IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY - Salary increases and bonuses for the territorial government's senior managers were capped at four per cent but the ones for deputy ministers were not capped, according to information provided by the Nunavut Government.

The Senior Personnel Secretariat, consisting of the premier, minister of finance, minister of human resources and the government house leader, determine the merit-based salary increases and one-time bonus payments awarded to deputy ministers and senior managers. The latter are the assistant deputy ministers, vice-presidents, regional superintendents, directors and their equivalents.

The merit increase and bonus were capped at four per cent of the person's salary for all senior managers, said Pam Coulter, a spokeswoman for the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs.

"In previous years, performance base pay had been limited to a maximum of eight per cent in combined salary and bonus," explained Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak. "However, due to the fiscal situation we are in for 2009-2010 the merit base (pay) was capped at four per cent for senior managers."

But the salary increase for the four deputy ministers did not have a cap, nor did the bonuses for deputy ministers in general, who receive a merit increase from zero to 20 per cent of their salary.

Aariak said merit increases were only awarded to deputy ministers whose base salary was lower than the assistant deputies who report to them.

"For 09-10, ... only four deputy ministers received the salary increase of any kind, ranging from zero to, I believe, it was 6.8 per cent," she said.

Quttiktuq MLA Ron Elliott asked premier Eva Aariak at the legislature on March 10 if deputy ministers, assistant deputy ministers and senior managers were all capped at four per cent.

"It was sort of mentioned and brought to my attention that some people felt the senior managers were capped at four per cent but some of the DMs (deputy ministers) and the ADMs (assistant deputy ministers) actually were paid higher," Elliott told Nunavut News/North on March 16.

"Your DMs and your ADMs could have set the tone and lead the way. I would assume they are going to be at four per cent."

If not, he said he would ask for an explanation at the legislative assembly.

"I do agree with those types of merit pay and bonus but at the same time, what we're taking about is not whether they were paid out," he said. "It's just to find out were they being fair to everybody. As of today, we don't have clarity on whether it was everyone who was capped at four per cent."

The merit increases and bonuses are meant to keep salaries competitive with other jurisdictions and the business sector, according to the backgrounder.

"Of course, we want to be the employer of choice in Nunavut," said Aariak. "This is a regular practice that bonuses and merit pay are awarded because we don't want them leaving Nunavut and going on to some provisions where they will get a better pay."

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