Sask. MLAs to take wage freeze next year
Politicians from both sides agree to take 0% wage hike in April
In the wake of this week's budget update, which revealed a $1 billion deficit, Saskatchewan politicians say they will agree to a wage freeze next year.
"I think it would be very challenging for MLAs of both sides to be asking public servants to take zeroes, yet MLAs and ministers would be getting CPI [consumer price index] increases," said Economy Minister Jeremy Harrison, speaking for the government.
"I think that would be very challenging."
The Opposition NDP's Warren McCall agreed. He said the NDP members of the board of internal economy, which governs the finances of the legislative assembly, will vote for a zero per cent increase to their salaries next April 1.
"As the fiscal picture … for the province becomes more clear, how could we do anything but?" McCall said in response to reporters' questions.
Politicians did the same thing two years ago, when the premier announced cabinet ministers would not be taking a pay hike.
A decade ago, an independent review set the rules for MLA salaries in the province. It recommended that each April, politicians' wages should go up by the amount of inflation in the previous year.
It said politicians should not change that formula without another independent review.
This year politicians got a 1.6 per cent raise on April 1.
Neither the government nor the Opposition could say why they aren't also rolling back that wage increase.
The base salary for an MLA is $96,183.
Cabinet ministers make $145,152 as does the Leader of the Opposition and the Speaker. The Premier makes $166,137.
Brad Wall also gets a top-up from the Saskatchewan Party of $37,000. A spokesperson for the premier says he will continue to take that, as it comes from donors, not taxpayers.
Here is a table of the current pay (base and additional allowances) for Saskatchewan MLAs.