the opposition parties agree with them," Fife told CTV's Canada AM.
"The opposition never agrees with the government on almost any policy until it comes to their own perks and privileges."
The annual budget for the Parliament of Canada in this fiscal year is $586,331,000. That includes operating costs for the Senate, the House of Commons, the Library of Parliament.
It's expected that MP salaries of $157,731 will be frozen this year.
Parliament is the only federal department that doesn't publicly post its expenditures. Other departments are required to make their spending public.
Fife said journalists have long called for more accountability and transparency when it comes to Parliamentary spending
"The spending estimates, you can't see them, unlike with every other department. Members of Parliament don't post their expenses online and I think if they did that and were open about it you would have a much greater degree of accountability."
Parliamentary spending allocations are determined by the secretive all-party Board of Internal Economy, which only holds closed-door meetings.
Some MPs have said publicly that cuts to their travel budget will reduce the time they can spend in their ridings.
"I would hope they wouldn't cut back on that travel, because that enables constituents to talk directly to us," said Edmonton NDP MP Linda Duncan
Sources told CTV News no decisions have been made, and more meetings on the proposed cuts are planned.
It's not clear whether MP pensions will come under any increased scrutiny as spending cuts are sought.
