Nunavut MLAs should get daycare money, commission recommends
MLAs ponder family-friendly improvements to their pay and benefit packages
The legislative assembly building in Iqaluit. A special commission set up by MLAs is recommending ways of making it a better workplace for expectant mothers and women with children to look after. (File photo)
In a move towards a more family-friendly pay and benefit system for Nunavut MLAs, a four-member commission said in a report released last week that MLAs should get up to $45 per day for daycare, as well as “enhanced” temporary accommodation and laundry services.
But apart from that, they make no other recommendations related to the family-friendly marching orders they were given last year, in which they were charged with looking for ways to make the legislature a more attractive workplace for women with children.
The commission, which the legislative assembly set up last year to look at how Nunavut MLAs are paid, was appointed in September 2018 and chaired by Justice Earl Johnson, now a deputy judge at the Nunavut court.
The other members were the former MP for Nunavut, Nancy Karetak-Lindell; the former mayor, MLA and finance minister, Keith Peterson; and Ronnie Campbell, a former assistant auditor general of Canada who was responsible for the Auditor General of Canada’s Nunavut audits.
Part of their to-do list required them to look at “practical and cost-effective ways to support the work of members who are expectant mothers or who are raising young children, in respect to such areas as child care and parental leave.”
So after studying the issue, they recommended extending the Government of Nunavut’s policy on child care to MLAs.
Under that policy, any employee can claim up to $45 per day for child care expenses while on duty travel.
They also recommend providing “enhanced temporary accommodation” and laundry services.
And in general they say the Nunavut legislative assembly should take its cue from the federal Parliament and make their work “more family friendly.”
They also say that an obscure benefit called the constituency allowance should be rolled into the basic salary amount given to all MLAs, with income tax deducted, and renamed the “constituency work benefit.”
How are MLAs paid?
Nunavut MLAs are paid under a complex, jargon-laden system under which no two MLAs receive the same amount of money each year.
They use the term “basic indemnity” to describe the basic pay amount that all MLAs receive.
Right now, that stands at $103,323 per year. Like the other indemnities that MLAs get, it’s indexed to inflation and rises over time.
On top of the basic indemnity, they receive extra payments, depending on their duties, and whether they serve in cabinet.
On top of the basic $103,323, the Nunavut premier gets an additional indemnity of $95,198, and the deputy premier gets an additional $87,655.
The speaker and cabinet ministers get an additional indemnity of $80,134.
And regular members can get extra payments for extra duties: serving as deputy speaker will get you an extra $20,665 per year, and there are extra payments for serving as chair of committee of the whole, chair of a standing or special committee, and chair of either the full caucus or regular members’ caucus.
They also get the same annual Nunavut Northern Allowance payment that unionized GN workers get through their collective agreement. The size of that benefit depends on where the MLA lives.
Another issue the commission delved into is whether MLAs, after they quit or are defeated, are financially ready for retirement.
To help them ease back into the private sector, MLAs can take their accumulated pension benefits as either a lump sum or through a type of benefit called a “fixed term allowance.” They also get a transition allowance.
But the report states that MLAs should seek more advice about financial planning, and that the management and services board, the internal committee that runs the legislative assembly, should organize more financial planning courses for MLAs.
“The commission is aware that, despite the payment of the current transitional allowance, some members are not prepared for life after politics, particularly if they are defeated in an election,” the report said.
The report also recommends that the MSB get more responsibility for setting pay and benefits.
Another change they recommend is that the makeup of the MSB be changed so that, in addition to the speaker, it comprises two regular members and two cabinet ministers. Right now, only one cabinet minister sits on the MSB.
The report will be tabled at the spring sitting of the legislature.
ICRMIAEB Final Report, Marc… by on Scribd
From $103k up to 190k a year, plus pensions, free travel and accommodations, and they STILL want more money?
People across the territory are struggling to eat, stay warm, and find housing other than tents and overcrowded shacks, but sure let’s make sure our MLAs have an extra $16,425 a year to pay for daycare and laundry.
I dont have a problem with how much MLAs and the Premier are paid, they are the top of our government and elected by us. I would not want to be an MLA even a regular member with no extra responsibilities for 103K a year, to much travel and have to spend a lot of time in Iqaluit.. no thanks there are easier GN jobs i can do for just a little less then that and get to stay close to home. and the 198K to be Premier, not enough money for me to want to… not that i think i would be good at it or get elected.
Being an mla would be a sweet job. No problem. It’s not like u have to be an all-star. Plus! u get 6mos off a yr with pay??
Well said!
If MLAs are getting daycare money then I want to get daycare money. Sounds fair to me.
Hunters, single parents, soaring food prices and such, and they should get more benefits? Atrocious! In contrast to a “Regular” every day GN Employee how many days do MLA’s work? Any idea? Utterly ridiculous. The report could have urged a system of accountability to work instead.
“the management and services board, the internal committee that runs the legislative assembly, should organize more financial planning courses for MLAs.”
The MLAs collectively are responsible for about $2,000,000,000 (that’s $2 billion) of GN spending each year. Perhaps those courses should take place before the MLAs are sworn in. It might help them make better financial decisions.
Greedy overpaid beaurocrats that are off as often as they work dont deserve an extra penny useless to the max look at the state of the territory…pathetic they should all be terminated they really bring little to the table
I dream of a day whereby I will be allowed to vote for the person who will lead my territory much like the rest of Canada. We are still stuck in the ice age of governing in a pretend consensus system which is holding us back of true governance. We would be able to set the agenda for the government with our vote instead of this look after ones self way of governing.
Soooo the MLAs want a $45 per day daycare subsidy. That means that for those MLAs that are Nunavut Inuit (which is over 90% of them) this would be over and above the very healthy daycare subsidy that they already receive from Kakivak! Why don’t they just come out and say it, they want free daycare! With so many families already unable to pay for childcare this proposal is truly atrocious!
YEAH,
A LAW FOR THE RICH,
A LAW FOR THE POOR.
Such has been the way of humanity for thousands of years.
Fighting wars for the RICH.
Slave labour for the RICH.
All cultures are the fools for letting it happen !
Why should Nunavut be any different.
MLA should be independent enough to pay for Day Care. People with lower income should be receiving this instead. What are MLA’s doing for the lower income employees? I’d like to know what MLA has to offer for lower income employees? Have they ever thought about the real people struggling? I’d really like to know what is on the table for Lower income people?