EDMONTON – A legislature committee has given final approval to a new MLA pay structure designed to make it clearer how provincial politicians are compensated.
The vote Thursday by the all-party member services committee sets a new base salary of $134,000 for all MLAs, plus a range of “additional allowances” for members who take on extra responsibilities such as cabinet ministers and party leaders.
Speaker Gene Zwozdesky said the new pay structure is now in effect retroactive to April 23, the date of the last election.
“Today’s meeting accomplished a clear direction on what MLA compensation will be, with the exception of anything tied to the RRSP or pension issue,” he said. “What we have now is basis of pay for MLAs, including the premier’s salary, ministers with portfolio, opposition leaders, whips and so on.”
The committee’s decision, which came over the objections of some opposition members, implements most of the recommendations made in a report by former Supreme Court justice Jack Major.
MLAs debated and approved Major’s report in the legislature last week, but also asked the members services committee to make a handful of changes, including an alternation to Premier Alison Redford’s proposed salary.
Get breaking National news
While Major recommended a compensation of $335,000 for the premier, Redford suggested something considerably lower. In addition to the MLA base of $134,000, Redford will be paid an additional allowance of $83,750, which is 25 per cent more than the allowance given to cabinet ministers.
Her total pay will be $217,750, which actually represents a slight pay cut from the previous system.
.jpg?h=article-hero-560-keepratio&w=article-hero-small-keepratio&crop=1&quality=70&strip=all)
Cabinet ministers, the Speaker and the leader of the official Opposition will have an additional allowance of $67,000, giving them total pay of $201,000.
Leaders of the NDP and Liberals, along with associate ministers and ministers without portfolio, will each earn $164,150, while the deputy speaker will make $167,500. Smaller allowances will go to party house leaders, deputy house leaders and whips.
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said that while she agreed with most of the changes, cabinet ministers’ pay was still too high since it constitutes a slight increase from the previous pay system.
She made a motion to the committee for a slight reduction in pay levels, but it was voted down.
The new system implemented Thursday has yet to determine what an MLA pension system might look like. While Major recommended a “defined benefit” system, several members raised objections, saying that kind of pension could lead to serious unfunded liabilities in the future. The committee voted instead to research a variety of options, including a defined contribution pension that is believed to carry less financial risk for the province.
Liberal Leader Raj Sherman left the committee meeting after saying that MLAs should not be voting on their own pay.
“I’m absolutely concerned about this discussion,”
said Sherman. “Based on principle, MLAs should not debate,
discuss and set their own pay.”
He said the committee should accept Major’s report with no changes, even though he found some of the recommendations distasteful.
The Edmonton Journal
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.