VANCOUVER (CBC) - Several B.C. Liberal MLAs say they are being discriminated against based on their age because they can't contribute to the MLA pension plan after the age of 70.

But a seniors' advocate says the MLAs are just finally getting a taste of their own medicine.

The five Liberal MLAs, Claude Richmond, Dan Jarvis, Ralph Sultan, John Nuraney and Al Horning, are unable to contribute toward their retirement because they are all over the age of 70.

Jarvis said for the past year, the government has been promising a solution, but he isn't optimistic and is considering legal action.

"I'll probably have to go after my own government and I'll probably have to sit as an Independent. And I'm not looking forward to that," he said on Thursday.

"I think I'm entitled to it like all the rest of the MLAs are entitled to it," said Jarvis, who is 72.

But at least one B.C. senior says the five Liberal MLAs are just getting a taste of what many seniors have been forced to deal with by the MLAs' own legislation.

Art Kube, the president of the Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of B.C., said when the Liberal government passed legislation to ban mandatory retirement last year, the five MLAs said nothing to protect the benefits for other older workers across B.C.

As a result of the legislation, anyone older than 65 is banned from contributing to pension plans in B.C. MLAs are an exception, and can contribute until the age of 70.

Kube agrees the MLAs' pension restrictions should be lifted, but finds their concerns self-serving.

"They're all government members, so the chickens are coming home to roost, you know?" Kube said Thursday.

When the CBC contacted MLA John Nuraney Friday morning, he said he wasn't aware of the pension issue when mandatory retirement ended last year.

"Well, I was not aware of that point at that time, that Art had raised it, because it was never brought to our attention. If it had, then maybe some of us may have raised that issue, but it was not on the radar at that time," said Nuraney.

Nuraney said he now thinks the law should be changed so anyone working beyond 65 can continue to contribute to a pension.

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