BC Liberals call for salary freeze for MLAs ahead of possible 10 per cent increase
A call by the Opposition BC Liberals to freeze provincial politicians' salaries as a show of solidarity with people struggling to make ends meet during inflationary times has found some traction with the New Democrat government.
Members of the legislature could be in line for a salary increase in April of 10 per cent or more, amounting to raises of at least $10,000, Liberal house leader Todd Stone said Thursday.
He said he would table a private member's bill this month in the legislature that proposes a one-year salary freeze to show the people of B.C. that politicians understand the economic sacrifices families are making across the province.
“I would point out that in dollar terms the wage increase for MLAs this year could be upwards of $10,000, $11,000 if the (consumer price index), which the wage increase is tied to, is in the 10 per cent range,” said Stone.
The B.C. legislature website says the basic annual MLA salary this year is $115,045.93, while Premier John Horgan's salary is $218,587.27.
Cabinet ministers make $172,568.90, as does Opposition leader Kevin Falcon.
B.C. MLA salaries are tied to changes in the consumer price index, which currently is at about eight per cent in the province.
NDP house leader Mike Farnworth said an all-party legislature management committee will discuss the salary issue over the coming weeks.
He said the New Democrats and BC Liberals have both implemented pay freezes in the past.
Farnworth would not commit to a pay freeze, but said the issue would be part of discussions surrounding the provincial budget, which will be tabled in February.
“The finance minister has already raised with me that given this year's inflation rate, this is obviously something that we would need to be looking at,” he said.
Finance Minister Selina Robinson did not immediately indicate if the government would support Stone's bill, but said in the legislature the New Democrats have been implementing cost-saving measures including free bus services for children under 12 years, child-care fee cuts and capping rent increases at two per cent.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.