Fiscally driven deputy ministers: Pay rises among the architects of budget austerity

Ahead of public spending rationing, the Legault government granted job security and salary increases of up to $30,000 to budget-tight architects in the three finance ministries.

Quebec is currently working on its spending reduction plan to offset a historic deficit of $11 billion in state coffers. Until then, ministries will have to strictly respect budget envelopes, which have already resulted in freezing of recruitment and overtime in some sectors.

François Legault has given the green light to pay increases among senior officials of the Treasury, Finance and Economy Council.

Carl Paulin, the finance ministry's assistant deputy minister for personal policies and climate impacts, had his compensation increased to $220,436 from $190,854 earlier in the month.

And he is not the only one in this situation in Eric Girard's cabinet. Many of his peers were also able to benefit from the increase in their salaries.

This is the case of Assistant Deputy Minister Bertrand Kayout, who now has $228,642, an increase of $11,000. His colleagues Frédéric Chartrand and Catelyn Langlais were also on the pampered list.

Job security

The Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy will also benefit from an increase in the salaries of its managers.

Senior civil servants Matthew Gervais and Richard Massey were among the winners, both able to count on a roughly $10,000 increase in their salaries. Their colleague Yuri Rousseau, for his part, received job security.

The wave has also tainted Sonia Lebel's ministry, which holds the purse strings and is the custodian of the public treasury.

Deputy Minister for Performance and Application of the Treasury Board's Public Administration Act increased her remuneration by $15,000 per year, but also gained tenure. A senior civil servant on contract from 2022, André-Anne Gabra now has job security and working conditions in the Quebec state administration.

Danielle Cantin, her colleague in budget policies and programs, also managed to count a nearly $12,000 salary increase.

Note that this one-time increment is added to the annual increase in the salary of job holders in the senior civil service.

The Senior Employment Secretariat did not respond to questions from our parliamentary office on Wednesday on the reasons that pushed the government to increase the pay of these deputy ministers responsible for finances, which should return to a budget balance in the spring.

Salaries sanctioned by Legault Govt

Matthew Gervais, Assistant Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries and Major Economic Projects, Ministry of Finance, Innovation and Energy

Salary

• Before: $217,754
• After: $228,642

Richard Massey, Assistant Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Finance, Innovation and Energy, Science and Innovation Sector

Salary

• Before: $187,521
• After: $196,897

Yuri Rousseau, Assistant Deputy Minister in the Department of Economic Policy and Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Innovation and Energy

• Tenure in senior civil service

Bertrand Kayout, Assistant Deputy Minister of Business Tax Policies, Economic Development and State Corporations of the Ministry of Finance

Salary

• Before: $217,754
• After: $228,642

Frédéric Chartrand, Assistant Deputy Minister for Economics, Own Source Revenues and Budget Operations at the Ministry of Finance

Salary

• Before: $170,480
• After: $179,004

Kathleen Langlais, Assistant Deputy Minister for Budget Policy, Department of Finance

Salary

• Before: $187,521
• After: $196,897

Carl Poulin, Assistant Deputy Minister for Personal Policies and Climate Impacts of the Ministry of Finance

Salary

• Before: $190,854
• After: $220,436

André-Anne Gabra, Associate Deputy Minister for Performance and Application of Public Administration Law at the Treasury Board

Salary

• Before: $191,067
• After: $206,352

Tenure in senior civil service

Daniel Cantin, Treasury Board's Associate Deputy Minister for Budget Policy and Programs

Salary

• Before: $232,001
• After: $243,601

Source: Quebec government orders and list of compensation, allowances and salaries for top job holders in 2024