A series of articles is being published this week highlighting topics of concern to Yukoners for the Oct. 10 territorial election. The Yukon Party, Liberals and NDP each had an opportunity to pick a topic to debate with the respective leaders. The remaining two topics were selected by the Star.

The Star selected the current rate of pay of territorial politicians as today's topic of debate.

The question of whether the salaries of the Yukon's elected representatives should be raised is not new. The debate has been ongoing for nearly a decade - raising its head every territorial election.

The Yukon is third from the bottom of the list when compared to the rest of Canada on solely the base salary given to MLAs. In the Yukon, it is $37,434.

The highest-paid MLAs are in Quebec, where they get a tax-free allowance of $98,671.

The lowest-paid elected representatives reside in Prince Edward Island, where the pay is $36,689.

In the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the MLAs are making $85,021 and $67,530, respectively.

After allowances, such as rent and travel are tacked on, the Yukon's rural MLAs net $56,151.

Rural MLAs are able to claim reimbursement for their accommodation in Whitehorse at a rate of $778 per month.

They're also able to have up to 48 return trips to their riding paid for, as well as an additional $8,800 in accommodation and living expenses, such as meals.

All ministers are defined as living in Whitehorse. They are granted 24 return trips and an annual allowance of $4,400. It takes Yukon's ministers' pay to $77,298 a year.

Meanwhile, the premier currently takes home $82,655 annually - significantly less than his territorial counterparts and barely more than the new recommendations of pay for mayor of Whitehorse. A committee recently recommended the mayor's salary and vehicle allowance be raised to just under $78,000 per year.

óóó

Dennis Fentie

'If anybody gets into this business for the money, they are in it for the wrong reasons,' says Yukon Party Leader Dennis Fentie.

He says he's not the right person to ask about if MLA salaries should be raised.

'I don't even know what I earn,' he says, adding he has never even looked at one of his pay stubs.

During his last four years as premier, Fentie has received approximately $82,655 annually.

The amount is significantly less than what is paid to his territorial counterparts in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. It is even less than the $85,021 remuneration paid to N.W.T. MLAs.

But it's very difficult for members to discuss their pay, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Patrick Michael has previously told the Star, because the discussion often takes the spotlight in the media and the eyes of the public.

Deciding if the pay for Yukon's elected representatives is not a decision a party leader should be making, says Fentie.

'That would be a collection decision by all members that are elected to our next assembly.'

Fentie says he is not adverse to those who say there may be good reason to review the pay of Yukon MLAs, but adds it seems to be a complaint coming from the Liberals.

Suggesting the pay must be raised to attract good, competent Yukoners to run to serve in the assembly is insulting to past politicians, he says.

'That's suggesting that all these people that have dedicated themselves to elected office with the wages as they are are inefficient, not able to do the job because of the rate of pay. I really have trouble with that.

'That's a slap in the face of the countless number of Yukoners who have dedicated themselves to this office under the rate of pay that exists. Many of them have contributed greatly to Yukon, its history. I'm sure many more will contribute greatly to its future, regardless of the wage.'

Fentie says the Yukon Party managed to attract a full spectrum of candidates despite the pay.

'They reflect a true cross-section of the Yukon population representing experience, youth, women and first nations,' he says. 'This is a great representation of the Yukon today.'

The incumbent premier says he is willing to entertain a discussion to look at the pay of MLAs, but does not label it as a priority.

'If they are suggesting we need to raise the wages so we can attract better people I have to disagree. We've already done that with the wages that exist.'

óóó

Todd Hardy

'You do eliminate good people if the salary is really bad,' says NDP Leader Todd Hardy.

People base their lives around their salaries, he says, and the longer the pay for Yukon's elected representatives remains one of the lowest in Canada the more roadblocks it will create to attracting Yukoners to public life.

'It just removes one of those excuses of why you will not,' he says.

Hardy says the NDP would support a review of the wages by an independent committee.

The benefits and allowances given to MLAs also should be discussed, he says.

'There are some concerns and there's some legitimate complainants.'

The wording of the Yukon's Legislative Assembly Act, which provides for MLAs' salaries, rent, travel and other expenditures, grants larger allowances to backbenchers living in rural areas than it does to ministers and representatives from Whitehorse.

When the NDP tabled the Democratic Reform Act in October 2004, which included direction to examine current allowances for indemnification, the Yukon Party voted against it.

Every election the question of a pay review seems to come up, says Hardy, and every election it is a consideration for potential candidates.

'From my perspective it should be dealt with and then maybe in the next election it wouldn't be one of the determents of why you won't run.'

There are many people who may wish to put their name forward, he says, but after looking at their family life, which could include mortgages, car payments and raising children, they decide they can't run.

'At that point that very good person can say, I just can't do it. Financially, I'm not set up enough to do that.''

Hardy says when he first entered public life he took a $15,000 pay cut.

'I did it because I was willing to enter the public life. I felt passionate enough about it,' he says. 'I think most people running today are also very passionate about what they are doing, because a lot of them are taking cuts in their salaries.'

Raising pay of MLAs can't just be argued on a philosophical level, he says. Politicians can't simply say people shouldn't be running for office for the money, so therefore the remuneration doesn't matter, he says.

It has to be looked at realistically, says Hardy. Realistically, people make decisions about their family life based on income.

Looking at the pay of Yukon MLAs has been a long time coming, he says, adding he thinks Yukoners are ready to discuss it.

óóó

Arthur Mitchell

'There's a really a problem that's developed here now,' says Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell. 'Certainly, over the past year in talking to a number of fine Yukoners who are really interested in running for office, they basically said, We can't do that at this point in our lives. It's not economically possible for us to do that until our kids are through college' and such.'

The territory can't expect individuals such as doctors, lawyers, successful business people and senior government officials to run for public office if they aren't going to compensated appropriately, says Mitchell.

But with the current wages for members of the legislative assembly certain segments of society almost automatically won't run, he says.

Young people in their 20s and early-30s may be interested in running for office, because the pay may be more than they've previously he earn, he says.

Then individuals in their 50s will put their names forward for the ballot, he says, because their children may have left and there are fewer time and financial restrictions in their lives.

But for professionals with children still at home and in the midst of climbing the ladder in their career, the current wages make it hard to choose public life, says Mitchell.

'I'm hearing at the door the public is ready for it. They're saying, You guys have to be crazy to do what you do for the pay that you get.''

Mitchell says a Liberal government will establish an arm's-length commission to look at the salaries of Yukon MLAs.

He suggests each party nominate an individual to serve on the commission, but that it also include former politicians. That way people will be involved who have seen the effect serving in the assembly can have on families and economic well-being.

Mitchell says he also doesn't believe those in the assembly should be making more than senior officials in the public service.

'I don't feel I have to make more than my deputy minister makes,' he says. 'I'm here for four years, eight years and it's a period of my life and it is public service. They are professionals who have dedicated their lives to it.'

But changes should be made to attract a good cross section of Yukoners, he says.

'I personally don't think that you want the compensation to be such that people are running for the positions only because it's such a good paying job, but I also don't think it should be such that it's such a huge cut for many people who are considering stepping forward.'