Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley blasted Premier Danielle Smith for not speaking about the Alberta Pension Plan (APP) during the election in the first Question Period since it. “But once elected, this premier immediately started spending public dollars trying to convince Albertans that her risky plan full of nonsensical calculation isn’t the egregious risk everyone already knows it to be,” said Notley in a Tuesday speech in the Alberta Legislature. “Will the premier now admit that she knew Albertans were so strongly opposed to leaving the CPP (Canada Pension Plan) that she intentionally hid her CPP plans until after the election?” During the election, Smith said she was waiting on the report from LifeWorks and would release it, hold consultations and could go to a referendum about it. “Unlike the member opposite from Calgary-Elbow, who said he doesn’t want Albertans to know this information, doesn’t want them to decide and even if they did decide to go, the member opposite in that party wouldn’t abide by the member’s wishes,” said Smith. “We listen to Albertans on this.” The APP could save Albertans billions of dollars each year, with lower contribution rates, higher benefits and stronger benefit security for families and retirees, according to a September 21 report conducted by LifeWorks. READ MORE: UPDATED: Report says Alberta provincial pension move could save people billions“This report shows a made-in-Alberta pension plan could put more money in the pockets of hard-working families and business owners and improve retirement security for seniors,” said Smith. “We want to hear from you because it’s your pension, your choice.” While Smith continues to push the LifeWorks report, Notley said she knows the numbers cannot be trusted. “In fact, last week she admitted that a court would have to be the one to confirm the real number for Albertans,” she said. “Meanwhile, she’s spending $7.5 million of Albertans’ money on advertising full of half-baked claims based on this discredited report.” In response, she asked why she “was spending Albertans’ money to promote facts which when pressed, even she admits are not reliable and cannot be relied on by Albertans.” Since Notley has accepted the carbon tax is unfair, Smith said she will “justify why she spent $9 million convincing Albertans that they should have had a carbon tax that she now doesn’t even seem to agree with.” “What I would say is we stand by our numbers,” she said. “The federal government has disputed it.” The Canadian government has not provided alternative numbers. She predicted the Alberta government will be able to put them forward if provided. Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault said on October 22 Albertans can pull out of the CPP if they go to a referendum, “but it’s a one-way ticket.”READ MORE: WATCH: Employment minister says no going back for Alberta if it leaves pension plan“You don’t get to come back,” said Boissonnault. “That’s also very clear in this legislation.”
Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley blasted Premier Danielle Smith for not speaking about the Alberta Pension Plan (APP) during the election in the first Question Period since it. “But once elected, this premier immediately started spending public dollars trying to convince Albertans that her risky plan full of nonsensical calculation isn’t the egregious risk everyone already knows it to be,” said Notley in a Tuesday speech in the Alberta Legislature. “Will the premier now admit that she knew Albertans were so strongly opposed to leaving the CPP (Canada Pension Plan) that she intentionally hid her CPP plans until after the election?” During the election, Smith said she was waiting on the report from LifeWorks and would release it, hold consultations and could go to a referendum about it. “Unlike the member opposite from Calgary-Elbow, who said he doesn’t want Albertans to know this information, doesn’t want them to decide and even if they did decide to go, the member opposite in that party wouldn’t abide by the member’s wishes,” said Smith. “We listen to Albertans on this.” The APP could save Albertans billions of dollars each year, with lower contribution rates, higher benefits and stronger benefit security for families and retirees, according to a September 21 report conducted by LifeWorks. READ MORE: UPDATED: Report says Alberta provincial pension move could save people billions“This report shows a made-in-Alberta pension plan could put more money in the pockets of hard-working families and business owners and improve retirement security for seniors,” said Smith. “We want to hear from you because it’s your pension, your choice.” While Smith continues to push the LifeWorks report, Notley said she knows the numbers cannot be trusted. “In fact, last week she admitted that a court would have to be the one to confirm the real number for Albertans,” she said. “Meanwhile, she’s spending $7.5 million of Albertans’ money on advertising full of half-baked claims based on this discredited report.” In response, she asked why she “was spending Albertans’ money to promote facts which when pressed, even she admits are not reliable and cannot be relied on by Albertans.” Since Notley has accepted the carbon tax is unfair, Smith said she will “justify why she spent $9 million convincing Albertans that they should have had a carbon tax that she now doesn’t even seem to agree with.” “What I would say is we stand by our numbers,” she said. “The federal government has disputed it.” The Canadian government has not provided alternative numbers. She predicted the Alberta government will be able to put them forward if provided. Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault said on October 22 Albertans can pull out of the CPP if they go to a referendum, “but it’s a one-way ticket.”READ MORE: WATCH: Employment minister says no going back for Alberta if it leaves pension plan“You don’t get to come back,” said Boissonnault. “That’s also very clear in this legislation.”
