NDP voices concern over independence of minimum wage committee
Jordan Brown isn't happy that a member of the provincial Liberal executive board has been appointed to lead an independent review of the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The rookie MHA is leading the charge for the NDP on the issue, arguing that Stephen Tessier shouldn't be running the show if he has such close ties to the Liberal government.
"I don't feel that a member of the Liberal Party executive is considered independent," he said. "I do have some concerns about that."
The review committee will take input from employers and employees and issue a report on the minimum wage.
The province has the second lowest minimum wage in the country at $11.40 an hour.
Minister defends committee choices
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour Minister Christopher Mitchelmore defended government's decision to appoint Tessier to the committee, saying he has extensive qualifications.
Tessier served as the mayor and deputy mayor in Conception Bay South, and a founding member of the town's business improvement association.
The committee also features Alison Doyle, a past president of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union, as well as Brenda O'Reilly, owner of five restaurants and bars in St. John's.
"These are individuals that I have incredible confidence in, that they will work together and they will look out for the best interest of providing that balance when the minimum wage committee is struck and presents their report to government," said Mitchelmore.
Brown also took issue with the timeline for public input. A survey is available online for any citizen of the province to complete. It went online this week, and runs until Dec. 2.
"That's a very big concern. I feel we need to have more engagement on this," he said. "A lot of people work minimum wage."
The provincial NDP have been calling on the government to consider a $15 an hour minimum wage. Brown said at the current rate of increases, it won't reach $15 until 2030 at the earliest.
"In that time, the world is going to change significantly … the world around us is evolving and we need to be ready so that we can keep people out of poverty and that's the problem. We're keeping people in poverty."
He's calling on the Liberals to instruct the committee to "include in its report a realistic timeline for getting to $15 an hour."
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