Territorial judges wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be getting the pay raise they pushed for earlier this year.
The Judicial Remuneration Commission, an independent panel tasked with reviewing judgesSA国际影视传媒� salaries and benefits every four years, rejected their request for a 3.4 per cent salary increase for 2020-2021.
With territorial judges already earning more than most of their counterparts across Canada SA国际影视传媒� they made just shy of $300,000 annually last year SA国际影视传媒� the commission concluded a first year lump sum increase in wages wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 warranted.
Instead, the three-member panel recommended salary increases based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the next four years by an amount equal to last yearSA国际影视传媒檚 average increase in CPI in Yellowknife. The average last year was 1.6 per cent.
The recommendations are binding, meaning they must be accepted and adopted by the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 justice minister.
The commission weighed a number of factors in coming to their decision, from the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 economic forecast to how much judges in other jurisdictions earn.
In January, the commission heard submissions from territorial judges and the GNWT.
Judges argued their pay should reflect the unique challenges they face working in the NWT SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 a demanding job that requires them to oversee criminal, civil, family and bylaw cases while travelling frequently to communities across the territory.
Echoing past conclusions from the independent panel, the commission agreed the demanding jobSA国际影视传媒檚 wide scope warranted high wages, but ruled territorial judges will be able to maintain their spot among the top paid judges in the country with CPI-hinged pay increases.
On top of their annual salary, territorial judges earn a $3,700 Northern Allowance, with Chief Judge Robert Gorin receiving an extra $15,000 yearly.
The commission also ruled on changes to benefits for territorial judges.
SA国际影视传媒淭he Minister will make long-term disability benefits available to judges until the earlier resignation, death, or attaining the age for mandatory receipt of pension, at age 69, effective April 1, 2020,SA国际影视传媒� stated the panel.
