July 1, 1998
'IT BOGGLES THE MIND'LABOR UNIONS AND TAXPAYER GROUPS DEMAND KLEIN QUASH PAY HIKE FOR JUDGES
An independent committee of three lawyers recommended the whopping $38,000 salary hike for provincial court judges last week. But the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, the Alberta Federation of Labor and the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation are vowing to ensure the proposal does not get government approval. "I read the whole report and I was amazed," AUPE president Dan McLennan said yesterday. "It's condescending and arrogant. It should be required reading for anyone who wants to know what's wrong with the system. "There'd be no public support for anything I read in that report. I don't believe the government can implement it. They couldn't get away with it." But just to make sure, he plans to send letters of protest to Klein and Justice Minister Jon Havelock to let them know how unpopular it would be. Mark Milke, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, is planning similar action and will be calling on all his lobby's members to follow his lead and complain to their MLAs. "The pay increase is way out of line even with other judges," Milke said. "It boggles the mind." AFL spokesman Gil McGowan said his group is planning to protest also. "It might be a letter to the premier, or it might be something more dramatic," he said. Provincial court judges currently earn $114,000 and haven't had a raise since 1991. According to the three-member judicial compensation committee, that should be raised to $142,000 this year and $152,000 next year. That'd make them the highest-paid provincial judges in Canada. Judges in the Northwest Territories currently make the most at $130,000. Cabinet is not bound by the recommendation but must come up with an alternative by Sept. 18 if it declines to accept it. Liberal justice critic Sue Olsen said despite growing protest, she supports the proposed raise. "In order to get the most excellent judges, we have to pay them a good salary where they could make what they could in private practice," she said. Havelock declined comment, saying he didn't want to pre-empt discussions by cabinet. Next Story: ONTARIO ONE-UPS ALBERTA WITH LOWER TAXES - AGAIN Previous Story: KILLER DRIVER AVOIDS JAIL TIME
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