Calling her decision regarding MLA compensation a mistake, Alison Redford says all PC MLAs will have to pay back money received from a committee that never met for four years.
“My government should have acted faster and we should have gone further than we did over the past few weeks,” Redford announced Thursday, “So today, I’m showing you the leadership that I expect to set things right.”
MLAs serving on the committee received $1,000 a month for 39 months.
“Any MLAs who do not, will not have a place in our Progressive Conservative caucus,” says Redford.
When asked if she was flip-flopping, she said no that this was more about being honest.
The man who exposed the committee believes it's an issue that wasn't going away.
"This no meet committee isn't acceptable and whether it's the day after or before the election i think this still would have come to a head," says Scott Hennig with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Redford also suspended the controversial transitional allowances that retiring MLAs received when leaving their government jobs.
In some cases, that transitional pay was more than a $1 million.
However, it is not retroactive so the more than 20 MLAs who stepped down will still get their allowance.
The transition allowance promise would only take effect if the PCs win. The Member Services Committee would have to approve suspension of the allowances.
So if a PC MLA loses their seat in this election they will still receive a transition allowance. Although Redford has pledged not to accept it if she loses.
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