Prime Minister Tim Houston will use his majority in the legislature next week to block a salary increase for MPs recommended by an independent group.
“This is not the time to adjust the compensation of MPs,” Houston told reporters Tuesday.
“We have record inflation, we have a number of issues facing the province.”
Houston said candidates who ran with him during last summer’s election knew of the compensation that existed when they signed up to be candidates. Opposition leaders said they would support the effort.
The Remuneration Review Committee released its report on Tuesday. He calls for the base salary of MLAs to go from $ 89,234.90 to $ 100,480.91 over the next three years. The base salary has been frozen since 2013.
“It is very important for the democratic government that no one is deterred from seeking public office just because of the perceived financial risk or certain disproportionate financial losses,” the committee writes in its report.
“The central principle is to expand the opportunity to attract community leaders to participate in public office.”
The panel also calls for the salaries of the Speaker of the House ($ 49,046.51), the Vice President ($ 24,523.25), the Leader of the Opposition ($ 49,046.51), any other recognized party leader ($ 24,523, $ 25) and cabinet ministers ($ 49,046.51) remain the same.
Two of the three panel members recommended that the Prime Minister’s salary be reduced from $ 112,791.20 to $ 101,565.19. With the increase in the base salary of MPs, the overall salary of the Prime Minister would remain the same.
Binding recommendations must be blocked
The panel’s recommendations are binding. The revisions are supposed to take place after a provincial election (the last revision in 2014 recommended that there be no change in salaries) and are intended to eliminate the policy of setting MLA salaries.
On Tuesday, however, Houston wasted little time asking House Speaker Keith Bain to step down. Bain exercised his right to return deputies shortly before because he believes the issue is a matter of public interest.
Deputies will meet at Province House on July 26th. At this point, the government will introduce legislation that would block the pay rise.
Modification of the Liberals’ plan
The former Liberal government made a precautionary move when in 2015 it passed legislation blocking a three-year salary review.
Current Liberal leader Zach Churchill was part of this government. On Tuesday, he told reporters that MLA compensation is not the urgent issue to be discussed in the legislature.
“We have real emergencies right now in Nova Scotia,” he said.
Liberal leader Zach Churchill on legislation to block MLA pay rise (Robert Short / CBC)
“Individual families struggling to put food on the table, this is an emergency for them. We have hospitals that have been invaded in the early stages of a new wave of COVID-19 and the government does not treat these issues as emergencies.” .
Churchill said his caucus would support legislation to block the pay rise, but that he would make an amendment to reduce the prime minister’s salary by the rate recommended by the panel.
It does not appear that the Prime Minister will oppose the amendment.
“I know the new Scots are struggling,” he said. “I am happy to show this kind of leadership and I would also expect the same leadership from the leaders of the opposition parties.”
The NPD wants to focus on other issues
NPD leader Claudia Chender said her caucus would also support the blockade of the increase.
He told reporters in Halifax that the real emergency that should be debated in the legislature is what is happening with health care and the cost of living.
“I just talked on the phone with a friend who was at the IWK for seven hours last night with her eight-year-old son and left without being seen,” he said.
NPD leader Claudia Chender on legislation to block MLA salary increase (Robert Short / CBC)
“And then he had to go to three pharmacies to find Advil because there’s some kind of supply shortage. We have people who are very worried about him not being able to access health care in that province.”
Houston said the goal of next week’s session is to address the panel’s recommendations, but his party is “happy to discuss any issue in the legislature.”
Ways to make Province House more inclusive
The review committee also presented several non-binding recommendations aimed at removing barriers to a more diverse legislature.
He calls for more efforts to occupy the seat in the legislature assigned to a Mi’kmaw representative. Since the seat was created in 1992, it has been vacant.
“Reviewed in good faith, we agree with Senator Mi’kmaw Dan Christmas that fulfilling this position could do very well for the people of both Nova Scotia and Mi’kma’ki,” the panel writes.
There is also a non-binding recommendation that the legislature consider establishing a fund that is accessible to MPs who are parents who need help with childcare costs.
“We understand that the cost of such a fund would be small, but its benefits would have a greater impact on women and people with gender diversity, and on their decisions to apply.”
Chender said politics remains a place where it’s “easier to address if you’re older, if you’re whiter and if you’re richer” and MPs need to find a way to make the legislature more reflective of society. .
The group also suggests that future work be given more than 30 days and that all forms of MLA compensation be examined.
Panel members were University Professor Ajay Parasram and attorneys Burtley Francis and Kyle MacIsaac.
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