Should MLAs get paid more? Independent review committee seeks public input

An independent committee reviewing MLA compensation is seeking public input about whether now is the "appropriate" time to adjust their salary and other benefits.

The base annual salary of an MLA is now $85,000, although the premier, cabinet ministers and certain other office-holders get paid more.

The legislative administration committee — an all-party committee of the legislative assembly — has appointed the two-member committee to review and make recommendations on salaries, as well as the "additional indemnities for parliamentary office holders," and the benefits of MLAs who have responsibilities under the Executive Council Act, the legislative assembly announced Thursday.

Retired judge Margaret Larlee and lawyer G. Robert Basque will also review "the basis for future compensation adjustments, the annual constituency office allowance of each MLA to cover rent, the salary of an assistant and office expenses, and the per diem and transition allowances," according to a news release.

Citizens or organizations have until June 10 to submit comments in writing or over the phone to the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.

Pay went up recently

The review comes after the Higgs government decided in March to give the premier, ministers and certain other office-holders a raise by allowing a provision of the Executive Council Act that kept their pay below 2016 levels to expire.

Premier Blaine Higgs saw his total salary jump by $11,850, while most of his ministers got hikes of $5,251, thanks to the expiry of a 2017 law.

The legislative administrative committee has requested the review committee submit a report with recommendations by the end of September.

The report is expected to become public later in the fall, when the house resumes and it is tabled.

Issue hasn't been studied for 15 years

If the committee recommends changes and the legislative assembly agrees to adopt those recommendations, legislative changes will be required.

The last MLA compensation review was in 2007, when the current base salary was established.

Compensation commissioner and former New Brunswick Court of Appeal judge Patrick A.A. Ryan recommended that all MLAs receive a base annual salary of $85,000, after seeking public input.

"He also recommended that certain additional amounts be paid for such positions as premier, minister of the Crown, leader of the official Opposition, Speaker, deputy Speaker, leader of a registered political party represented in the legislative assembly, house leader and whip," according to the news release.

Automatic raises frozen

MLAs are supposed to get automatic pay raises every two years, based on the GDP, but the Liberal government of Shawn Graham froze MLA pay at $85,000.

In 2015, the Gallant Liberals then cut cabinet salaries, saying the reduced pay would remain in place until the budget was balanced.

In 2016 and 2017, the Liberals forgot to pass legislation to override the law giving MLAs automatic pay increases. They introduced legislation to retroactively re-freeze the MLA pay at $85,000 and extended the reduced ministerial salaries until March 31, 2021.

Last year, the Higgs government extended the cabinet pay cut to March 31, 2022, which it then allowed to expire.

Liberal Leader Roger Melanson condemned the pay hike at the time, noting some public sector unions in the province recently agreed to contracts that adding up to 15 per cent pay raises over five years.

"He's giving himself 15 per cent, April 1, right away," Melanson said at the time. "Premier, are you having a hard time to pay the cost of living? Is that what it is? Because a lot of New Brunswickers are, and they're not getting a 15 per cent pay increase April 1."

Higgs defended the move. "What have we really done? Gone back to 2016 levels," he said, not mentioning that salaries were higher then.

In Nova Scotia, the base salary of MLAs is $89,234.90. The base salary for P.E.I. MLAs is now $76,439.84, after they received a 2.75 per cent raise in January, the largest increase they've received in 15 years.

"In order to determine whether it is now appropriate to adjust the salary amounts established in 2007, as well as the allowances under review, the committee is seeking input from the public," the New Brunswick news release issued Thursday states.

People can submit comments in writing to the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick by mailing P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, N.B., E3B 5H1; email leg-consultations@gnb.ca, or phone 506-453-2506.

Committee members

Larlee served as the first woman appointed as a judge of the Court of Appeal of New Brunswick from 1998 until her retirement in 2019.

She spent 11 years working in private practice and for the provincial government. In 1985, Larlee was also the first woman appointed as a judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick.

Larlee was co-chair of the New Brunswick Electoral Boundaries Commission in 2006 and has played an active role in the Canadian Chapter International Association of Women Judges.

Basque is a partner at the Moncton law firm of Forbes Roth Basque, specializing in areas such as administrative, employment and labour law.

During his career, Basque has served as president of the Law Society of New Brunswick and has participated in a compensation review process for Moncton city council.