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Friday, December
17, 2004
Pay
raise for Manitoba MLAs likely
By Alex Reid
Jerry Grey, the former dean
of the University of Manitoba business school,
has been appointed to decide whether Manitoba's
Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)
deserve a pay raise.
Last year, former head of
the Brandon Regional Health Authority Earl
Backman was the commissioner. He advised
Manitoba's MLAs in June that they deserved
an $8,000 raise over three years, and that
the Premier make $20,000 more each year.
At the time, the NDP said
it was inappropriate to accept the recommended
pay raise when the province was experiencing
economic troubles such as the mad cow disease
problem. All sides rejected the recommendations
and agreed to appoint a new commissioner.
But this time, the commissioner's recommendations
will stand without any vote from the MLAs.
| Politicians'
Salaries |
| Prime
Minister |
$278,400 |
| Federal Cabinet
Minister |
$209,016 |
| Member
of Parliament |
$139,200 |
| Premier of
Manitoba |
$111,932 |
|
Mayor of Winnipeg |
$101,849
|
| Provincial
Minister |
$94,536 |
| MLA |
$65,535 |
| City Councillor |
$54,324 |
Source: City
of Winnipeg & Province of
Manitoba
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In Backman's recommendations,
he noted that most people in survey
felt that politicians on all levels
did not deserve any pay increase without
even knowing what they were paid.
Backman noted that when people were
told of the actual salaries, many
felt the Premier's salary was the
most "out of whack" compared to the
Mayor of Winnipeg's salary. The Premier
of Manitoba is the lowest paid Premier
in Canada, earning just $10,000 more
each year than Winnipeg Mayor Sam
Katz.
Each MLA makes $65,535
each year, while Winnipeg City Councillors
- who tend to accommodate twice the
population that an average MLA serves
- make $54,324 each year.
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In 1992, City Council passed
a law that limits the pay increases to City
Councillors and the Mayor to be no more
than the standard of living according to
Statistics Canada. In
1992, City Councillors were making $40,000
and will earn $55,147 in 2005.
Gray is expected to have
a decision by early 2005 and any changes
will be effective in April 2005. Provincial
rules state that a independent commissioner
must examine the MLA salaries every three
years.
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NewWinnipeg.com 