March 8, 2002
On the outside
looking in: Some Nunavummiut who couldn't squeeze into the legislative assembly
chambers on March 5 listens to MLAs discuss their new pension plan.
(PHOTO BY KIRSTEN MURPHY)
 |
The goody-bag grows: MLAs
get severance pay
New benefit added to
package last week
Nunatsiaq News
In addition to passing
a bill creating a supplementary pension plan for themselves in this sitting
that ended this week, Nunavut MLAs also passed a new Legislative Assembly and
Executive Council Act.
That new law contains a
new pay scale for MLAs, giving them wage increases equivalent to those received
by Nunavut government employees as a result of last years new collective
agreement.
The new law also contains
a new benefit: a "transition allowance" under which MLAs who are defeated
or who resign from office will be paid a certain amount for up to six months,
to a maximum of $70,000.
The transition allowance
is intended to help MLAs get back on their feet after leaving the assembly.
The payments that MLAs
get for doing their jobs are called "indemnities." In addition to
indemnity payments, MLAs also get annual allowances to defray the cost of constituency
work.
How much are they paid
now?
Basic indemnity:
$61, 800 All MLAs get this amount.
How much do cabinet
ministers make?
Premier
Additional indemnity for
the premier: $63,200 per fiscal year. This means the premiers total basic
salary, not including northern allowance and other extra payments is $125,000
per fiscal year.
Deputy Premier
Additional indemnity for
the deputy premier: $58,200. The deputy premiers total basic salary, not
including northern allowance and other extra payments is $120,000 per fiscal
year.
Cabinet Minister
Additional indemnity for
a minister other than the premier or deputy premier: $53, 200 per fiscal year,
for a total basic salary of $115,000 a year.
Speaker
Additional indemnity for
the speaker: $53, 200 per fiscal year, for a total basic salary of $115,000
a year.
Extra goodies for regular
(non-cabinet) MLAs
Deputy Speaker:
an extra indemnity of $6,200.
Deputy Chairperson
of Committee of the Whole: an extra indemnity of $3,600.
Chairperson of standing
or special committee: an extra indemnity of $3,100.
Chairperson of caucus
and regular members caucus: an extra indemnity of $2,100.
Committee meeting
indemnity: $230 a day to each member for each day served at committee meetings.
Speaker Kevin OBrien told the assembly last week that this payment will
also be made for attendance at caucus meetings held when the assembly isnt
sitting, or for special behind-closed-doors gatherings such as the "retreats"
that led to the Bathurst Mandate.
Extra goodies for all
MLAs
Northern residents
allowance: all MLAs will get the same northern allowance payments set out for
GN workers in their collective agreement. The annual amount depends where the
member resides. Those in smaller, more isolated communities will get the largest
allowances.
Transition allowance:
any member who leaves office or is defeated will get six weeks pay for every
year served, up to a maximum of $70,000.
Source: Nunavuts
new Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.
|