NS Premier resumes Congress and suspends salary increases recommended for members

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Nova Scotia’s parliament will be reconvened next week to suspend wage increases for members who raise their annual salary to more than $ 100,000, Prime Minister Tim Houston said Tuesday.

“Inflation is at its highest level in 40 years, gas prices are at historic levels, and many hard-working Nova Scotian citizens are struggling to reach their goals, the Prime Minister said in a statement. It’s not time to raise wages. “

Houston responded to an independent committee recommending legislative members to raise their salary by 12.6%. This will increase his annual salary from $ 89,235 to $ 100,481. The panel consisted of a professor at Dalhousie University and two lawyers based in Harifax.

The Panel’s recommendations are binding and will come into effect retroactively from 1 September 2021. In response, the Prime Minister urged speakers to reconvene Parliament so that the government could submit an amendment to the Parliamentary Act to prevent MLA salary increases. ..

The Speaker’s office approved the request to reconvene Houston and said in a statement that the first session of the 64th General Assembly would resume next Tuesday at 2:00 pm.

Liberal opposition leader Zack Churchill said in a statement he agreed with Houston’s decision, but he accused the Progressive Conservative Prime Minister of silence about rising living costs.

Nova Scotia’s NDP leader, Claudia Cender, said in a statement that the party welcomed its return to parliament, but instead should use sessions to deal with medical and “soaring” living costs. He said he thinks.

“If the Prime Minister wants to thwart the recommendations of this report, he can calmly do so,” Cender said of the work of the Independent Commission. “If he’s looking for more than a spectacular gesture, he needs to be prepared to hold a full session to properly address Nova Scotia’s needs.”

Lindsay Armstrong

Canadian press

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