All-party committee refuses to discuss a cost of living increase for MLA budgets

The Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislature was met by two and a half minutes of silence when he raised the issue of increasing MLA budgets and allowances by 4.4 per cent this year, to offset inflation. 

While the cost of living adjustment comes before the Nova Scotia House of Assembly management commission every year, the committee has not endorsed an increase since 2012. Instead, members of the all-party committee have either waived an adjustment or simply taken no action.

On Wednesday, committee members refused to debate the issue, despite Keith Bain's attempts to get a discussion started or a motion put on the table.

"We don't know what motion to propose to anybody, so maybe somebody should speak out and we'll go from there," said Bain. "Nobody wants to speak out?" 

As chair of the committee that oversees House of Assembly operations, the Speaker even gave caucus members time to talk among themselves before taking a position, but that 90 second break failed to spark debate.

PC backbencher Danielle Barkhouse, NDP MLA Susan Leblanc and Liberal MLA Fred Tilley all asked questions, but neither they nor any of the other committee members took a position on whether MLA budgets and allowances should be increased to cover rising costs.

'... a quiet bunch today'

"My goodness, what a quiet bunch today," said Bain, who concluded the group did not want to take a position one way or another.

"Well, I'm just going to assume that's the wish of the meeting right now.

"It may have to come up at a further meeting of the management commission."

The adjustment would have increased the amount MLAs get to run their constituency offices, their travel allowances, accommodation rentals and per diems, as well as the salary top ups for party leaders and committee chairs and deputies.

Those increases ranged from a $23-a-year raise for the vice-chair of the public accounts committee to a $2,260 a year increase in constituency budgets. All told the adjustments would have boosted the total budget for MLAs expenses and allowances by $194,804 for the 2022-23 budget year. 

The base pay for MLAs has been frozen since 2013 and is decided by a separate, independent commission.

Asked what he thought of the committee's reluctance to talk about the increase, Bain responded, "Your guess is as good as mine, really."

The Speaker also noted the increase might not be needed, given overall MLA budgets were on track to come in under budget in 2022-23 by about $1.1 million

"You know, if there is a surplus, there's no great urgency for it either," said Bain. "There are some that regardless of what the limit is going to be. They're going to spend the limit, but as long as we continue to have a surplus overall, I think it looks pretty good."