The Canwest News Service reports that, “Susan Eng, a leading pension reform advocate at CARP, an organization dedicated to advancing the interests of aging Canadians, says a recent decision to establish a federal-provincial research group to report by the end of the year on the adequacy of retirement income should not be construed as action.”
“She and others are pressing for a national summit on pension reform, an idea the Harper government has so far declined to embrace.”
Recently, “New Democrat Wayne Marston successfully navigated a motion through the House of Commons that called for reforms to ensure the sustainability of Canadians’ retirement income. MPs from all parties rallied around the spirit of the non-binding motion and approved it by a stunning 294-0 vote just days before Parliament rose for the summer recess. It advocated beefing up CPP, OAS and GIS and establishing a self-financing pension insurance program for employer plans. It also said pension funds should go to the front of the line of creditors in bankruptcies, a measure long sought by unions, employee groups and politicians of all political stripes.”
Eng says these steps are “a drop in the bucket” compared to what needs to be done.
To read the canpaign blog on Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti’s call to double CPP benefits, please go to http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=787.
The Canadian Labour Congress is also calling for a national summit on pensions.
Today’s Canwest News Service article is at http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=6cd69983-6f3b-497d-b219-38b4e88c87cd.
