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Federal government to hold hearings on pension reform

The Globe and Mail reports that, “Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will ask Canadians how best to reform the country’s pension system.”

“Mr. Flaherty has announced plans for a string of town-hall meetings, expert roundtables, policy conferences and public online consultations aimed involving a wide variety of Canadians in the discussion. Ottawa wants to sound out public opinion on the state of retirement income in time for a federal-provincial meeting in May, where finance ministers hope to narrow a wide range of reform options.”

A media release from the Department of Finance states, “The public town hall meetings will be held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Quebec City, and Richmond, British Columbia. Roundtable discussions with invited key stakeholders, experts and representatives from provincial and territorial governments will take place in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and London, Ontario.”

The on-line consultation (which has an April 30 deadline) is at http://www.fin.gc.ca/activty/consult/retirement-eng.asp#background-eng.asp.

A campaign blog on the inadequate state of public pensions in Canada – VIEW: ‘Double CPP benefits’, says Georgetti – can be read at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=787. As well, Council of Canadians Board member Fred Wilson’s blog on pensions is at http://www.rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/fwilson/2009/10/pension-week-canada.

The Finance Canada media release is at http://www.fin.gc.ca/n10/10-022-eng.asp.

The Globe and Mail article can be read at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ottawa-launching-pension-consultations/article1510367/.