EDMONTON – The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) successfully organized Days of Action to encourage Albertans to tell their MLAs to keep their “hands off our CPP” and stop threatening to put our Canada Pension Plan at risk. Participants left notes on the doors and windows of MLA constituency offices across Alberta with the message that they reject the Alberta government’s plan to leave the CPP.

“Albertans have been clear in telephone town halls, on social media, in public polls, and gatherings across the province: they don’t want this provincial government anywhere near their pension savings,” said AFL president Gil McGowan. “This week, hundreds of workers went directly to their local constituency office to send that message.”

Last year, the Alberta government proposed to take the Canada Pension Plan away from Albertans and replace it with a reckless stand-alone plan that would put retirements at great risk for no real reward. As a voice for workers and retirees, the AFL is actively opposing this plan, including releasing a detailed report on the many shortcomings of the proposed provincial pension plan.

During the AFL’s Days of Action, Albertans visited their provincial constituency offices to stick notes with their views to the front of the office doors and windows. Activists were encouraged to post photos of their notes using the social media hashtag #HandsOffOurCPP.

Over 20 hand-made signs attached to Danielle Smith’s office included the phrases: “We don’t trust Dani”, “Listen to us!”, and “Enough already”.

“Lots of messages and post-it notes sent by Raging Grannies and other seniors! Hopefully @neudorf_ab reads & acts on our concerns.” was posted by a senior outside of Minister Nathan Neudorf’s constituency office in Lethbridge East.

“We know the fight to save the Canada Pension Plan is just beginning,” concluded McGowan. “We’ll be continuing to fight to protect workers’ retirement savings at the Legislature in the spring.