Premier Tony Wakeham insists that the salary of a special advisor in his office is in line with agreements in place with the NL Medical Association.

Dr. Des Whalen is working in the premier’s office on a part-time basis, making a salary of $275,000 per year – which is paid through MCP.

Wakeham says physicians who take on administrative roles, whether within the health authority or in government, are paid on a separate pay scale that was negotiated with the NLMA.

It is out of that pot says Wakeham from which Dr. Whalen is being paid.

Liberal leader John Hogan has criticized the use of MCP as a way for the premier’s office to circumvent the political staff pay scale.

To that concern, Wakeham says “not at all.”

“It’s a pay scale that is negotiated by the NLMA…Dr. Whalen, prior to his role working with us in government was an administrative physician with the health authority. He was paid out of the same pot of money, and on the same pay scale. So there is nothing different about that.”

Whalen has been closely aligned with the PC party for many years, but Wakeham dismisses any notion that it is the reason for his appointment.

Wakeham argues that Whalen was chosen for the role because he brings a certain level of knowledge, a skillset, and experience of working within the system.