MLAs Paid Too Much Now

So the MLAs and cabinet ministers will, along with the premier and Opposition leader, get a healthy raise in pay. This comes on a recommendation of a commission of three independents who, we're told, looked at what inflation has done since the last pay increase and made comparisons with other provinces. The result will be a raise for the MLAs from $76,000 to 98,000 and the premier from $121,000 to 186,000. Once Carole James gets over her politically inspired hissy fit (which annoyed the hell out of her backbench) she too gets a healthy increase.

I hate to sprinkle some rain on this parade to the trough. My faithful readers will know that I've called upon governments to give MLAs the power that, right now, they only have on paper. If that were done, the value of their work would entitle them to more money.

Much will no doubt be made of the fact that B.C. MLAs get paid less than those from Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Unfortunately little, if any, attention has been paid to fundamental questions. Namely, what do MLAs do to earn their money? And what value do those efforts provide the public?

To pursue those questions, one must ask another: how many of the average MLA's long hours are spent on the public weal and how much on politicking?

Overworked? Hardly

It seems to be accepted that MLAs are badly overworked. No one seems to question that assumption since you can hardly expect a contrary view from any MLA of either party. Well, you'll get one from me.

Let's start out with the backbench MLA. He's responsible for helping his constituents when they have a problem with the government, sitting in the legislature for a few weeks a year, and sitting on one or two legislature committees. I must here notify younger readers that I was an MLA from 1975 to 1981 during which time I was a member of cabinet. How did I handle the concerns of constituents? I had a first class constituency secretary, paid by the government, who handled virtually all the problems.

One half day a week I would be in my constituency office seeing voters. Now here comes a very important point which is badly overlooked: most of the time I actually spent with constituents also involved politics, namely my re-election prospects.

I cut ribbons, judged contests, rode in parades, attended picnics, bowled the first ball or threw the first rock and so on. None of these activities had a thing to do with helping constituents. I was busy, especially since I had cabinet duties. But most of those mind numbing exercises did nothing to improve the lives of the citizens of the Kamloops constituency.

Here one must fairly point out that politics often intermingles with the MLA's performance as a representative. When I drove from home base in Kamloops to Clearwater and saw constituents I would also be dealing, sometimes directly, sometimes subtly, with party matters.

Myth of the legislator

What, then, of duties in the legislature?

Government MLAs have one duty: support the government. Do as they're told. Vote for policy and legislation they had no hand in drafting. The opposition MLA's duty is to speak against government bills and policy when the leader so indicates.

What I've just said is invariably denied by MLAs and their leaders. But then they would, wouldn't they? Moreover, privately they know that I'm right and often admit it.

What about all that "committee" work?

Legislative committees usually mirror a government ministry -- Justice for the Attorney-General, Public Accounts for the Finance Ministry and so on. They are supposed to take a critical look at legislation and policy coming out of that ministry. This is where your MLA and mine should be holding the minister's feet to the fire. Do committees do this? No. They're chaired by a government member and the government has the majority.

The question one has to ask is this: Does it matter if they work their buns off in committee if what they do is of no value to the public? In fact, with the exception of the B.C. provincial government's Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture and the Public Accounts Committee, the chairs, who set the agenda, are appointed by the government and the government has a majority. By and large these committees are make-work exercises designed by the government to keep "idle hands from doing the devil's work."

They aren't 'executives'

When I say that MLAs toe the party line, remember that the party leader can refuse to allow dissidents to run under the party banner. This is like a death penalty and all MLAs know that without needing to be told. In our caucus, the late maverick Jack Kempf would from time to time be gently reminded of this reality.

Therefore, we are fools if we judge MLAs on the value of their work and still increase their incomes to those paid junior executives in the private sector.

What then of the premier and the cabinet ministers? Should they not be paid as executives in the private sector are?

The comparisons are apples and oranges. I can tell you that being in cabinet is a hell of a lot of work if you shoulder the issues of a major portfolio. But as many a retiring cabinet minister and private sector employers will attest, being a minister doesn't mean that you have value to the private sector. As a minister, your job is not to attend to the day-to-day management of your ministry but to ensure that government policy is enforced and that new policy computes politically. I believe that the cabinet, including the premier, should be better paid -- but not for their work as MLAs.

Here is where the fiction of our system becomes crystal clear. MLAs ought to be a very important part of the system of governance and they should truly be able to rein in the government from time to time. They should have a high degree of independence.

Let them earn their pay

For starters, I would propose a secret ballot on major issues so that MLAs could all vote their consciences. Please! I hear you crying out that you want to know how your MLA votes! Well, you know that now in advance. They vote not based upon principle, not upon the need for the legislation, not in the interests of their riding but as they are bluddy well told. With a secret ballot, the government would not fall on a lost vote except on budget matters.

MLAs should themselves make the appointments to committees which should be free of the government whip and make such recommendations as to them seem appropriate.

With these reforms, now the MLA becomes an important cog in the legislative machine, not just a button to be pushed.

Governments will proceed with more care knowing that their own members have the ability to oppose without penalty.

The premier will have to bring MLAs into the drafting of legislation and policy. (You think that happens today? Think again!)

With these changes, the premier will not be able to thrust a budget at the legislature and ram it through but would have to craft it so as to have broad approval for fear that the government will fall.

With these reforms, the MLA gets the power and dignity that too many citizens, erroneously, think now prevails.

Then and only then will MLAs be entitled to a substantial raise in pay and benefits.

Related Tyee stories:

• MLAs Sitting Pretty
  Panel recommends 29 per cent pay hike.
• BC Legislator: Nice Gig!
  MLAs got full-time pay for nine week session. Gordon Campbell is arranging a raise.
• A Chance to Cut MLA Pay in Half
  They earn too much for a part-time gig.