PSAC presents pension petition in Charlottetown

PSAC representatives were in Charlottetown this weekend to present its pension petition to Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.

Flaherty and all the provincial and territorial finance ministers were in Charlottetown discussing ways of improving retirement security.

Options on the table are varied. On the one hand, there's the Canadian Labour Congress' Retirement Security for All campaign.

On the other, banks and right wing think tanks are proposing increased contribution limits for RRSPs, voluntary private retirement savings plans, income splitting for pensioners and other measures that mostly benefit wealthy people.

The union is encouraging members to send messages to media outlets about retirement security.

"Those who stand to profit from increased reliance on private savings instead of public pensions have ample voice in the media," said PSAC National President John Gordon. "We need to speak up or all the chatter will be about choosing between bad and worse."

The finance ministers meeting is a lead up to the Council of the Federation meeting in August, where provincial premiers will decide on any changes to be made to Canada's retirement programs.

English
Content Type: