On the 30th of May the premier of Alberta and his cabinet made a decision to given themselves a 30 percent pay increase, adding between $42,000 and $54,000 to their salaries and making them the highest paid cabinet in the country. There was no corresponding increase in their job duties. One-third of the salary MLA's get is tax-free. Ministers will also now be paid separately for cabinet meetings, Treasury Board and policy committees. These roles were considered part of their duties - and salary - until now. (read more about it here) According to the premier the pay hike was needed to attract good talent to the positions in the future because "people between 25 to 45 years old told him there was no incentive to run for government if they had to abandon their pension and job security".
SHUT UP. Even BEFORE the pay increase he was drawing over 150 grand per year. What 25 year old is not attracted to that? I call B.S. - if it was to attract new people in the future then the increases should have been given AFTER this government was moving on. And since when was being in politics about being motivated by the money?
The premier of Alberta now draws a salary of $213,450. It should be illegal for sitting politicians to increase their OWN salaries.
a) increases should be decided for the NEXT group of elected officials, not for sitting officials who are making decisions in their own interest.
b) the people who voted these individuals into office should have a say in whether there is an increase or not
c) when the price of gas is skyrocketing and the cost of living is increasing at such a rate as to demand that individuals take second jobs, or have both spouses work, etc. etc. then NO increases in salary should be given to elected officials.
There are currently in the office where I work, four employees. The combined salary of all four of us is LESS than what the premier of Alberta makes.
So much for "serving the public".
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