I first became concerned about the Canada Pension
Plan when I was working the census and demographics group at the
City of Calgary, in the mid 90's. It was there that I begin researching
and discussing the future of the Canada Pension Plan system. After
looking at this issue for many years, I have concluded that the
current Canada Pension Plan system constitutes a serious injustice
against the young of this country.
Basically, we have historically advantaged older
generations who have designed a system to benefit themselves at
the expense of younger historically disadvantaged generations.
What we have the most fundamental level is a gross violation of
the intergenerational social contract.
Since I believe that younger generations are being
grossly abused, changes must occur to benefits. Although some
charge that they have a right to Canada Pension Plan benefits,
I argue that there is little obligation to those who have contributed
to the Canada Pension Plan system. While we do however have a
general obligation to keep all elderly out of poverty, we do not
have an obligation to maintain seniors in middle-class lifestyles.
Given these views, I believe that the federal government
should make the following changes.
All elderly who can maintain incomes above the Stats
Canada low income level must be removed from any government assistance.
This would include elderly who hold significant assets, like houses,
which can be turned into income through reverse mortgages and
lifetime lease arrangements. This would mean a majority of seniors
would be removed from government assistance, yet no one would
be left in poverty.
Although, I believe that the Canada Pension Plan
is an abusive system, I don't have any illusion that full justice
will be done for my generation. The federal government is faced
with powerful senior's lobby groups, an older generation who believe
they are entitled to Canada Pension Plan money, older generations
who are highly consumeristic and materialistically orientated.
In my discussions with the elderly Canadians, I
have discovered many who agree with my analysis of the situation.
It is not just the young who realize that the current situation
can not continue. Many elderly who love young people and want
to nurture a healthy Canada, wish radical cuts to the Canada Pension
Plan program.
