MLA Compensation Hearing a No Show

By 250 News

The Independent Commission to review MLA Compensation was supposed to  hold a public hearing in Prince George yesterday, but it was a no show, but that's o.k. the public didn't show either.

For the Commission,  the  problem was with aircraft. 

The charter flight from Vancouver to Victoria had problems, then the charter flight from Victoria to P.G. had mechanical problems.  ``We sat in the airport for five hours" says Commission Chair, Sue Paish.    The three panel members didn't arrive in Prince George until  after 8:00 last night,  the public hearing was set for 4-8p.m.

Paish says while the Commission has received some written submissions from people in the Prince George area, there were no pre-registrations for public  presentations. "We would be interested in rescheduling and trying to  make it back if  6 or 7 people or organizations want to make submissions" says Paish, but if there are only  a few,  she says it just wouldn't be fiscally responsible to try and fly all members of the Commission back.  "We have been  trying to co-ordinate our calendars to see when we might be able to  do a video conference or teleconference  for  anyone in Prince George who wants to make a submission."

So far  hearings have been held in Vancouver, Langley and Kelowna, and Paish says  the submissions have  covered the spectrum, but it is pretty much a 50-50 split "We have  had several presentations which say  MLA's should receive a significant increase, and we  have seen the other end of the spectrum saying  the MLAs are adequately paid  and should receive  no raise or increase in pension or benefits, but we haven't had anyone  say the  salaries  should be reduced."

Of the submissions  so far, she says  there has been a great deal of research and thought put into the presentations. " Most have told us, they researched either at the library,  the internet, and had talks with their MLA's to get a  real picture of the issues.  I am really impressed  with the amount of thought that has gone into the submissions" 

Today, the panel is  off to Fort St. John for a scheduled hearing there.

The Commission is expected to have it's report ready in 6 weeks.

Anyone  from the Prince George area  interested in reserving a time to make a presentation to the Commission  should contact Shannon Borsoff at 604-631-3515  or toll free at 1-866-635-3131 or by e-mail :  sborsoff@van.fasken.com  

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