Men and Women of Action!

In what could be a record amount of speed, BC’s legislators moved a piece of government business through the legislative process in less than 2 hours. We’re talking about all three readings required to pass a bill, no need for study, no need for debate (as a matter of fact it took but one minute for this bill to be debated), just a simple aye or nay, and baby did the ayes have the day!

The Legislatures speed was a far cry from the normal 2 or 3 days of acrid debate and stonewalling, no partisan sniping, nor nays of dissent for this Bill. In fact the winds were in the sails on this day, such speed we haven't seen in many a year. For our MLA’s, it was a case of last one out the door is a rotten egg.

What major initiative has united both Liberal Government member and NDP opposition MLA to take such fast paced action?

Was it to legislation to improve Health Care, reducing those waiting lists and making sure that even the most marginalized of British Columbian’s has access to a doctor? No, that would be an issue for another day.

Then perhaps it was a Bill designed to put educating children on the front burner, this in a province that just witnessed a bitter and disruptive teachers strike? Well, you know we’re sure that our MLA’s are busy on that file as well, it just didn’t have their attention on a sunny Thursday afternoon in Victoria.

So then it must have been a piece of social legislation that would bring an end to poverty in BC and take care of children, making sure that they have all they need to succeed. Uh, well no, that wasn’t the ground breaking initiative put forward by the government and welcomed with open arms by the opposition.

The single piece of legislation that has brought both socialist and capitalist together in a fine show of unity was a simple bit of legislation called Bill 17. A finely crafted piece of legislation that will increase our MLA’s base salary by 15% and re introduce pension benefits to our representatives in Victoria.

No ZERO-ZERO AND ZERO for this crew, instead it’s a pretty good windfall for ALL of our MLA’s. With Thursday’s rapid passing of legislation, an MLA will now take home 86,560 dollars. The Premier will see a pay increase of 21.5% when all of your benefits are included to the pay stub, an increase of 26,000 dollars giving the Premier a yearly pay of 146,320.

And it’s not just the Liberals that will benefit from this glorious day of financial liberation, four long serving NDP members are among the top earners in the new financial era of public service. House leader Mike Farnworth, caucus chairwoman Jenny Kwan, deputy whip John Horgan and whip Katrine Conroy all will receive close to 31% more for their work, as well as Liberal caucus chairman Gordon Hogg and Liberal whip Randy Haas both of whom join the top earners club.

And the dispersal of monies didn’t end with just salaries, our MLA’s will also receive 35,000 dollars more to run their constituency offices, the price of paper clips and photo copy paper obviously is on an inflationary spiral.

Our MLA’s also voted to take care of themselves in their old age, as a pension plan was re-introduced to the Legislature. On that golden day of retirement, MLA’s will be able to claim a maximum of 65% of their salaries (which of course just went up today, not a bad idea eh?).

Liberal House Leader Michael De Jong, who introduced Thursday’s lottery winnings er, piece of legislation, defended Bill 17 claiming that it only makes our MLA’s the third highest legislators in the nation. And hey you know, they’re still only making 60% of what our Federal MP’s make. Which judging by our lack of respect for the folks in Ottawa these days, is akin to claiming that you’re only taking about 60% of the souls that Satan himself has harvested.

The timing of the announcement seemed rather odious, considering the bigger story of the day. That of the BC Government announcing that the deaths of over 713 children had not been properly reviewed, having fallen through the social cracks of the British Columbia social system since the children’s commissioner position was eliminated.

Yes our elected officials found some money to take care of some pressing problems, just not the problems that we might have wished for them to work on. As always, it would seem that the term "in the best interest", really matters when it’s a self interest!

Bill 17 was hardly on the radar, before it was passed late in the afternoon and everyone disappeared for the day. Even better for our MLA's, now that they've taken care of personal business, they need only spend four more days in the Legislature for 2005. The last day of business is November 24th, providing our MLA's with more time to consult a financial planner in order to properly safeguard yesterdays pay gains.

But hey, if we’re looking for some good news here how about this: A major contract negotiation was handled without a labor disruption, nor any of the nastiness that usually happens in a typical British Columbia salary discussion.

No picket lines for our MLA’s, no gathering around those huge metal barrels filled with burning wood to show solidarity. In fact the only barrels in sight this time, were the ones that our MLA’s have gleefully pulled money out of to increase their paydays.

Yes we truly have seen that Government works! When our elected officials want to, they have shown that they can put aside their differences and hammer out legislation for the common good.

Even if that common good stops at the last MLA to stand up and say AYE!