You owe taxpayers $63,500!

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post, "And a corresponding reduction in salary too?"

Good Day Mr. Pieuk:

You ask interesting questions, which is why I like reading your blog.

Judicial salaries are public information and are contained in The Judges Act. As at February 9 2011, the Act states the following for Manitoba:

16. The yearly salaries of the judges of the Court of Appeal for Manitoba and of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba are as follows:

(a) the Chief Justice of Manitoba, $254,600

(b) the six Judges of Appeal, $232,300 each

(c) the Chief Justice, the Senior Associate Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $254,600 each; and

(d) the 31 puisne judges (Associate Justices) of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $232,300 each.

Further, every Judge has an expense account of $5,000.00 to cover actual expenses incurred, is given travel expenses when required to be somewhere other than Winnipeg, and meeting, conference or seminar allowances, provided they are within a specified amount determined by calculation or approved by the federal Minister of Justice.

So, Mr. Dewar and Ms Douglas are earning $232,300 and $254,600 respectively, plus expenses and benefits.

Now, if Mr. Dewar is not hearing "sexual" cases, provided that his caseload is not reduced, just adjusted, he should continue to receive his salary pending the outcome of the investigation (which will only be a reprimand I'm sure).

However, Ms. Douglas has been riding a desk, and not the bench, since last September. If we were to be generous and said that she is doing about 50% of the work she is supposed to be doing, then she owes the taxpayer $63,500 for her 6months of reduced duties so far.

As for Mr. Corrin, Provincial Judges earn about $180,000 and considering he is on leave - that would be a 100% repayment to the taxpayer once his case is decided.

Judges investigate judges, lawyers investigate lawyers - does no one see a problem with this system?

Wake up Manitoba, or we will be the laughing stock of the world for some time to come.

A disgusted...

VJH
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Dear VJH:

Thank you very much for the kind words and providing information to readers. Those salaries sure are eye- openers!

In the case of Justice Dewar, while true his workload can be re-arranged so he's not allowed anywhere near a sexual assault case and remains unchanged, nevertheless his effectiveness to the Bench is reduced although it can be argued what was he doing presiding over a criminal case when his background is civil law?

A lawyer told us not long ago a judge here can retire with a full pension after 15-years on the Bench - not bad, not bad at all! Those are probably quite rich too.

On the subject of the petition calling for $254,600 a year Associate Chief Justice Lori Douglas to resign, it's moving ahead. A junior counsel has advised as long as the information contained in it is accurate, which we have no doubt it is, it is not defamatory. We expect senior counsel will be responding to our request for a review very shortly.

Thank you again for the information!

Sincerely/Clare L. Pieuk

P. S. Notice how we're not told exactly what is is Ms Douglas is doing to earn her yearly $254,600.