Alberta Politicians get huge raises

[calculoso]

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics...733696-cp.html

EDMONTON - One of the wealthiest provinces in Canada has dramatically boosted the pay packets of its premier and cabinet ministers.

The Alberta government has approved a pay hike, which will see each of the province's 23 cabinet ministers get a pay hike worth about $42,000, bringing their annual compensation to around $184,000 per year.

Premier Ed Stelmach will become among the nation's best paid premiers after approval of a 34 per cent pay hike.

That brings his total compensation package to over $213,000 per year.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/na...2-7b49f441696e

EDMONTON - Premier Ed Stelmach's salary vaulted past the $200,000-a-year mark after the Alberta leader and his 23 minister gave themselves hefty raises behind closed doors.

The pay bump revealed Thursday was approved during a cabinet meeting Tuesday.

Stelmach's paycheque rose $54,000, to $213,450 from $159,450. Ministers will make $184,000, up from $142,050.

Minister will also now be paid separately for cabinet meetings, Treasury Board and policy committees. These roles were considered part of their duties - and salary - until now.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...30/ikevin.aspx

In actuality, it was an eye-popping 30% pay raise for cabinet ministers, who now will make $184,000 a year, instead of $142,000 — more than federal MPs and most provincial premiers. Premier Stelmach gets an even bigger boost to the paycheque: He’ll now make $213,450 a year, up from $159,450. Mr. Stelmach now makes more than his Ontario counterpart, Dalton McGuinty, who manages a province nearly four times as large, making Alberta’s CEO the highest paid premier in the land (Quebec’s premier makes $194,900 and everywhere else the rate is $165,000 or lower).

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Albe...19281-sun.html

The premier's office said it was necessary after the member services committee, a legislative body, ordered that Liberal Leader Kevin Taft, NDP Leader Brian Mason, and Speaker of the House Ken Kowalski should receive committee pay. It can top $35,000 per committee for members and $42,000 per year for a chairman.
.....
Stelmach's spokesman, Paul Stanway, added that the move was necessary.

"That would've left Kevin Taft making $184,000 a year and the premier making just shy of $160,000 per year," he said. "If you start paying MLAs considerably more money, to the point where they're making more than the premier, then obviously there will be a knock-on effect."

With the increase, Stelmach will make around $194,000 per year. Cabinet ministers and the Speaker will make about $184,000 per year.

Apparently, this was started after a government committee gave the Speaker, Liberal Leader, and NDP Leader huge raises. This boosted the Liberal Leader's pay so much that he was being paid more than the Premier. Instead of doing something about it, I gather Ed just gave himself and the cabinet ministers a huge raise too.

It's brutal. I can't believe that they expected to get away with this. Regardless of a person's political stripes, I don't see how anyone can stomach this (unless you're a politician who benefits from it).

[mykalberta]

Another brilliant move by unsteady eddie.

[Tron_fdc]

Anyone know what the PM makes?

[Traditional_Ale]

Sutter for Premier!

[kermitology]

What do cabinet ministers or even the premier DO that justifies this level of pay?

[Slava]

Stelmach and the others have argued that this will attract better people to enter politics...I for one can hardly wait for those people to arrive!

[Bobblehead]

Who is there to stop them?

The voters won't vote them out.

Alberta voters just seem to be used to voting for the Conservative name, regardless of what it means. There won't be any accountability until an effective opposition exists.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Slava

Stelmach and the others have argued that this will attract better people to enter politics...I for one can hardly wait for those people to arrive!

You always hear that argument when they vote themselves raises.

I for one wish there were people who would get into it because they want to do some good, not because they are chasing a buck.

[McMack]

I think they should derive 100% of their income from bribes and we can just dispense with the salaries.

[Dion]

I hate the aspect that the Premier and MP's can vote themselves a huge raise. It sets a bad precedent as every public sector union in Alberta will be using it as a bargaining chip to get a fair increase.

There should be some process where the MP's and the Premier have to prove they are worthy of the increase. We lowly workers have to prove to our bosses that we are worthy of a raise.

[The Ditch]

heh, surely you jest. Just look at all the great things Eddy has done for Alberta! He should have given himself a $100 000 raise!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Slava

Stelmach and the others have argued that this will attract better people to enter politics...I for one can hardly wait for those people to arrive!

Politicians get paid really well when they leave politics.

[Thunderball]

This comes as no surprise... the only things Stelmach has been any good at since becoming Premier has been being Mr. Dithers, upsetting the economy, and looking after the interests of himself and his friends.

I still can't believe that stupid prick got that much of a majority.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Anyone know what the PM makes?

$213,450 with the raise, according to today's Herald (page A6).

[kermitology]

The part that I think is pretty ridiculous is how they are now paid separately for cabinet meetings and committee participation.. Why?

I have meetings and projects that I work on and it's part of my salary.. this doesn't make sense!

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

$213,450 with the raise, according to today's Herald (page A6).

That's the premier.. I think he means Prime Minister by PM.

As of 2004 it was estimated by CBC at approx. $280,000

[Dion]

The CBE has schools that are literaly falling a part and in need of huge repairs. Yet when they go asking for money the amount they get get isn't enough.

You have the CBE support staff out on strike to get a fair increase.

Etc etc etc......

Sounds to me like Steady Eddie has his priorities all wrong.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Anyone know what the PM makes?

Between 280k and 300k not including perks

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by kermitology

What do cabinet ministers or even the premier DO that justifies this level of pay?

It's not what they do but rather what they have, which is power to decide their own pay cheques and no opposition to challenge them. But then again, the few opposition members that there are don't seem to be objecting too hard since they're getting big fat raises too. They're all corrupt and arrogant, regardless of their stripe.

[Slava]

I actually don't have an issue with the amount of money...$215k seems decent when you consider that the guy is in charge of a province. To me its the way that this whole thing went down. So much for populist politics and transparency when their personal money is involved.