Nova Scotia government takes control of judges' salaries

The McNeil government is stripping an independent tribunal of itspower to set provincial judge salaries, saying it'sunfair to otherpublic servants.

Finance Minister Randy Delorey included the measure in theFinancialMeasures Act introduced Tuesday to implement the 2016 budget.

Currently, an independent tribunal sets salaries and benefits forjudges. That power is being removed, and cabinet will be given theauthority to overrule recommendations.

Delorey said Nova Scotia is one of only twoprovinces that allows a tribunal to set salaries.

"That's not reasonable," Delorey said Tuesday.

The most recent tribunal order in 2015 set salaries for three years. It includeda 3.8 per cent increase for 2014/15, followed by cost of living increases the next two years.

"It was a large increase that other government employees haven'tseen," Delorey told reporters at Province House.

The Financial Measures Act also gives cabinet control over pensioncontribution increases for judges.