The BC Liberal government of Premier Christy Clark should stop delaying the modest expansion of the Canadian Pension Plan and sign the agreement other provinces and the federal government developed, CUPE BC President Paul Faoro said today.
“I’ve written to the Premier to tell her that delaying CPP expansion is not an option, and that she should sign the agreement immediately,” said Faoro. “As I said in the letter, we have to take action now so that future generations of retirees won’t have to make the desperate choice between food or medicine that so many seniors today are faced with.”
An agreement between most provinces and the federal government was reached in June, with a July 15 deadline for provinces to officially sign on. On that same day, the BC Liberals announced a month-long “consultation” on the agreement before the province would formally agree.
“The delay from the Clark government is clearly due to pressure from right-wing groups like the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses and the Fraser Institute,” said Faoro. “If the BC Liberals actually do sign on to the agreement it would be one of the first times—if not the only time—that this government has acted in the best interests of all British Columbians and not just the powerful and well-connected.
“I would strongly encourage anyone who supports this modest expansion of the CPP—a small but important step—to write to the Premier and tell her to end the delay and sign the agreement,” said Faoro.
Faoro’s letter to the Premier can be seen here.
