I will remember this pay increase come election time even more than the Liberals trying to sell off all of BC's assets.

Add probably retroactive too....
and yes I have no doubt they will all take the raise and crawl quietly away itno a corner somewhere.

These people are so out of it they won't even see that this is inappropriate. When one lives in the elite, one expects to be paid like one.

Who in the hell gets a 29% raise?? Certainly not the single mom trying to support her kids on 8 bucks an hour!! Nor do Docs, Nurses, support staff nor anybody else that I have ever heard of! Only the mightier than thou Liberal government!

Nurses, Doc and other professionals make $80,000 plus. The fact there is not a annual pay raise like most other industries and professions means the MLAs were years behind in equal pay.
As for minimum wage, if you increase it the people you are trying to help will lose their jobs or if they don't 'YOU' will start complaining the prices are to high because all increase get passed onto the consumer.

We do underpay our MLA's but not by 29%. Having said that, is it not likely that the plan from the start was to get things stirred right up with suggestions of a 29% raise and then can come back at say, 15% to 19% Taking into consideration the hours, the time away from family, the costs of having 2 homes and a miriad of other challenges, I believe that the MLA's income should bo up and likely in that 15% range. Remember that they did take a cut shortly after the Lib's got in the 1st time.

They deserve it. With overtime a logger makes more than the MLA's who also work a lot of overtime. How can you expect quality people to take a pay cut for a job where they are constantly told how bad they are doing or how stupid they are. When was the last time anyone said "Hey Mr./Ms. MLA you did a really great job on that last project. Thank you."

Well, travism...at least the loggers earn it.
When Mr.Mrs.or Ms. MLA does something I will be more than glad to thank them...
It is now 3 months and I am still waiting for a return phone call or email....and they have really not been all that busy on their holiday....

Fairly recently I emailed Mr. Pat Bell's office on two separate occasions and got prompt personal satisfactory replies within 48 hours.

29% is a little outrageous, and more than a little arrogant. They already have a better pension plan than most people could even dream of, and without even having to serve 25 or 30 years to get it. To reward themselves with this kind of increase (even if 'independent' experts recommend it, by accepting the raise, our MLA's endorse it) demonstrates a lack of concern over what the common person perceives as fair. I don't think they should be paid any less than they currently receive, but a modest pay increase would certainly make it easier for us to identify with our elected pols. as fellow men, united in our struggle for fairness, decency and the Canadian way.
(tongue in cheek)
metalman.

I don't think politicians should run for office to be congratulated. A tip of the hat maybe, but for the most part they are there to govern problems and as such should expect to be criticized at least 50% of the time.

If they are smart and loyal to their constituents they will use it to their advantage, but if they have something to hide then it becomes an issue.

Criticism aside, I have a suggestion for the ndp. If they want to govern they could use this issue taking the high road to the premiers office.

Simply take a position and a stand negating the obscene raise unless the minimum wage recieves the same raise percentage. Going even further the ndp could support a bill that makes future such raises indexed to the minimum wage.

To prove they mean business; the ndp could then take their wage increase and donate it to a political action committee for their support on issues. These political action committees of worthy causes could then in turn be funneled back to their campaign in the way of donations from the people in those organizations as well as their marketing presence and organizational structure.

By election time in a couple of years they have a united front with a couple of million dollar war chest, the moral high ground and an issue that makes it very hard for the liberals to look good with.

Time Will Tell

I see that the lone brave NDP MLA who dared to express an opinion contrary (in favour of the increase) to the official NDP party line has been taken to the woodshed, corrected, reprimanded and demoted ($6,000 dollar pay cut).

He almost ended up excommunicated.

Democracy in action.