Burnaby-Lougheed's Harry Bloy received the most gifts last year of all the local MLAs, but Raj Chouhan, MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds, received the most pay.
Global Container Terminals gave Bloy two Canucks tickets, valued at $450, and Pacific Western Brewery gave him another pair of hockey tickets, valued at $800. Bloy also received a courtesy membership from the Vancouver Board of Trade, worth $740 plus tax. In all, he received just over $2,000 in presents.
Every year, MLAs have to file public disclosure statements, listing their income, assets and any gifts they've received valued at $250 or more as per B.C.'s Members' Conflict of Interest Act.
Bloy and his wife also own property in Maple Ridge, and they have investments and RRSPs.
Chouhan received no gifts worth more than $250.
Chouhan and his wife's assets include RRSPs and residential property in Burnaby.
Kathy Corrigan, Burnaby-Deer Lake MLA, also received no gifts. For income, she included her husband's mayoral salary from the City of Burnaby and his income as a Metro Vancouver director, a Municipal Finance Authority director and a member of TransLink's mayors' council. For assets, she listed various RRSPs between her and her husband, as well as a residential property in Burnaby.
Burnaby North MLA Richard Lee also declared no gifts, but listed numerous RRSPs as assets and property shared with his wife.
According to the government's MLA compensation report (which covers the fiscal year ending in March 2011) all MLAs get a base salary of $101,859, and those with extra duties earn more. Any MLA who lives outside of the Capital Regional District on the southern tip of Vancouver Island is eligible for a living allowance. MLAs on official business away from home can also get a meal allowance of $61 per day.
Chouhan had the most in travel expenses at $21,460. He also got another $16,144 for opposition whip and opposition deputy whip duties, and $15,284 for living allowance. In all, he was compensated $154,747. Chouhan said he was surprised his travel expenses were that high.
Bloy received $19,366 for his duties as deputy chair for committee of the whole, $17,450 for living allowance and $15,220 for travel.
With his base salary, he was compensated for $153,895.
Lee received $15,279 as a parliamentary secretary allowance, $14,304 for living allowance, and $16,045 for travel. In all, he was compensated $147,487.
Corrigan received $5,415 as opposition chair, $7,197 for living allowance and $8,085 in travel. She was compensated $122,556 in total.
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