I sent this in as a Letter to editor in upcoming issue of Alberta Views:
Regarding Premier Smith's proposal to transfer Alberta workers CPP retirement investment to an Alberta plan, it seems odd to me that such a self-described freedom-lover is talking of forcing workes to make the switch.
You would think she would care enough about personal liberties to make the Alberta plan voluntary. And if it will be as affordable and will pay out as much as she says it will, it should attract clients without mandatory transfer.
Saskatchewan has a voluntary provincial pension plan that supplements CPP. Established in 1986, it allows homemakers and ohers left out of the CPP to have secure pensions. Alberta could institute this for anyone who wanted to join. It could be done without the difficult negotiations that transfer from CPP entails.
When labour groups pressed for a national pension plan about a hundred years ago, they often called for a non-contributory plan. Such would avoid the charge of penson plan contributions being a payroll tax. The (federal) Old Age Supplement is not based on past earnings and contributions so works as a non-contributory pension plan of a sort. Alberta could instutute a provincial equivalent, again without involved negotations with CPP officials.
It seems it is not a secure retirement for retired Alberta workers that is uppermost in Smith's mind in this context.
Tom Monto, Edmonton
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Furthermore I have heard that the lieutenant-governor will decide if a referendum on the Alberta Pension Plan is to be binding.
if not binding, then the govenremtn can just ignore result, if it is vote against APP.
So really he will deciding if a vote against the APP will be obeyed by the government.
or is tghe govenrment giving itself wriggle room that even if it passes Alberta wi]may not proceed with the APP plan.
Wow, that is hardly democratic.
Either give people power to choose or not!
Actually don't - and simply follow commonsense and stop this reckless endangerment of the contract already entered into between most working Albertans and the CPP plan.
if you want to, start a separate Alberta plan tht people can go to if they want. But don't force them to switch.
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