Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to the questions I asked yesterday in the House, the public is always very interested in what MLA pay and benefits are. To that end, the independent commission on Members’ pay and benefits is struck at least a once every term, and the recommendations go into effect for the following government. Members have an opportunity for input into that as well.
What I was trying to question the Premier about yesterday was the enhanced or additional benefits that are only available to Cabinet Ministers. I was trying to get the Premier yesterday to confirm — and I’ll try again today — that, in fact, the policy for the ministerial benefit is actually decided on and voted on by the Cabinet.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.
I thank the Premier for that. I did mention yesterday that, understandably, capital accommodation, home travel, spousal travel, perhaps even the entertainment allowance — some of these things will definitely be there. There is one area of the ministerial benefit which I find a little bit curious and that I referred to yesterday as well, and that is the accruing of holidays that get paid out to Ministers at the end of the year or at the end of their term. This is something quite unique and different, obviously, than what Regular Members have access to. So I am going to ask the Premier: why would the Cabinet policy find it necessary to approve holiday benefits, vacation benefits, and pay them out to Ministers at the end of either the year or their term?
That section of the benefits policy has in fact been around for many governments. We follow the same process that has been recommended to us through the last change, and we follow what we would do with government employees. Being a Cabinet Minister is considered full time work throughout the year. If a Minister has to take time off, they have to actually put in their application forms and follow through with that. It would be paid out at the end of the term if it’s not used up.
I fully realize that it has been the practice of past governments. I just find it an anomaly, and it is bit unusual. I don’t really know if I totally subscribe to the idea that it should be that way because Cabinet Ministers are full time employees of the government; that is debatable.
Mr. Speaker, the other issue that is interesting and different is the enhanced benefits for Cabinet Ministers when it comes to life insurance, dental and health benefits. Now if, heaven forbid, something should happen to any of us in the performance of our duties, we do have a government life insurance policy which would then go to our beneficiary, to our family. Why would that need to be enhanced for Cabinet Ministers? What would make that need different?
I would have to get further information on the areas the Member spoke to on dental and health benefits. I would have to get a little further detail on that and get back to the Member.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Of course, heaven forbid that anything untoward should ever happen to any Member of this House — or anybody, for that matter — but here is an example of where this difference in the enhanced benefit would come into play. If Mr. Roland and I were flying on the same airplane and if the airplane crashed and we both lost our lives, Mr. Roland’s family would receive a benefit of $750,000; my family would receive a benefit of $250,000. It is a discrepancy. I just don’t understand why it’s necessary. It doesn’t make sense to me. And, honestly, it costs the taxpayers, the public purse, money for that. Mr. Speaker, why the difference?
The benefits policy established that it is the Cabinet of the day that can review many of those policies that are in place to see if they continue to make sense. I don’t have the information as to why it was at that level or how long it has been at that level. In fact, Mrs. Groenewegen just provided me with information that my family would be well taken care of, I guess. Hopefully they never have to use that section of our policy. But I will look at this information. As I say, now that this review is within the control of the Cabinet, we can make some changes, whether it is administrative processes or implementation, and see if it uses the same basis of recommendations being made for Cabinet that is made for Members.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
