UCP needs to keep its hands off our CPP
By Lethbridge Herald on December 30, 2023.
AT THE LEGISLATURE
Shannon Phillips – NDP MLA for Lethbridge West
Hands off our CPP! That message has been delivered far and wide to the UCP government by Albertans worried about their retirement security.
The Alberta NDP Caucus has had nearly 40,000 people fill out our survey at http://www.AlbertasFuture.ca and more than 90 per cent have said they do not want to leave the Canada Pension Plan.
We’ve also held town halls attended by hundreds of Albertans while the government largely continues to hide behind pre-screened telephone “consultation” and other methods that don’t actually constitute real engagement.
At those town halls, Albertans have proudly stood and said they’re Canadian first, they support a national pension plan and they like the security CPP provides. It is, after all, a renowned pension plan by all measures and I have been so impressed with the level of dialogue and understanding of those I’ve talked to about the benefits CPP provides from coast to coast.
As one survey respondent wrote, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
I couldn’t agree more.
But, my friends, this fight is far from over.
The UCP Finance Minister attempted to assure Albertans before Christmas that he would pause work to leave CPP until further information from the federal government was provided, yet the UCP continues to advertise and promote a website designed entirely to garner favour for leaving CPP.
The website proclaims “What’s In It For You?” right on its entry page. The answer? Nothing except uncertainty after so many years of you working so hard for your pension.
It would appear the Finance Minister’s claim of a pause was a diversion tactic and nothing more. One thing is clear, however, we have this government on the ropes when it comes to this pension plot. Now is the time to fight harder, not let up.
The Alberta NDP stands with you in support of CPP and we will be ramping up our efforts to protect pensions come the new year. We recently announced a series of new town halls in January and February at http://www.AlbertasFuture.ca, including one right here in Lethbridge on Jan. 30 that will be co-hosted by Calgary-Mountain View MLA Kathleen Ganley and yours truly. There will be others too, in Medicine Hat, High River, Edmonton, Calgary, and elsewhere. We’re even planning to hold one in the Finance Minister’s own riding of Drumheller-Stettler — if he won’t listen to his own constituents, we will. Register now to attend these town halls so we can make sure we save you a seat.
We are also out pounding the pavement and providing literature with accurate information sources about pensions directly to people in their homes.
And we might just have to start a lawn sign campaign too… anything to get the message out.
Friends, we will do everything in our power to ensure the CPP is there for you.
At the end of the day, it’s your pension — it doesn’t belong to me, it doesn’t belong to Justin Trudeau and it certainly doesn’t belong to Danielle Smith. Let’s make 2024 the year we protected pensions for each and every Albertan.
Cheers and happy new year!
18-17
The dynamics and out put of the CPP is such that a monkey could have done better. Actually it appears the monkeys are in charge. And yes, it isn’t yours, Albertans will decide in a referendum. Your job is to scream and natter long and hard and make sure that Albertans DO NOT get their democratic right to vote on anything as the control freaks, well, want to stay in control. Here are some current stats of the “wonderful” return that your Singh/Trudeau coalition have managed to perform. Performance noted is for the fiscal year 2023 ending March 31.
Net Assets: 570 Billion
Net Income for the year: 8 billion
Net return: 1.3%
Dollar value added: 2 billion one year, 7 billion over 5 years
Percentage value added: 1.3% per year. 0.8% 5 year annualized
Dollar Value added: 47 billion since inception of active management in 2006
We can do better, and yes Shannon even your hopeful government could do better. Better as in return and not sniping and whining. Wouldn’t you just love to be in charge of the APP, bet you can’t say no.
1.8% in a 5% CD world is pathetic, ask a monkey.
For more, of what lies ahead with the Smith UCP and Alberta besides them plowing ahead with their APP plans no matter what, this blog is an apt description:
“What can we expect from the UCP in 2024? Not just more of the same – a lot more! How does one provide thoughtful analysis when the UCP Government’s obvious plan going forward is: Same s**t, different year?”
http://www.albertapolitics.ca
Dave eh. Wouldn’t want a democratic vote either.