Compensation for public officials is always in the news and rightly so.
There is particular attention being paid to the Peguis First Nation.
The reserve north of the city has about 7 thousand people as members. The pay for the chief and band council easily rivals the highest for elected officials in the province. Heck, they even rival their fellow chiefs and council members in the province.
Many of the councillors earn more than the prime minister of Canada.
Peguis Chief Glenn Hudson has said part of the problem was with the old chief and council and that he has lowered the pay but even at a cap of $170,000, he still rivals elected officials representing far larger populations.
Hudson has said that his education and ability to bring in large claim settlements warrants the high pay. I guess we'll see if that argument sways the vote in the next election. One thing is certain is that poor people on reserves probably can only stomach so much.
This will be a made in Penguis decision regardless. Let's hope that some humility and some sense shakes the elected officials into accepting pay more in keeping with their fellow First Nations.
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