Overview
- Contract documents list a $165 hourly rate for Charles Demers with an initial two-year value of $150,000 and options that could bring the total to $450,000 over four years.
- Premier David Eby says Demers is one of several writers supporting a heavy speaking schedule and maintains contractors help contain administrative costs.
- Eby’s office confirmed Demers was paid $95,262 over the three years before the current deal, while payments under the new term sit at about $14,000 to date.
- BC Conservative finance critic Peter Milobar calls the arrangement offensive to taxpayers given a projected $11.6‑billion deficit and recent public‑sector layoff announcements.
- The BCGEU publicly defended Demers’ qualifications and urged critics to focus on broader wage and staffing issues rather than personal attacks, and one outlet reported the premier’s office did not respond to its questions by deadline.