Premier Ed Stelmach gave himself a hefty raise this week, bumping up his pay by 34 per cent and ultimately making himself the highest paid premier in Canada.
He also approved a $42,000 pay increase for each of his 23 ministers, giving them a total wage of $184,000 a year.
The pay hike comes less than two months after all politicians received their mandated annual pay raise of 4.7 per cent, based on Alberta's average weekly earnings in 2007.
The premier's self-inflected raise brings his annual salary up to $213,450.
Stelmach defended the raise Friday, saying it is needed to recruit more people to politics.
"Member services (committee) made a decision and reflecting an increase for all MLAs and it's fair," he said.
The pay bonus angers the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who says it is unfair the premier was able to approve nearly a million dollars worth of raises without passing it through the legislature.
CTF-Alberta director Scott Hennig said the pay perks give some Tories a generous pay bonus for 'extra' work that was previously expected as part of their duties.
"This is transparency when it's convenient," he said. "It's convenient to be transparent when we talking about how they are dealing with lobbyists or a conflict of interest, but it's not convenient to do transparency when you're talking about your own salary."
Edmonton resident Leonard Lunzer said the pay increase is out of line.
"You're out there breaking your back for $50,000 and he gets a $50,000 raise," he said. "I don't think that's too reasonable."
The increase to both the premier and cabinet comes after the opposition leaders and the Speaker of the House were given a raise by the member services committee. The bonus meant they were earning more than the premier.
Hennig said continually upping the wages to stay ahead of each other is not the proper way to balance the books.
"Two wrongs don't make a right," he said.
Liberal Leader Kevin Taft, whose party voted against the raise for MLAs, said the entire pay raise process is flawed.
"I'm really uncomfortable with MLAs and cabinet ministers and the premier setting their own income," he said.
Have YOUR SAY and tell us what you think of the pay hikes. Please leave your comments below.
/>/>
