Show them the money! Quebec MNAs should get $30,000 pay bump, committee says | 24CA News

Should Premier François Legault, authorities ministers, and each different member of the nationwide meeting be making more cash?

A committee mandated to look into that query says the reply is sure.

According to a brand new report, they need to be given an roughly $30,000 wage improve.

That might sound like an astronomical increase to some, however the committee says it’s completely justified, and that the present salaries make no sense.

“It’s not logical,” mentioned former MNA Lise Thériault, one of many committee members. “If we want to have good MNAs who bring different perspectives, it’s really important to pay them justly.”

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The committee made up of Thériault, fellow former MNA Martin Ouellet and HR skilled Jérôme Côté was mandated to take a deep dive into MNA salaries and whether or not they need to go up.

Including their expense price range, the bottom annual wage for an MNA proper now is $139,745 {dollars}. In its new report, the committee says that quantity ought to go as much as $169, 950. It can be a rise of about $30,000 per 12 months.

“We’ve put a lot of emphasis in the report about the job of an MNA,” mentioned Côté “I think there aren’t a lot of people in the public that really know what it is all about.”

The committee says salaries must be excessive sufficient to draw high expertise. MNA pay was final reviewed about 20 years in the past.

“The average salary for a Quebec person has moved up 35% in the last ten years,” mentioned Côté. “For MNAs, it’s 15%.“

Thériault explained that because of social media, MNAs are a lot more accessible to the public, giving them a lot more work. They’re also increasingly answering messages outside business hours.

“The social media asks a lot of time of the MNA,” she mentioned.

Thériault additionally defined that MNAs are going through extra threats than ever earlier than, including to the hazard of the job.

“There’s no way this compensation makes sense with what these people bring and the type of service that they provide,” mentioned Côté.

The committee defined that elected officers make much less cash than many public servants. Some political attachés, advisors or worldwide delegates have larger salaries, which they don’t see as truthful.

Though Quebec MNAs already earn more money than their counterparts in Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia, the committee nonetheless believes a rise is justifiable.

“The Quebec government has some responsibilities that are not the same in other provinces,” mentioned Côté, additionally citing Quebec’s totally different tax regime.

Under the present guidelines MNAs themselves should vote on whether or not or not they get the rise. None advocated for a rise.

“I had no recent thoughts on my salary,” mentioned PQ chief Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.

READ MORE: Heated committee assembly sees Alberta reduce MLA pay by 5% and 10% for premier

“It’s not a question that I’m asking myself,” mentioned interim Liberal chief Marc Tanguay.

Québec solidaire got here out against the rise, calling for a totally impartial evaluation and implementation course of.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says with Quebecers going through steep value of residing will increase, and different provincial legislatures rejecting wage will increase, the increase shouldn’t occur.

“We hope that the politicians understand that right now is not the right moment to ask taxpayers for more money,” mentioned Canadian Taxpayers Federation Quebec Director Nicolas Gagnon.

He cited sharp property tax will increase and hydro charge will increase as different causes for MNAs to reject the rise.

“We have witnessed, for example, a situation in British Columbia and in Nova Scotia where politicians had the opportunity to raise their salary, but they did the opposite. Instead, they either freezed or reduce their salaries,” Gagnon mentioned.

A spokesperson for premier legault mentioned the CAQ will talk about the committee’s findings internally earlier than reacting.

Like Québec solidaire, financial system minister Pierre Fitzgibbon recommended a 3rd social gathering ought to determine as an alternative of MNAs.