“This isn’t an Alberta pension plan, it’s an Alberta pension scam,” says McGowan

EDMONTON – The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) has launched a digital ad campaign comparing the Alberta government’s controversial plan to pull Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to a fairytale – but one without the happily ever after. Other ads in the campaign assert that the UCP’s scheme should be referred to as the “Alberta Pension Scam” not the “Alberta pension plan.”

The AFL ads are designed to counter the Alberta government’s multi-million-dollar ad campaign.

“The Alberta government is spending huge amounts of public money to create a fairytale of misinformation, trying to convince us to give up a secure and well-managed pension plan,” said AFL president Gil McGowan. “But Albertans see through the spin. They can see what’s really going on. This isn’t an Alberta pension plan. It’s an Alberta pension scam.”

Three ads will roll out on digital platforms starting today. One will tell Albertans that they don’t need to “believe the fairytale” of the Alberta government’s scheme. Another will assert that the UCP’s plan is similar to a scam phone call. A third will show “corrected” versions of the government’s ads.

Reports indicate that the UCP may have spent as much as $7.5 million dollars on online, broadcast, and print ads. McGowan said that Albertans are ready to “close the government’s storybook” and hear a different perspective.

“Albertans know that leaving the CPP is reckless, risky, and irresponsible,” concluded McGowan. “But we can come together to join the fight for a happily ever after to this story. And we can do that by staying in the Canada Pension Plan. That’s the best way to safeguard our retirement security.”

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MEDIA CONTACT:
John Ashton
Director of Communications, AFL
E-mail: jashton@afl.org