Yose Cormier
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 16/03) - Every year, thanks to a law they made for themselves, territorial MLAs get a three per cent raise.

The last legislative assembly passed a law that also gives MLAs any pay increase that public servants negotiate for themselves.

With all of that, the basic annual salary for MLAs in the Northwest Territories crept up to $80,145 on April 1.

Cabinet ministers receive an additional $42,892 and the premier is paid an extra $60,952.

The speaker of the legislature gets an extra $28,219 while the deputy speaker receives $5,644.

There is $3,386 more pay a year for chairing a legislature committee.

Yellowknife is an expensive place to live, so MLAs get a capital living allowance: $6,208 a year for those who live here and $9,594 for MLAs from outside the city.

The total salary and expense living allowance for the premier, the highest paid MLA, will be $150,691 from April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2004.

The lowest paid MLA, one not chairing a committee sitting on the committee of the whole, is $86,353.

In addition to their salaries and capital living allowance, MLAs get money for travel and to run their constituency offices.

Constituency and expense and office allowances range from $66,665 for most MLAs to $85,640 for the premier.

A supplementary allowance of $2,500 to $7,500 for constituency assistants is also available, but not all MLAs used it.

MLA spending

Here is what MLAs received in salaries, spent on constituency work and travel last year.

Michael McLeod, Deh Cho

Chair, Special Joint Committee on the Non-tax-based Community Affairs

Salary: $87,120

Constituency: $77,086

Travel: $13,458

Charles Dent, Frame Lake

Chair, Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight

Salary: $87,120

Constituency:$66,112

Travel: $30

Bill Braden, Great Slave

Chair, Full Caucus

Salary: $83,832

Constituency: $72,181

Travel: $2,251

Paul Delorey, Hay River North

Salary: $90,408

Constitue

ncy:

$75,919

Travel: $6,776

Jane Groenewegen, Hay River South

Salary: $87,120

Constituency: $71,777

Travel: $5,727

Floyd Roland, Inuvik Boot Lake

Chair, Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development

Salary: $90,408

Constituency: $71,087

Travel: $7,025

Roger T. Allen, Inuvik Twin Lakes
Minister of Justice, also responsible for Youth, the NWT Housing Corporation and Public Utilities Board

Salary: $125,475

Constituency: $77,124

Travel: $5,649

Tony Whitford, Kam Lake
Speaker; Chair, Board of Management

Salary: $111,229

Constituency: $31,516

Travel: $1,556

David Krutko, Mackenzie Delta

Salary: $92,599

Constituency: $80,848

Travel:$35,605

Jim Antoine, Nahendeh
Deputy Premier; Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Intergovernmental Forum and RWED

Salary: $125,475

Constituency: $75,334

Travel: $8,384

Leon Lafferty, North Slave

Salary: $90,408

Constituency: $81,650

Travel: $14,698

Vince Steen, Nunakput
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Public Works and Services

Salary: $125,475

Constituency: $88,079 Travel: $20,048

Sandy Lee, Range Lake
Chair, Special Committee on the Implementation of Self-Government and the Sunset Clause

Salary: $83,832

Constituency: $66,852

Travel: $54

Stephen Kakfwi, Sahtu
Premier, Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs and Status of Women

Salary: $143,009

Constituency: $70,133

Travel: $49,315

Michael Miltenberger, Thebacha
Minister of Health and Social Services

Salary: $125,475

Constituency: $69,497

Travel: $6,411

Steven Nitah, Tu Nedhe
Chair, Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act

Salary: $87,120

Constituency: $77,371

Travel: $15,829

Joe Handley, Weledeh
Government house leader, Minister of Finance

Salary: $125,475

Constituency: $65,531

Travel:$0

Jake Ootes, Yellowknife
Centre Minister of Education, Culture and Employment

Salary: $125,475

Constituency: $49,504

Travel: $8

Brendan Bell, Yellowknife South
Chair, Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures, Standing Committee on Social Programs

Salary: $90,408

Constituency: $67,280

Travel: $16,223