Alberta Pension Protection Act Adopted Under Time Allocation
On December 6, the United Conservative Party (UCP) government of Alberta railroaded Bill 2, bizarrely named the Alberta Pension Protection Act, through Third (Final) Reading so that it was passed in the early hours of the morning. Bill 2 states that the government must hold a referendum before Alberta can leave the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and establish an Alberta Pension Plan. Two amendments put forward by the opposition NDP were voted down. The first amendment called for the referendum to be binding on the government, and the second that the legislation specify that all future contributions to a provincial plan could be used only for that purpose.
Following passage of Bill 2, the legislature was abruptly adjourned ahead of schedule. The use of "time allocation" confirmed once more that legislatures have become quite superfluous in the democratic process which is wielded by private interests through the executive powers. No date has been set for the legislature to reconvene, and the government is not required to present the 2024 schedule until January 15. At the same time, it was announced that the telephone "town halls" set up to promote the Alberta Pension Plan scheme would be paused until the Chief Actuary of Canada provides their estimate of what Alberta might receive if it left the CPP, which is expected no earlier than February.
The fact that a referendum, if held, is not even binding shows that this is merely a PR exercise, and an abysmal one at that. The "consultations" and "engagement" about the UCP's proposal to leave the Canada Pension Plan have only served to underscore that the people have no role in decision-making. There is broad disgust with the use of public funds to disinform the public and push the government's agenda and call it consulting Albertans.
The use of "telephone town halls" is itself a favourite tool of UCP governments. Everyone is invited to call in but how those who get to speak are chosen is decided behind closed doors. In the recent telephone "town halls" about pensions, the moderator even intervened to argue with and abuse speakers who didn't promote the government's agenda. What passes for consultation shows the utter refusal of governments to recognize the necessity for a new direction for the economy based on nation-building and looking after the needs of the people, including security and dignity in retirement.
Drama about "defending Alberta" is used to cover up the reality of the role Alberta has been given in service of the U.S. war machine and economy, at a time when the people of the world are speaking with one voice to Stop the Genocide of the Palestinian People! and against the depravity of U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. imperialism. How could it be otherwise when the Danielle Smith government is a corrupt government which is quite content to use its positions of power and privilege to declare that whatever it does is legal, legitimate and laudatory.
This article was published in
Volume 53
Number 12 - December 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2023/Articles/M530123.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca