On the surface, the topics of MLA pay, teachers' pay and the Citizens' Initiative Act do not appear to be related to each other. But all three are joined together by a common theme: accountability.

As I write this column, the government is trying to take a "tough but fair" approach to teachers' salaries. Under normal circumstances, teachers would be hard pressed to turn down an offer making them the best paid in Canada, especially considering that Alberta has the lowest overall tax burden in Canada. The absence of a provincial sales tax, plus income tax and business tax rates well below the Canadian average, mean that Alberta teachers keep more of their earnings than teachers in other provinces.

Unfortunately for Alberta taxpayers, the government lost its moral authority to bargain effectively when MLAs gave themselves a 10% after-inflation pay increase, and fattened their severance pay to three months' salary for every year in office. They did this at an almost-secret meeting of an all-party Committee of MLAs, just after the August long weekend.

The MLAs failed to seek any input from Albertans, who will foot the bill for these increases. Further, the MLAs put themselves in a blatant conflict of interest by having the increases go into effect immediately, and not after the next provincial election. In contrast, Ontario's Members of Provincial Parliament voted themselves a raise that will take effect only after the next election.

Having feathered their own nests, MLAs are now staring the Alberta Teachers Association in the eye, offering teachers a 6% raise over the next two years. Who do you think will blink

MLAs can get away with putting millions more of the taxpayers' dollars into their own pockets because there is very little accountability in our democracy. Voters have a real say for only one moment, once every four years. Between elections, they must approach their MPs and MLAs cap-in-hand. Elections do not provide taxpayers with a direct say on a specific issue of concern. That's because the only real question during an election is: "which leader/party do you want as Premier/government "

The cure for this lack of accountability is found in Switzerland, Italy, 23 U.S. states, New Zealand, and British Columbia: giving voters the right to initiate a referendum on an issue of concern. Citizen-initiated referendums take away the politicians' blank cheque to do whatever they want. Politicians can no longer avoid topics which make them feel uncomfortable, or ignore the wishes of their constituents.

Alberta MLAs will soon vote on the Citizens' Initiative Act - probably this week. If this private member's bill passes and becomes law, Albertans will obtain the right to initiate and vote in referendums on a provincial issue of their choice. Although 79% of Albertans support this legislation (Environics poll), MLAs rejected it in 1994, 1996 and 1998. If you want more accountability, call your MLA and tell her or him to vote for this bill.