FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2023

PRESS RELEASE: UCP government tries to bury pension debate

Smith government tried to bury idea of pulling Alberta out of CPP, but it’s clearly far from dead

EDMONTON – The UCP government tried to bury the campaign it created to pull Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan, but it’s not dead, says Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) President Gil McGowan in reaction to today’s Speech from the Throne.

“The plan to pull Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is a zombie policy that refuses to die. It’s been wandering around this province for generations. UCP Leader Danielle Smith is the latest conservative leader to reanimate the putrid policy, and now seems to try to bury it, but it’s clearly far from dead,” says McGowan, referencing today’s Speech from the Throne, where the idea of pulling Alberta out of the CPP wasn’t even mentioned.

“The UCP’s plan is to persuade Albertans to pull their retirement security out of the Canada Pension Plan and put it in a smaller Alberta-alone scheme with the potential of having Danielle Smith directing investments. That’s truly scary for anyone contemplating a safe and stable retirement.

“Like a classic horror movie, the scary part is mostly hidden. Albertans know Danielle Smith’s agenda of messing with their CPP is still there in the shadows. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.”

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