Manitoba premier taking pay reduction as he looks for public-sector cuts during pandemic

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallisteris taking apay reduction of just under 10 per cent ofhis total pay, as he pushes for cuts in the province's public sector.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Pallistersaid he is forgoing 25 per cent of his $94,513 base salary as a member of the legislature while the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Part of hispay reduction announced Tuesday about seven per cent is a previously announced wage freeze that Pallister and all other legislature members have accepted since 2016 on their base pay.

The pay cut does not apply to extra money the premier and his cabinet ministers earn each year on top of their base salary.

A report on salaries by provincial commissioner Michael Werier in July 2017 shows the premier was paid $173,714 in total.

After the previously announced deductions and factoring in the extra pay, the cut to the premier's base salary announced Tuesday works out to about 9.8 per cent of that total pay.

Pallister is asking public sector workers to accept reduced work weeks, job-sharing or temporary layoffs to help the government redirect spending to health care during the pandemic.

Health officials announced one new COVID-19 case in Manitoba on Tuesday, bringing the total to date to 255.