Christy Clark gives old rival Sam Sullivan and several other B.C. Liberal MLAs a pay increase

by Charlie Smith on June 12th, 2017 at 2:11 PM

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MLAs receive an annual salary of $105,881.83.

But many members of the B.C. Liberal caucus will receive sizeable short-term top-ups.

This comes as a result of Premier Christy Clark's decision not to resign and let the NDP form a minority government with the support of the Greens.

Clark's decision to stay as premier means she will receive a $3,665.10 biweekly top-up over her $4,061.22 biweekly MLA salary.

Had she chosen to become Leader of the Opposition, her biweekly top-up would have shrunk to $2,030.61

As premier, she also appointed a new cabinet today.

Each minister receives an extra $50,000 per year, which works out to an additional $2,030.61 biweekly.

The lucky recipients include: Ellis Ross (natural gas development and housing), Jas Johal (technology, innovation and citizens' services), Sam Sullivan (community, sport and cultural development), Jordan Sturdy (environment), and Linda Reid (advanced education).

Sullivan is an old rival of Clark's, having run against her in 2005 for the NPA mayoral nomination.

Sam Sullivan finally made it into cabinet more than four years after he was elected as an MLA.

The biweekly $2,031.61 top-up will also go to existing cabinet ministers who survived the last election, incuding Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Andrew Wilkinson, who is the new attorney general and justice minister.

Of course, they might not last in office very long if they're defeated on a confidence motion when the legislature resumes on June 22.

But hey, at least they will be able to claim for the rest of their lives that they served on the executive council.

Meanwhile, parliamentary secretaries receive an additional $15,882.28 per year. That works out to a $609.18 biweekly top-up to their MLA salaries.

The following new B.C. Liberal MLAs received these positions today: Michael Lee, Joan Isaacs, and Doug Clovechok.

This means that 35 of the 43 B.C. Liberals are receiving salaries in addition to what they earn as an MLA, courtesy of the premier.

The only B.C. Liberal MLAs were weren't appointed to the 22-member cabinet or the 13 parliamentary secretary positions were: Ralph Sultan, Ian Paton, Jackie Tegart, Peter Milobar, Tom Shypitka, Dan Davies, Tracy Redies, and Eric Foster.