Thank you. Mr. Minister, please respond.

Mr. Chairman, I discussed that with Madam Premier and the rest of the Ministers and they decided that in the event that they did want to increase their salaries that the fairest and most open way to do that would be to come to the Legislative Assembly and ask the Assembly for that increase.

Ministers were also cognizant of the fact that we are asking our employees to be vigilant and we felt at this time it would be incumbent upon us to act in a responsible manner and although we will, on our MLA portion, get the same as ordinary Members as far as cost of living is concerned, on the ministerial portion we decided at this time it was not a good way to go. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Chairman, I had some research done with respect to Speakers' salaries across the country to see how they compared. I will state that our Speaker gets the highest rate in the country, even above the House of Common's Speaker. What was the criteria used when they reviewed this?

Thank you, just call me "chairman." Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, if I am not mistaken, prior to the last Assembly there was a report done by the previous Assembly, presented at the end of that Assembly's term and presented to the Assembly that began in November of 1987. One of the recommendations in that report was that the Speaker be paid at the same rate as a Minister. That is the reason the Speaker is listed in here with the same salary as a Minister. If the questions are going to continue like this, then I will ask Mr. Hamilton to join me and I will move to the witness table, Mr. Chairman, if you do not mind.

Do we have the concurrence of the committee that Mr. Pollard move to the witness table?

Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. Minister, for the record, would you please introduce your witness?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Mr. David Hamilton, the clerk of the Legislative Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you. Having done that would you be able to respond to Mrs. Marie-Jewell's last question.

Mr. Chairman, I covered most of that, but I would also point out, as Mr. Hamilton is pointing out to me, that it was already in the act, clause 24(1)(a) "The Speaker shall be paid at the same rate as the indemnity paid to a Minister by directive of the Executive Council." Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. General comments. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Chairman, I think the intent of the review to determine the Speaker's salary was also to determine whether the duties required of a Speaker should also reflect the salary paid. However, Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a suggestion to the Minister that he review whether the duties and responsibilities that are imposed on the Speaker determine the rate of pay being expended. However, that is just a suggestion, Mr. Chairman. Now that I have made my questions and point across with regard to our salaries being placed by the amendments of this bill, I would ask to go clause by clause. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Do we go clause by clause? Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 16, section one, agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Section two. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Mr. Nerysoo.

Point Of Order

Mr. Chairman, on a point of order, is it not normal that we deal with clause by clause and not necessarily sections?

Clause By Clause

Sorry, Mr. Nerysoo. I did not think it was a point of order, I stand corrected. Clause one.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Clause two.

Agreed.

---Agreed