N.L. rejects recommendation to raise pay by $32,000 for provincial court judges
Justice Minister Andrew Parsons says the province simply can't afford to pay up
A recommended 14 per cent pay raise for Newfoundland and Labrador's provincial court judges will not be going forward after the province's MHA's approved a resolution to reject the raise at the House of Assembly on Thursday.
Because the province is not legally allowed to set salaries on their own for fear of a conflict of interest, an independent tribunal had been tasked with reviewing the judge's salaries.
It concluded that each of the province's 23 full-time provincial court judges are due for a $32,000 a year raise, which would have bought their annual salaries to nearly $250,000.
Justice Minister Andrew Parsons said the province simply can't afford to take the tribunal's recommendation.
"When you look at the situation that we've inherited here in the province, the fiscal situation, the fact is that everybody plays a role here," he said.
It's unclear whether the judges will accept or fight the rejection.
Parsons said he's yet to speak with the province's chief justice about the decision.
"I haven't had a single discussion with the chief judge of the provincial court," he said.
"We're doing what we think is the right move here."
In past instances where other provinces have rejected recommended raises, the matter has ended up in court with the judges usually winning.
Parsons said the decision to reject the pay raise doesn't necessarily mean civil servants won't get a wage increase in upcoming collective bargaining.
"It's also noted in the case law that when it comes to judicial independence, it's treated differently than civil servants or anybody else whatsoever," he said.
With files from Peter Cowan