The goody-bag grows: MLAs get severance pay

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 year’s 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 premier’s 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 premier’s 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 O’Brien told the assembly last week that this payment will also be made for attendance at caucus meetings held when the assembly isn’t sitting, or for special behind-closed-doors gatherings – such as the “retreats” that led to the Bathurst Mandate.

Extra goodies for all MLAs

• Northern resident’s 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: Nunavut’s new Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.