NDP wants MLAs who get extra money to report work they did

The OppositionNDPis questioningwhat the duties are forMLAswho were appointed aslegislative secretaries with bonus pay, as fewdocuments detailing their work are available.

NDPMLA David Forbes sayswhen he was a legislative secretary more than a decade ago, he submitted a report and made recommendations on an education program,SchoolPLUS,he had been working on.

Earlier this month, Premier Scott Moe appointeda group of legislative secretaries with top-ups to their MLA salaries.

"These are times of constraint ... and here we have an increase [in government spending]," Forbes said on Tuesday, noting that he had once received around $14,000 for five months of work.

Of the 13MLAsPremier Scott Moe appointed to the positions,12 will get an extra $3,000 annuallywhile the 13th Nadine Wilson will get $14,311 for her duties as legislative secretary to the premier.

The practice of paying legislative secretaries was ended by former premier Brad Wall then partially restoredin 2016.

Forbes said if extra money is going to be paid, the public needs to know what work is being done.

"We're calling for them to do reports. We hope they do that the recommendations are public. That will be a great thing and that will be moving the goal posts in the right way," Forbes said.

Deputy Premier Gordon Wyant said there have been reports made public by Saskatchewan Party legislative secretaries, such as a report on bullying and cyberbullying from former MLA Jennifer Campeau.

Wyant said there are also formal and informal discussions that take place related to the secretaries' duties, but aren't made public.

"The work they're doing, I think it's fair they're provided a little bit of additional compensation," he said. "They still have all the work to do to support their constituents and the work they do in the house."

When questioned about whether or not these legislative secretaries should show their work in publicly available documents, Wyant said the premier will make it clear to his cabinet that secretaries should be doing "meaningful work" to move the Sask. Party agenda forward.