Cimino entitled to $58K in severance pay

Outgoing Sudbury MPP Joe Cimino, who resigned two weeks ago after serving for six months, is entitled to more than $58,000 in severance pay under provincial guidelines.

According to section 69 (2) of the Legislative Assembly Act, any member of provincial parliament who resigns their seat after having served four years or less is entitled to half of their annual salary in severance.

“For a person who was a member of the Assembly for a period of four years or less, the allowance is equal to one-half of his or her average annual remuneration,” the Act says.

The Act doesn't mention a minimum time someone has to serve to be eligible, although anyone who resigns with more than four years of service is entitled to a full year's salary.

In Cimino's case, his annual salary as MPP would have been $116,550, which means his severance entitlement is $58,250. That's on top of what he earned as MPP since June.

Candice Malcolm, the Ontario director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says the policy is a “loophole” that appears to have slipped through the cracks of government policy.

“There should be some sort of minimum,” Malcolm said Tuesday. “It's not something taxpayers would ever receive. Even people in the public service wouldn't get it.”

In most jobs, she said, there's usually a probation period before employees are entitled to benefits.

But Cimino served less than six months since the June 12 election and his resignation last month.

“It was his decision to quit,” she said. “Where else (would you get that much money) after working for just a few months?”

She said it may be something that was overlooked in drafting the rules because resignations so soon after an election are so rare.

“It's a good time to revisit some of these rules and set a minimum time,” Malcolm said. “It's a loophole that needs to be addressed.”

Cimino was a city councillor before winning the riding for the NDP in June. He announced his resignation Nov. 20 in an email, saying he wouldn't make further public statements on the matter and asking for privacy.

"After much reflection and thought, I have decided to resign my position as a Sudbury MPP as of end of day today," Cimino said in the email. "I have been asked several times in the past how I was able to balance my public obligations as a city councillor with my family life. Even though it was difficult to do, I was able to be there for my young children, wife and extended family while still serving my community with complete dedication.

"Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung too far to one side in the last several months. Simply, for my personal health wellness, and more importantly the well being of my family I must resign my seat in the Provincial Legislature.”

Last week, Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas and Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha said they will work together to ensure Sudburians are represented until a byelection is held. Because the resignation happened so early in the term, a vote must be called within six months.

The only candidate to announce so far is Liberal Andrew Olivier, who lost to Cimino by less than 1,000 votes. Paul Loewenberg, who almost won the seat for the NDP in 2011, has said he's considering another run but hasn't made a final decision.