Recently defeated former Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Luke Ouellette will get an estimated transition allowance worth more than $500,000, Canadian Taxpayers Federation records show.
The CTF estimated Ouellette will be receiving a $515,000 transition allowance and $97,975 in RRSP contributions funded from taxpayer money.
The CTF released the estimated transition allowances and RRSP contributions for all the recently defeated or retired MLAs.
“The transition allowance payment is based on three month's salary for each year served as MLA, based on the three highest years' pay,” said the press release from the CTF.
The CTF said the MLAs are provided with an RRSP allowance that's 50 per cent of the maximum annual contribution limit.
“In total, taxpayers will pay an estimated $14,785,000 in transition allowances. This is on top of the $2,685,178 taxpayers have provided these MLAs in RRSP contributions,” said the press release.
The CTF said they'll be holding Premier Alison Redford to an election promise to suspend transition allowances.
“It's a shame she didn't act prior to the election to eliminate these golden handshakes, as it would have saved taxpayers nearly $15 million,” said Scott Hennig, the Alberta director for the CTF.
Ouellette confirmed the CTF's estimate of $515,000 was pretty accurate but said he wasn't sure about the RRSP contribution.
He said Alberta is one of the only provinces in Canada that has no pension plan for its MLAs, so the transition allowance and RRSP contributions “kind of fills in for the pension, I guess.”
Ouellette said he's probably got about 20 to 30 years left in his life and said this was a cheaper option.
“If I were getting a pension it would amount to a lot more,” he said.
Reactions Ouellette has heard to the transition payouts for MLAs have varied from people thinking they're overpaid to beliefs the amount isn't enough. He said maybe the system should be looked at and noted Premier Alison Redford has talked about reform.
Ouellette said he appreciates everything the taxpayers have given him.
