Fringe right-wing party calls out premier for staff salaries

By GILLIAN SLADE on May 20, 2020.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade

The Freedom Conservative Party says high salaries for the UCP premier’s office staff hearkens back to attitudes in the former conservative government.

Rick Northey, FCP president, calls it the “PC old boys’ club.”

“They are and always have been completely disconnected from the average hardworking Albertan trying to get ahead and suffering unprecedented economic crisis because of this pandemic. They need to show us that they understand the realities of Albertans,” said Northey.

Premier Jason Kenney’s principal secretary and chief of staff each receive $224,137 annually. The executive director for the premier’s southern Alberta office, executive director of issues management, principal advisor/strategist on all economic policy and development issues, and the executive director communications, each receive salaries of $194,252 annually.

A total of 19 positions combine for more than $2.9 million.

The News requested an interview with Kenney on Friday and was told he was not available, and in response to a request on Monday was told he will not do an interview.

FCP leader David White is asking the UCP government to reduce staffing and wages.

“This is quite frankly shocking and disappointing. For a political party and a leader who ran on strong fiscal accountability and seemingly on the side of everyday ordinary Albertans, this is a bombshell issue,” said White. “The premier and his government must work to get these numbers down out of respect for the people who put their confidence in them to represent the average Jane and Joe.”

Franco Terrazzano, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s Alberta director, says every government is free to have its own communications strategy. However when a number of the 19 staff members are “communications” people and they are not communicating, there is an issue.

“If highly paid government comms people are not communicating then what are taxpayers paying for?” said Terrazzano. “Farmers don’t get paid if they’re not farming.”

Terrazzano says taxpayers expect the salaries to go to people who will be transparent about what the government is doing, and accountability must be priorities for any government.

“Transparency is extremely important. It is also important to open up the black box of government,” said Terrazzano.

In January 2019 before the last provincial election, CTF issued a press release about the importance of “recall legislation” so that voters can hold elected officials to account.

Examples of where this could have been used, the release states, were former Premier Alison Redford’s frivolous expenses including a $45,000 trip to South Africa, a Lethbridge city councillor who was charged for fabricating a stalker but refused to step down from office, and the Alberta NDP government’s introduction of the carbon tax which was not part of the party’s platform during the election.

On Monday the News requested comment from Michaela Glasgo MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat. There was no reply by deadline.

If you would like to comment on this story for a follow up please call Gillian Slade 403-528-8635 or email: gslade@medicinehatnews.com

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