Harper Conservatives on Liberal's Plan for OAS - 2004

Back in 2004, the Harper Conservatives accused the Paul Martin Liberals of having a "hidden agenda" to raise the age to qualify for the Old Age Security to 67.  The Conservative Party of Canada had acquired the information on the Liberals through access to information.

As far as I can tell only the NDP have been consistent on the issue of OAS.

Click on Image to enlarge

The campaign news release is still posted on http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/election/News1/CRelease17.htm

NDP Move to Protect Old Age Security - Vote on Feb 6th

The NDP used the Opposition day in Parliament today to put forward a motion that the federal government not pay for its agenda on the backs of Canadian Seniors by raising the age at which they will qualify for Old Age Security (OAS).

 Several times NDP members put the question to Human Resources Minister - Is your government planing to raise the age at which a person would qualify for OAS. 

Each time Human Resources Minister answered. "Seniors currently receiving OAS will not be affected." As with many things in politics the answer to the question lies with has NOT been said. Since the Minister specified seniors "currently receiving" it is clear that the government plans to make changes for people that are not currently receiving. When they plan to have this increase take effect is not known.

 The opposition motion to protect OAS will be voted on by the House of Commons in the afternoon session of Feb 6th

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Getting it Wrong and Limiting Debate on Pensions

The first day of Parliament 2012 and the Conservatives are already strangling debate.

As we have seen in previous years the Conservative MPs unable to speak for themselves got up and repeated the same old talking points... this time on Pooled Pensions.

Watching the debate I could picture political science students across Canada making a drinking game of the phrase "too important to get wrong".

The problem is Conservatives are getting it wrong with pooled pension plans and they know it.

For over a decade in Australia the exact same thing was tried and was such a colossal failure that Australian government is in the process of dismantling the program.  The Canadian version of the legislation bill C-25, is so similar to the Australian legislation that the Canadian authors could be accused of plagiarism.

Joy Smith , M.P. Kildonan - St Paul

NDP asked why, knowing the dismal results of the exact same plan in Australia why would the Conservatives want to implement the same thing here?

Conservative MP Joy Smith answered: "This is the first time something like this has been tried in Canada."  

Flawed logic aside here is what you need to know:

C-25 places no limits on the fees institutions can charge for administering pensions. In Australia this resulted in fees so high that any returns were being negated! In other words, stuffing your mattress would be an equally effective retirement strategy since after paying administrative fees you would basically break even.

C-25 places 100% of the risk and burden on the employees participating. The employer is not required to make any contributions and there is no guarantee of benefits at the time of retirement. (That mattress is looking more and more attractive.)

Businesses are on board because they bear no responsibility. (The Conservative talking point "low-cost plan" is referring to the employers.)

Conservative MP after MP got up yesterday and talked about how financial institutions and insurance companies called this scheme "an excellent opportunity" Given the Bill C-25 is giving them carte blanche on the fees they can charge for management and administration -- What else would they say? No one would argue, C-25 is an excellent opportunity for banks and insurance companies to make money at the expense of the plan members.

 If the Conservatives believe retirement security then following failed schemes and limiting debate are not the way to achieve this goal.  Because pension and retirement security are indeed too important to get wrong.

Government to hurry debate on pooled pension plan - Politics - CBC News:

Top Canadian CEOs making Average Canadian's yearly salary by Noon, says study

By noon today, Canada's top CEO's will have made what most Canadians take an entire year to earn.
The current Canadian Government is paying that same rate $90,000 per day to look at ways to eliminate public sector jobs.  Jobs that the 99% depend on to provide services like food inspection, environmental research, Canadian Pension Plan, Old Age Security and EI Claims processing etc...
Quietly and while people are not paying attention instead of improving Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefits the government is raising the age at which an individual can claim full benefits. People waiting to the age of 70 to receive their CPP will receive 42% more than those that start receiving at 65.

Top Canadian CEOs making year's salary in half-day, says study

Would you pay off your mortgage if it meant not feeding your kids?

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[Service Canada workers] have been forbidden from giving out the toll-free number for a complaints centre set up to help with overdue claims – unless someone asked for it by name. Honestly, if you were in dire straits, would you think to ask for the toll-free number for “The Office for Client Satisfaction”?

Would you pay off your mortgage if it meant not feeding your kids? | PSAC