Defence Watch has received a number of emails lately from Canadian Forces members who say they’ve been briefed that the Post Living Differential (PLD) is going to be cut in half as of the 1st of April.
“The PLD is designed for areas with high cost of living and the last time I checked the cost of living is going up, not down,” wrote one CF member. “There are other cuts coming including elimination of the regular force severance package.”
Several of those voicing their concern about the cuts accused Defence Minister Peter MacKay of reneging on an election promise he made last year. They are referring to comments the MacKay made in a Canadian Press article in April when concerns were that the PLD would be cut. At the time, MacKay said that was not the case but added there was some administrative tinkering going on.
MacKay promised that a re-elected Conservative government would not touch the PLD, which costs the CF/DND about $150 million a year, according to the Canadian Press article.
Defence Watch contacted Mr. MacKay’s office to ask about the claims from CF members about the PLD cuts. The minister’s spokesman, Jay Paxton, emailed this response:
“Canada Forces members are some of the best paid military personnel in the world and our men and women in uniform will receive an upward adjustment to their base salaries this year. The compensation and benefits packages available to CF members and their families are comprehensive, and are constantly reviewed and adjusted to ensure they accurately and fairly reflect the needs of CF members and their families.”
Now, that didn’t answer my question. So I asked Mr. Paxton directly about whether the PLD was being cut?
His response was – interestingly – not a denial:
“I can’t speculate on hearsay,” he emailed back.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: David Pugliese
“The PLD is designed for areas with high cost of living and the last time I checked the cost of living is going up, not down,” wrote one CF member. “There are other cuts coming including elimination of the regular force severance package.”
Several of those voicing their concern about the cuts accused Defence Minister Peter MacKay of reneging on an election promise he made last year. They are referring to comments the MacKay made in a Canadian Press article in April when concerns were that the PLD would be cut. At the time, MacKay said that was not the case but added there was some administrative tinkering going on.
MacKay promised that a re-elected Conservative government would not touch the PLD, which costs the CF/DND about $150 million a year, according to the Canadian Press article.
Defence Watch contacted Mr. MacKay’s office to ask about the claims from CF members about the PLD cuts. The minister’s spokesman, Jay Paxton, emailed this response:
“Canada Forces members are some of the best paid military personnel in the world and our men and women in uniform will receive an upward adjustment to their base salaries this year. The compensation and benefits packages available to CF members and their families are comprehensive, and are constantly reviewed and adjusted to ensure they accurately and fairly reflect the needs of CF members and their families.”
Now, that didn’t answer my question. So I asked Mr. Paxton directly about whether the PLD was being cut?
His response was – interestingly – not a denial:
“I can’t speculate on hearsay,” he emailed back.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: David Pugliese
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