Nova Scotia premier signals openness to boosting politicians’ pay

HALIFAX — After moving to block a recommended pay raise in 2022, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston now appears open to increased salaries for members of the legislature.

A freeze has been in place on provincial politicians’ pay, office budgets and living expenses since 2015 and Houston told reporters Tuesday that the situation has been “a topic of discussion.”

“Obviously there has to be some form of adjustment,” said Houston. “There will be a process to determine what’s fair and reasonable and we will see what unfolds.”

Progressive Conservative member Danielle Barkhouse, the legislature’s Speaker, was re-elected Tuesday and has 60 days from the Nov. 26 provincial election to decide whether to strike an independent committee to examine member’s remuneration.

Base salaries have remained at $89,234.90 since the freeze put in place by former Liberal premier Stephen McNeil, although there are significant top ups for the premier, opposition leaders and cabinet ministers.

A living allowance is also given to members who live more than 100 kilometres from Halifax, and budgets are set for constituency offices. The last increase in the base salary was in 2013.

In late July 2022, Houston convened an emergency session of the legislature to pass a bill rescinding a recommended 12.6 per cent pay raise for members. The bill also included an $11,246 pay cut for the premier, dropping Houston’s salary to $190,754.

The pay raise recommendations had been made the previous month by an independent review panel that examined the compensation package paid to House of Assembly members. In its report, the panel members said legislature members could return the more than $11,000 hike to the province or donate it to charity.

However, Houston said at the time he felt calling the legislature back for the rare summer sitting to block the binding recommendations was necessary because the public was struggling with inflation.

On Tuesday, Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender said her party supports the idea of striking an independent committee.

“I think we need to look at the entire universe of MLA costs and compensation and we need to do that in a way that doesn’t require elected members to vote on it,” Chender said.

Interim Liberal leader Derek Mombourquette was also in favour of going ahead with an assessment by an independent committee.

“It’s not just about remuneration, but it’s about expenses and offices … it’s about the ability of MLAs to do the job,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2024.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press