FORSETH – Who spent what among B.C.’s Members of the Legislature
THERE WAS LOTS to digest in the latest Accountability and Expense Reports for individual MLA’s, their offices, and more — for the period of April 1 to Sept. 30, 2019.
I did a deep dive over the weekend, looking at several areas of compensation and expenses, the results of which you may find interesting.
MLA’s with the 5 smallest ridings:
Sam Sullivan (Housing Critic) – Van False Creek
Constituency size … 6 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 44,878
Total Travel expenses … $14,094
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $64,929
TOTAL: $134,263 ($2.99 / constituent)
Linda Reid (Critic for Seniors Care) – Richmond South Centre
Constituency size: 7 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 30,794
Total travel expenses … $24,690
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $54,241
TOTAL: $134,171 ($4.35 / constituent)
Adrian Dix (Health Minister) – Vancouver Kingsway
Constituency size: 9 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 37,820
Total travel expenses … $22,003
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $53,376
TOTAL: $133,619 ($3.45 / constituent)
Mabel Elmore (Parliamentary Sec for Poverty Reduction) – Van Kensington
Constituency size: 9 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 38,411
Total travel expenses … $15,210
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $70,509
TOTAL: $140,959 ($3.67 / constituent)
George Heyman (Enviro / Climate Change Minister) – Vancouver Fairview
Constituency size: 9 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 44,736
Total travel expenses … $33,948
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $52,996
TOTAL: $142,184 ($3.18 / constituent)
MLA’s with the 3 largest ridings:
Doug Donaldson (Forestry Minister) – Stikine
Constituency size: 196,484 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 13,906
Total travel expenses … $63,177
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $65,141
TOTAL: $183,558 ($13.20 / constituent)
Dan Davies (Education Critic) – Peace River North
Constituency size: 175,183 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 25,292
Total travel expenses … $36,432
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $63,039
TOTAL: $154,711 ($6.11 / constituent)
Jennifer Rice (Parliamentary Sec for Emergency Preparedness) – North Coast
Constituency size: 143,864 square kilometres
Total number of registered voters: 14,871
Total travel expenses … $38,571
Basic salary: $55,240
Total constituency office founded expenses … $83,739
TOTAL: $177,550 ($11.94 / constituent)
MLA’s with the Highest Travel Expenses:
Doug Donaldson at $63,177 … Forestry Minister
The Stikine riding is the provinces largest at 196,484 sq. km. It is located in the BC Northwest, and borders the Yukon Territory
John Rustad at $53,966 … Forestry critic
The Nechako riding is the 4th largest in the province at 73,797 sq. km. It is located in the North Central Interior
Katrine Conroy at $48,600 … Minister of Children and Family Development
Her Kootenay West riding may only be 32,968 sq. km, however it includes numerous large lakes, needing ferry transportation, which is provided by BC Ferries
Jennifer Rice at $38,571 … Parliamentary Sec for Emergency Preparedness
While this is the 3rd largest provincial riding at 143,864 sq. km, it is and also one of the most difficult to travel. It includes the communities of Bella Coola, Prince Rupert, and Bella Bella … along with all of Haida Gwaii
Scott Fraser at $38,399 … Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
The riding of Mid-Island / Pacific Rim is 41,860 sq. km; however, it takes in the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, and the communities of Tofino, Bamfield, and Ucluelet. It includes Port Alberni mid-island, and then stretches across to the islands east coast.
Highest Office Administration Expenses
Mabel Elmore (NDP) … $68,026
Doug Routley (NDP) … 64,944
Ralph Sultan (Liberal) … 64,297
Sonia Furstenau (Green) … $62,940
Bob D’Eith (NDP) … 62,413
MLAs with the highest Communications and Advertising Budgets
Ellis Ross (Liberal) … $29,379
John Martin (Liberal) … $22,854
Jennifer Rice (NDP) … $21,568
Bruce Ralston (NDP) … $21,134
Michelle Stillwell (Liberal) … $20,327
MLAs with the lowest Communications and Advertising Budgets
Sonia Furstenau (Green) … $150
Ralph Sultan (Liberal) … $413
David Eby (NDP) … $ 426
Andrew Weaver (Green) … $549
Mabel Elmore (NDP) … $692
Highest ‘Other’ Office Expenses:
Sam Sullivan (Liberal) … $10,081
Bruce Ralston (NDP) … $8,438
Greg Kylo (Liberal) … $8,344
Jane Thornthwaite (Liberal) … $6,456
Rob Fleming (NDP) … $5,685
Lowest ‘Other’ Office Expenses:
George Chow (NDP) … $0
Mike Farnworth (NDP) … $0
Teresa Wat (Liberal) … $0
Andrew Weaver (Green) … $0
NOTES OF INTEREST:
BC Liberal MLA Donna Barnett’s riding of Cariboo Chilcotin covers 44,512 km and has constituency office expenses of $56,595. Harry Bain’s however, in his 12 sq. kilometre lower mainland Surrey Newton riding, has office expenses of $66,594. His total travel expenses are $18,627, compared to Donna Barnett at $28,759).
Premier John Horgan has constituency office expenses of $70,628, and total travel expenses of $30,528. Meantime, Opposition leader Andrew Wilkinson has constituency office expenses of $62,563 and total travel expenses of $17,546
The BC Liberals Bruce Ralston took honours for the Highest Special Events and Protocol spending at $7,976 … the lowest for this category was BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver with $0
For More Information:
Basic MLA Salary, Executive Salaries, and Additional Salaries
Constituency Office Funded Expenses
BC Legislature Executive Staff Compensation Summary
MLAs Guide to Policy and Resources (Renumeration and Transition)
Alan Forseth is a Kamloops resident and former member of the Reform Party of Canada and the B.C. Reform Party, and a past and current member of the BC Conservative Party. His blog is My Thoughts on Politics and More.
Don’t look too bad Alan, but if you need to “vent” I am here to hear it.
Hey Pierre … just observations us all, and you can make of it what you will — which is also why I provided links to the actual files and information