The Yukon government jacked up the salary range for deputy ministers in hopes of getting better applicants for vacant posts.

'We are better able to compete,' Premier Dennis Fentie said Monday about the raises his cabinet approved last week.

'We're now closer to what other jurisdictions are dealing with.'

The salary range for deputy ministers rose to between $121,622 and $157,967 annually.

Prior to last week, the range was $89,241 to $137,363. The change in the range led to a 36-per-cent increase on the bottom end and a 15-per-cent boost at the top.

All deputy ministers making less than $121,622 received a raise up to that level last week. All other deputies have not received raises and it will be up to cabinet to decide on any increases.

Public Service Commissioner Patricia Daws said the government determined the new range by looking at the other territories and the western provinces.

The ranges, according to Daws, are:

• B.C. $134,300 to $203,500;

• Alberta $152,808 to $183,370;

• Nunavut $130,000 to $180,000;

• Saskatchewan $98,592 to $143,748; and

• Manitoba $91,312 to $137,177.

Daws noted B.C., Alberta, the N.W.T. and Nunavut.

'We didn't go as high as those ranges but we feel we're more competitive,' she said.

Daws said the government shortened the range at the bottom, which led to the higher increase for the low end. Under the old range, there was a $48,000-difference between the top and bottom. Now there is a $26,000-difference.

The change came just before the ad went out last week for the new Justice deputy minister position. Bill Craik's departure has led to the search for a new top dog in Justice.

The government has also been looking for a new Health and Social Services deputy minister since early in the year because Rob McWilliam, the current Health deputy, is retiring.

Deputy ministers are the top civil servants and are who the cabinet gives direction to on what it would like to see done within departments.

Since 2002, the government has hired five deputy ministers from Outside. They are:

Judy Moore, Education; John Stecyk, Highways and Public Works; Eugene Lysy, Economic Development; Edward Huebert, Environment; and Sally Sheppard, Tourism and Culture.

That's just under 50 per cent of the total of 11 who wear the title of deputy minister in the government.

'I don't think we've had a problem getting deputy ministers up here,' official Opposition Leader Todd Hardy said Monday.

However, Hardy added he isn't saying the new salary boost was the wrong thing to do.

The NDP leader is bothered more by the fact Fentie made this change to the salary range very quietly.

'Maybe the Yukon people would like to know how anyone in this day and age got (such an) increase without any consultation?' the NDP leader said.

'Fentie's got to realize this is taxpayers' money he's freely spending.'

He said the premier tried to slip it through with no announcement.

The premier said nothing publicly about the change until Hardy raised it in question period Monday.

Fentie said it's 'complete hogwash' that he's being unfair to other government employees.

He noted his government gave a 10-per-cent raise to the regular, unionized workers.

That increase was spread over four years.

Hardy noted that Fentie's government didn't give the unionized workers that raise; it was awarded to them by an arbitrator.

'He fought them all the way,' said Hardy.

The New Democrat said the deputy ministers didn't have to fight Fentie to get this raise.

Liberal Leader Pat Duncan said the change will help the Yukon in attracting new deputy ministers.

'They've made it comparable to the rest of Canada.'

She said there is a difference between the unionized workers and the deputy ministers. The deputy ministers have no job security and can be fired any time at the whim of the premier.