No, Council did not give itself a raise. Here are the details.
We approved a framework that created a benchmark and rationale for council salaries, phased in over three years. You can find the full report here. We shouldn’t be voting for our own salaries, which is why I opposed that decision last year. This has been kicked down the road many times because of optics. By 2024 pay will still lag behind Saskatoon, but inches closer to what is considered a “full-time” elected official position. What I tried to do was to table the report until 2021 when the new Council could make a decision about if or when the framework would be adopted based on the economic climate. That didn't succeed. I could have taken the easy road and said no after hearing the position of my colleagues, but I didn’t. The gender equity arguments from folks I respect made the decision easier for me. Future councillors have the right to not draw any salary or to give it to charity. That’s what I’ll be doing with the balance of the raise, if elected.