THE ELECTION ISSUE SHATTERED: National Association of Federal Retirees
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FALL 2015
PRICE: $4.95
The great divide: Divorce
and the older couple PAGE 21
Berlin by daylight PAGE 25
Fitness for the long haul
PAGE 34
THE
ELECTION ISSUE
SHATTERED:
How the permanent campaign is
changing Canadian politics PAGE 8
GROUND GAMES:
The five ridings to watch PAGE 12
PM40065047
ASSOCIATION
So long, everyone.
IT’S BEEN AN HONOUR.
I remember it like it was yesterday. have led, supported or implemented on behalf
of our members.
It was 1996, a full year into my retirement.
This is an exciting time for us, but it isn’t
My wife and I were invited to a meeting at
without challenges. The advocacy work we do
our local FSNA branch. Being newcomers to
is ongoing, with long-term goals that can, at
the area, we were keen to meet new folks
times, be difficult to bring into focus. And it’s
— and interested in learning more about
become increasingly difficult to attract new
the Association.
volunteers — our greatest strength — to carry
The evening proved pleasant and, a few months out the important and rewarding advocacy
later, we were invited to another meeting. The work we do. Gary Oberg Sylvia Ceacero
branch president told the audience the branch
I’ve come to realize that now is the time for
needed volunteers with computer experience.
a renewal of leadership. I hope the leaders
An abrupt jab to my ribs startled me — it was
of tomorrow will continue to move the Sylvia Ceacero has resigned from
my wife, encouraging me to step up. My first
Association forward with fresh ideas, forging her position as CEO of the National
instinct was to decline (surely it would cut into
this organization into an increasingly relevant, Association of Federal Retirees,
golf time) but, after further elbowing, I agreed to
powerful voice for federal retirees. effective July 31, 2015.
at least look into the idea.
Although a year remains in my mandate, We are thankful for Sylvia's dedication
That was 18 years ago. Passion and
I believe it is time for me to move on. and outstanding contributions over
enthusiasm for the Association grew within
me, and my belief in our mission and vision It’s been a distinct honour to serve this the past six years to the Association’s
flourished as the National Association of membership — a membership that has members, stakeholders, partners,
Federal Retirees grew and evolved. more than doubled in size since I joined. volunteers and staff. With her
I will cherish my years of service to this determined and tireless efforts, Sylvia
Our mission and vision have become more has successfully managed the many
organization, as well as each member on
inclusive, yet we remain focused on our demands of our organization and
whose behalf I’ve worked, each friendship that
raison d’être. We’ve recognized the wisdom was instrumental in recruiting an
blossomed with volunteers and members.
in advocating for retirement security for all excellent senior staff team. Under
Canadians, along with health care security, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to CEO
Sylvia’s leadership and prudent
veterans’ and seniors’ issues; we all stand Sylvia Ceacero and her dedicated staff.
fiscal management, the Association
to win when we work towards making these These wonderful individuals work tirelessly
has experienced an exciting growth
areas better. But we have not lost sight of on our behalf; without them, we would not
SPECIAL RATES the single most important constant in this be the strong and progressive Association
in membership and revenues that
bodes very well for the future of
FOR ASSOCIATION MEMBERS Association: our focus on protecting the we are today.
the organization.
pensions and benefits of our members.
It is with mixed emotions that I bid farewell to
Although Sylvia is moving on to new
We’ve adapted to the digital age and my director responsibilities with the Association.
challenges, the National Association of
we’re keeping pace with rapidly changing It has been a privilege to serve you, and I leave
Federal Retirees will continue to benefit
demographics. Sage magazine, a new with the hope that I may have played a small
from the positive legacy she leaves
governance framework, new membership role in the evolution of our Association during a
behind. We wish her all the best.
cards, the option to pay membership fees time of tremendous change.
online and, soon, a new website that will Mrs. Debbie Bernhardt, current Director
Sincerely,
serve as a retirement portal for our members of Finance and Administration, will be
— these are just some of the ambitious and GARY OBERG the acting CEO until a new CEO has
successful projects our National Office staff Former President been appointed.
National Association of Federal Retirees
FALL 2015 VOL. 7 SAGE
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ASSOCIATION
17 25
DEAR SAGE
Keep those letters and emails coming, folks. Our mailing address is:
National Association of Federal Retirees, 1052 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa, ON K1K 3B4
PUBLISHER Or you can email us at sage@fsna.com
Sayward Montague
21 Manager, Advocacy and Communications
EDITOR
Doug Beazley
CFO Having just read Ron Seabrook’s indignant letter (in our summer Pension Wars
John Butterfield
8 EDITORIAL COORDINATORS
Karen Ruttan and Angela Johnston
issue — ed.), I cannot help but respond.
Who am I? I am a former proud Conservative, who was a delegate
Dear Sage,
12
Your article in the summer edition of Sage (The Coming War Over
CREATIVE CONSULTANT to the PC convention of May 2003 held in Toronto. After attending
Sally Douglas Retirement) speaks to the issue of pension envy and the federal
this horrible meeting during which the Harper gang hijacked the old
CONTRIBUTORS
government's ambition to have us all doing with less (except
PC party, I could not remain a Conservative. I am now very much in
CONTENTS Susan Delacourt, Paul Barber, Elizabeth Thompson, senators and MPs) by forcing pensioners into target benefit plans
Alan Freeman, BJ Siekierski, James Munson, Janice favour of strategic voting. The strategic vote is a means of getting
rather than the current defined benefit plans they have earned.
Dickson, Alice Musabende, Mike Bruce, Sue McGarvie rid of Harper’s disastrous regime.
3 A MESSAGE FROM FORMER 32 ROAD RULES: EVEN SHORT TRIPS TRANSLATION SERVICES
Annie Bourret and Lynda Bolduc Harper Conservatives are destroying Canada, including Canadian
It is the government itself that has been propagating
PRESIDENT GARY OBERG NEED INSURANCE falsehoods such as advising the private sector that these
GRAPHIC DESIGN science and Canadian lakes and just about everything that
pensions are unsustainable.
5 DEAR SAGE 33 MOVIN’ ON UP Two Blonde Chicks Inc. Design + Marketing Group Canadians used to hold dear. Mr. Seabrook didn’t make it clear
Whether it’s to the east side or the west COVER ART whether he is in favour of Canada’s traditional Conservatism or I am amazed that the press has not looked deeply into the facts
8 DIVIDE AND CONQUER side, watch out for some common pitfalls Patrick Corrigan Harper’s disastrous agenda. The traditional Conservatives, as I had and reported same. I believe there is great ignorance out there
How the permanent campaign is killing when comparing moving prices. PHOTOGRAPHY about how federal pensions actually work and when people are
been, are likely to despise Harper and all he stands for. No doubt
the idea of ‘national’ politics — with Matthew Usherwood
there are numerous former Conservatives who share my views. told that the federal government actually "stole" some 30 billion
dire consequences for how we govern 34 FITNESS FOR THE LONG HAUL PRINTING
dollars from my husband's RCMP pension (along with others),
ourselves. SUSAN DELACOURT Don’t let the return of cool weather divert St. Joseph Print Group — K. Jean Cottam, PhD
you from your fitness goals. MIKE BRUCE they are truly dumbfounded.
12 ELECTION 2015 — WHERE THE Letters to the Editor or to contact the National
RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD 35 MONKEY BUSINESS Association of Federal Retirees:
Perhaps (the National Association of Federal Retirees) should place
full-page editorials in Canada's newspapers across the country
Forget the national polls. Here are five When it comes to love and sex, our genes 613.745.2559 (toll-free 1.855.304.4700) Thank you for the excellent article on the subjects of assisted death
ridings that bear watching. PAUL BARBER do a lot of the thinking for us. SUE MCGARVIE 1052 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa ON K1K 3B4 putting into perspective exactly what has happened. I believe it
and palliative care (‘A Question of Death and Life'). Those with the
sage@fsna.com is time to hit Stephen Harper where it hurts. His only ambition is
17 THE POLITICS OF RETIREMENT 37 ASK THE HEALTH OFFICER same opinion might also find the book by Atul Gawande, titled
to further erode the public service and then tell everyone he has
As the population ages, voters worry Health care is a provincial responsibility, Sage Magazine is produced under license. "Being Mortal", worth reading.
more and more about how they'll live in Publication # 40065047 ISSN 2292-7166 balanced the budget — unfortunately on the backs of those same
but how can federal government policies
retirement. We spoke to representatives of affect the health care system and our Keep up the good work. people who serve our country. Shame on him and the rest of his
Return undeliverable copies to:
the major federal parties to find out how insurance plans? cronies in the Conservative Party of Canada.
they plan to tackle the problem.
Sage Magazine, 17 York Street, Suite 201 Sincerely,
Ottawa ON K1N 9J6
38 ASK THE PENSION OFFICER Baily Seshagiri
Keep up the good work in protecting those who worked tirelessly
21 WELCOME TO SPLITSVILLE For information on advertising in Sage, please contact: for the good of this country only to be tossed to the wind at the
The number of couples divorcing later
in life is on the rise. What’s going on?
39 ASK THE VETERANS OFFICER Reid Savein: 416.898.9299 | info@searchlings.com whim of a government obsessed with the bottom line!
ELIZABETH THOMPSON
40 ADVOCACY IN ACTION To become a preferred partner of the
National Association of Federal Retirees, contact
— Julie Dunn
Let’s make Election 2015 our moment.
25 BERLIN BY DAYLIGHT Sayward Montague at 613.745.2559
Once a city shadowed by its past, Berlin
has emerged as one of the world’s most
41 ASSOCIATION NEWS Cover price $4.95 per issue
Member subscription is $5.40 per year,
dazzling tourism destinations. ALAN FREEMAN 43 BRANCH ANNOUNCEMENTS included in Association membership
31 ASK THE PHARMACIST 46 IN MEMORIAM
Non-member subscription is $14.80 per year
Non-members contact National Association
Better ways to beat pain. of Federal Retirees for subscriptions
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4 SAGE FALL 2015 VOL. 7 FALL 2015 VOL. 7 SAGE
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ASSOCIATION
I read your excellent article but found the research somewhat I am a retired federal public servant, and I golf with seven other CALLING ALL MEMBERS
light. In 1981 the Saskatchewan government set up a new, fully retirees, none of whom were public servants.
funded Defined Contribution Plan (DC) for all new employees.
On hearing that my contribution to my health care premiums will be
Existing employees had to make a choice between remaining in
increased from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, their question to me was
the old Defined Benefit Plan (DB) or switching to the new plan.
IT’S TIME TO FLY
"Why should we pay 75 per cent of your premiums?"
The option was well explained to employees and the change met
little resistance. What a great opportunity now exists to examine I wanted to run away and hide.
these two opposing types of pension plans when considering the
— Howard Perrigo
proposed Target Benefit Pension Plan. The Saskatchewan plans have
co-existed for over 30 years, thus making for a great case study. This
is especially interesting in light of what the investment market has
gone through during that time. An interesting/fascinating comparison
would be to calculate actual pension payouts at specific points in
I just finished reading the summer issue from cover to cover and
thoroughly enjoyed it. The articles were interesting, succinct and
REFER TO WIN
time for the DC and DB plans, then factoring in a hypothetical Target informative. Thank you! CONTEST
Benefit Plan payout for the same periods. This case study would
Keep up the good work.
explain what is being proposed in very real terms.
— Nona Nalley
Advice from actuaries can be somewhat self-serving. Actuaries
make their living charging fees for time-consuming, complex,
very expensive pension valuations which have to be done regularly
by law for all DB plans. DC plans do not require actuaries, which
make them far less costly to operate. Target Benefit Pensions are
a compromise … giving actuaries the same or even more work.
You can draw your own conclusions.
Refer a new member for a chance to
win up to 180,000 Aeroplan Miles ®
— Victor Klassen
with our new Refer to Win contest.
To enter visit federalretirees.ca/ReferToWin
SPEAK OUT FOR 180,00
FEDERAL RETIREES 0
REFER TO WIN
FEATURE FEATURE
Along the Trans-Canada the mass-market broadcasters. This is a THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
party that has built its electoral success on
highway, near the little Manitoba finding target audiences in strategic areas
town of Landmark and not across the country and building, in the words
far outside Winnipeg, a sign of former Conservative campaign chief Tom
Flanagan, a “minimum winning coalition.”
stands at the side of the road:
Flanagan, who has written some of the
“Longitudinal Centre of Canada. most insightful books on how Harper’s
96° (degrees) 48’ 35.” Conservatives win and keep power, was A scene from the 2011 election debate:
one of the academics taking part this Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, and
For mapmakers, it’s easy enough to find year in the Canadian Political Science Prime Minister Stephen Harper look on as
the country’s dead centre: just count up Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff responds to
Association’s all-day workshop on the a question Wednesday, April 13, 2011.
the meridians east to west and divide by so-called “permanent campaign.” This is
two. But politics is a lot more complicated the phenomenon of elections that never
than cartography — and Canada’s political really begin or end — where parties never
centre has no handy signpost. stop fighting each other and the periods
Though Canadian voters are hearing a lot between the official election campaigns This is the phenomenon of
about the plight of the middle class in this still look an awful lot like the campaigns elections that never really
campaign, the election battle itself isn’t themselves. Permanent campaigning
being fought anywhere near the middle of sharpens differences between parties, begin or end — where
the road, politically speaking. In a campaign distilling everything into distinct choices:
left versus right, business versus unions …
parties never stop fighting
climate dominated by “micro-targeting,”
niche audiences, polarization and “playing even good versus evil. It generally does not each other and the periods
reward collaboration between parties — or
to the base”, our political ideas about
Canada as a single, mass-market nation politicians who try to find middle ground. between the official
are looking more and more like relics of At the CPSA meeting, Flanagan talked election campaigns still
another time. about how the “mushy middle” can end up
pushed to the sidelines in modern Canadian
look an awful lot like the
Putting it another way, we’ve travelled
some distance since Pierre Trudeau talked politics — and how this could be bad news campaigns themselves.
about a nation “greater than the sum of for the traditionally centrist Liberal party.
its parts”, the place Joe Clark described as Flanagan called it “invasion from the
a “community of communities.” Federal margins” (which sounds like a great name can use. “Shutting down the national unity
political campaigns in Canada are now run for a science-fiction flick, come to think issue has really hurt the Liberal party by
by people skilled at seeing the nation as a of it). It happens, he said, when politics forcing politics back into a one-dimensional
series of small, demographic targets — a is focused on one thing — such as the mould,” he told me in an email.
community of its parts, you might say. And economy — and a left-right conflict takes So it may not be a mere coincidence
AND CONQUER
what’s true for the campaign is true, more shape as a result. When that happens, that the Liberal party was politically pre-
or less, for governance as well. said Flanagan, “centre parties tend to get eminent in the 20th-century age of mass
One sign of the decline of mass-market squeezed out if they have competitors marketing — and has done less well in the
politics could be found in how the Harper on both the left and right.” Flanagan was 21st century, the age of micro-targeted
Conservatives approached the leaders’ speaking in the early days of the New niche marketing.
election debates this year. In May, the Democratic Party’s surge in the polls, which
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has said on
Conservatives announced that Prime continued well into the summer and had
numerous occasions that while micro-
How the permanent campaign is killing the idea of Minister Stephen Harper likely would not be pundits talking about the coming election
as a stark confrontation between the right
targeting may win elections, it’s not a
participating in the traditional debates held
great tool for government. Back in 2012,
‘national’ politics — with dire consequences for by the broadcast consortium of the major and the left — with the Liberals as also-
before he became leader, Trudeau talked to
TV networks, opting instead to take part in rans, third players.
how we govern ourselves. a series of smaller debates. Centrist parties such as the Liberals do well
me for my book, Shopping For Votes, and
explained why Liberals have been less than
What was interesting about this decision was when national unity is an issue, Flanagan eager to embrace micro-targeting and the
SUSAN DELACOURT said, because it adds an extra dimension
the fact that Conservatives believed they segmentation of the electorate. In his mind,
wouldn’t pay a political price for abandoning to polarized politics that a centrist party those are the tools of polarized politics.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper addresses supporters in Truro, N.S. on Friday, May 15, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
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FEATURE FEATURE
“Parties that are positioned on the left or one-nation governance. “Micro-targeting the election, and all the political parties 150 corporate Canada CEOs to send a
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair,
right of the political spectrum can take is about finding new ways to talk to voters have been talking to Facebook Canada formal complaint earlier that year, arguing centre, poses with participants
advantage of certain constituencies that about the issues that are important to to get tips and guidance on ad strategies against a policy that would be bad for before the Canada Day tourney
are more engaged with activism or protest,” them but the values, the proposals, and to find their selected demographic targets. business. “Harper blew them off,” Whyte at the James Gardens Lawn
Bowling Club in Toronto on
Trudeau said. “Because we don’t have the message remain consistent.” wrote, noting that the government simply
Why would political parties choose to use Wednesday, July 1, 2015.
those natural constituencies, because we doubled down and launched a website and
While it’s true that the Conservatives Facebook over TV ads? Cost is one reason.
are trying to appeal to that broad swath ads that demonized the telecom sector.
appear to be no great fans of the mass- It’s much cheaper to throw up an online
of regular folks, the micro-targeting just Why? Because the Conservatives stood
market broadcasters, they still seem to find ad, rather than pay for the production and
doesn’t appeal to us. to gain more in donations by whipping up
the traditional networks good for one thing: distribution of television advertising. More
citizens’ anger against wireless rates.
“We’ve sort of bound ourselves as a party advertising. The airwaves were inundated to the point, though, television advertising
to saying the same things from one end this summer with ads by Conservatives is a bit like using a fire hose to water a “One hundred and fifty CEOs may rule
of the country to the other… and trying and the other parties — a reflection of the garden — it’s saturation coverage, when Canadian business, but at $1,200 a head
to govern for all the people, not just the fact that elections are decided by people all you may need is a watering can on they are worth at most $180,000 to Harper,”
people who voted for us.” who don’t pay attention to politics, who selected plants. Social media ads can be Whyte wrote. “So 150 of the biggest, fattest
only tune in if politics happens to intrude directed at the audiences you need: soccer CEOs in Canada wield less clout in Ottawa
The New Democrats, for their part, believe
on their favourite TV show. These “floating moms and dads, urban condo dwellers than any 150 Conservative hotheads in my
it’s possible to do both. Brad Lavigne and
voters” are a key, niche market for the or rural farmers. As a bonus, social media home riding of Edmonton Centre.”
Anne McGrath, the senior strategists who
political strategists who sift through data to ads give information back; parties can tell
will be steering the NDP campaign in Whyte rather dismally predicted that this
sort the population into supporters, who is reading their ads, who is pressing
the election, have spent years carefully would be the new reality. “We all need to
non-supporters and “persuadables.” “like” on Facebook or clicking links through
studying electoral demographics to find get used to national parties more interested
to donation sites. In the parlance of the
the next waves of NDP voters. In July, the Yet the increasing sophistication of that in capitalizing on problems than in fixing
professionals, the audience for online ads
NDP released an online ad slamming the data-gathering technology spells more bad them. Get used to reams of government
is interactive, not passive. It’s a perfect
Conservatives, which Lavigne said was being news for mass-market broadcasters, as it policy inexplicable but for its ability to
tool, in other words, if you’re in the
pushed out to target constituencies in the happens. In the United States, where many grease the bagman’s gears.”
business of seeing Canada as a collection
Greater Toronto Area as well as other parts Canadian politicos of all stripes have been
of demographic micro-targets. It’s also a It’s not just Bay Street getting the cold
of the country where the party’s research culling campaign tools and lessons for
very handy way to find the small donations shoulder, by the way. It’s also the idea of
had shown pockets of voters looking decades now, it’s predicted that Facebook
that are now the lifeblood of political party government by mass consensus.
favourably on the idea of an alternative to — yes, that place where you post pictures
operations in Canada, thanks to a decade’s
the Conservatives and Liberals. of your family and your pets — will become Whether or not you were in favour of the
worth of new limits on fundraising.
the go-to place for political advertising in taxpayer subsidy to political parties —
McGrath insists, though, that the NDP
the not-so-distant future. In the fall of 2013, Ken Whyte stood at officially phased out to zero earlier this year
message remains consistent — that the
the back of a hall at the Conservatives’ — you can’t ignore the effect the subsidy’s
party is not saying different things to “Facebook is on the cusp — and I suspect
annual convention in Calgary, listening to elimination has had on the idea of mass-
different audiences. 2016 will be the year this becomes clear
a speech by the party’s chief fundraiser, market politics in this country. As long as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau
— of replacing television advertising as the greets spectators during the
"The NDP campaign has a strong message Senator Irving Gerstein. Whyte, a former parties were getting a dollar or 75 cents for
place where American elections are fought Calgary Stampede parade in
focused on principled leadership and columnist and editor-in-chief who has each ballot cast for them, they had a strong Calgary, Friday, July 3, 2015.
and won,” Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of
concrete proposals to help the middle attended dozens of party conventions in financial incentive to go looking for as many
BuzzFeed, wrote late in 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
class. That message is the same across all his long journalistic career, had a moment votes as possible, in all regions of the country.
audiences and all platforms,” McGrath said Could we beat the U.S. to that goal? Here of revelation while listening to Gerstein —
Now, however, it’s far more efficient and
in an email, when asked about the potential in Canada, Facebook and the CTV network specifically, on how the party fundraising Where is the national strategy to fight and donations, in the midst of a permanent,
lucrative for parties to form policies and
conflict between micro-targeting and have formed a partnership already to cover rules in Canada have fundamentally altered climate change? Why can’t we have a polarizing campaign, during and between
legislation around the opinions and wishes
the way power works in this country. pharmacare program? Where is the nation elections, there is little incentive for
of the people Whyte calls the “hotheads.”
that is greater than the sum of its parts — Canadian politicians to seek out the centre.
Thanks to the ban on corporate donations, It also makes more sense now for parties
“We all need to get used to national parties more Whyte later wrote in Maclean’s magazine, to play to their bases — whipping up
or at least a community of communities?
So while this election campaign may see
governments and political parties don’t emotions and donations in some segments The answer to those questions might well plenty of politicians passing by Landmark,
interested in capitalizing on problems than in fixing them. really have to court big business anymore of the population, even if they come at the lie in the fact that while our problems — Man., and its geographical milepost, don't
Get used to reams of government policy inexplicable but — or even care about getting on the bad expense of other people or regions. from environmental degradation to income expect to see any party leaders striding into
side of Bay Street. He cited the Harper inequality — are growing in scope and the middle of the road. These days, that’s a
for its ability to grease the bagman’s gears.” government’s self-declared war on the
It’s almost a Canadian political cliché now
to lament our lack of a national vision, of
complexity, our politics seems to be getting good way to get run over. p
telecom business — which prompted smaller. In the quest for electoral victory
ambitious ideas for pan-Canadian projects.
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FEATURE FEATURE
SOUTH SHORE—ST. MARGARETS
BRIDGETOWN
MI
101 NA
101 S C HA
three-way race. Keddy's replacement,
MIDDLETON N NEL
CLARE
340
DIGBY, M.D.
DIGBY BERWICK
WEST NOVA
23-year old party activist Richard Clark,
PARADISE
LAKE
NOVA-OUEST AN NA POLIS
KEJIMKUJIK
YARMOUTH, M.D. NATIONAL PARK KENTVILLE
OF CANADA
LAKE
KING S
faces New Democrat Alex Godbold, a
PARC NATIONAL
VAUGHAN GASPEREAU
DU CANADA
YARMOUTH KEJIMKUJIK LAKE
203
WOLFVILLE
ARGYLE
KINGS—HANTS
teacher at a local French high school, and
KEJIMKUJIK
YA R M O U T H
LAKE GLOOSCAP 35
TUPPER
LAKE NEW
ROSS 20
SHERBROOKE
CALEDONIA LAKE
208 WINDSOR
Liberal Bernadette Jordan, a long-time
JORDAN LAKE NEW GERMANY NEW ROSS PENNAL 19
GREAT PUBNICO
LAKE ROSSIGNOL PONHOOK WILDCAT
LAKE 12
LAKE
MOLEGA
10 WEST HANTS
QUEENS LAKE 12
103 ER LUNENBURG, M.D. CHESTER
community activist.
PANUKE
RIV SHELBURNE, M.D. HA NTS
PONHOOK 14 LAKE
YD
E
SHELBUR NE LAKE 10 LU NE NB URG
GREENFIELD
101
CL
GOLD
3
BARRINGTON SOUTH SHORE — ST. MARGARETS RIVER 21
SHELBURNE QU EE NS BRIDGEWATER WESTERN EAST HANTS
JORDAN FALLS 8 SHORE
POCKWOCK
CLYDE RIVER 103 MAHONE
MARTINS LAKE
CLARK'S BAY
Godbold said voters in the district are
RIVER BOUTILIERS
HARBOUR SANDY PLEASANTVILLE FOX POINT
POINT SABLE MAHONE POINT
HALIFAX-OUEST
HALIFAX WEST
RIVER
MIDDLEWOOD BAY
MILTON LUNENBURG
BARRINGTON PORT ST. MARGARETS
PORT PORT BAY
BAY LA TOUR 3 MOUTON LIVERPOOL
MEDWAY
331
BROOKLYN
looking for better and more affordable
LOCKEPORT RIVERPORT
HACKETTS
COVE
HALIFAX
333
TERENCE
BAY
childcare in rural areas. "Women in rural
HALIFAX
areas of a riding, and men too, are not
ATLANTIC CANADA
PENNANT HALIFAX
BAY
HARBOUR
ATLANTIC OCEAN
OCÉAN ATLANTIQUE only concerned with access to affordable
0 10 20 km
childcare but to access to childcare at all,
The Conservatives have lost a lot of Representation Order of 2013
Décret de représentation électorale de 2013
full stop,” he said.
incumbents in Nova Scotia and are now
Health care and aging infrastructure are
defending such seats as Central Nova,
2015
important issues for Liberal Bernadette
ELECTION
R
South Shore-St. Margaret's and West Nova
B B E
Jordan, but the big issue remains
U
with new candidates.
E R
employment and a greying population: "In
WHERE T H
Atlantic Canada has long viewed the our riding we have a huge problem of out-
federal government as a key source of migration. We’re losing our young people."
ALFRED-PELLAN
EDEY
117
OM
B O UL VARD NOTRE
E
LAVAL
IDES
-DAME
E CH
economic support, particularly through
LAVAL—LES ÎLES
LAURENT
ROUT
VIMY
D
AUTO
A
RD DES
O
Employment Insurance. The Harper
R
BOULEVA
PIERREFONDS—
H E
DOLLARD
government’s aggressive cuts to public
S T
BO
MEET
U
spending have hurt it politically in the
LE
BOULE VA
VA
RD
R
GO T
A ES
IES
D ES
D
CANA
BO U LE TIE N
L A U REN
UIN RI
BOULEVARD
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O
AL E
region. The Liberals have been the
(CN)
VARD
ST
RD
RUE DE SALABERRY ULE
VA BOURASSA
BO
AV EN
DES
BOULEVARD
15
UE PA
O'BRIEN
TOUPIN
AHUNTSIC-
principal beneficiaries of that slide; up
PINEA
RU
CARTIERVILLE
E LA
(C N)
U
NAL
RU
NATIO
JE U
ST
an average of 11 percentage points over
E BE
OUE IE N
ASSA AD
NES
UR ES T C AN
SAINT-LÉONARD—
RR
I-BO (Ahuntsic-Cartierville) UVÉ
SE
HE NR
AV EN
E SA
I
RU
SAINT-MICHEL
UL.
BO MONTRÉAL
UE
2011, the Liberals could take as many
ST
CH
OU E
AVENUE O'BRIEN
VÉ
BO
RIS
U
E SA 19
ULE
RU
TO
AU
TO
VA R
PH
R
E-C
as two-thirds of Atlantic seats, while the
OU
D SA
SAINT-LAURENT
TE
OLO
BO
INT-
AU
ULE
MB
DES
LA U
TO
VA R
R
13
OU
REN
LAUR
NDP's recent gains suggest the party now
DD
OP O LI
TE
BOULEVARD DE LA CÔTE-VERTU MÉT R TA
IN
T
E
E
.
ENTI
ar watching
L'AC
UT E
RUE
DE
FÉ TORO
AD
DORVAL—LACHINE—LASALLE
LIX AU
S
SAIN
IE
has an excellent chance of retaining seats
-LE
C LE
gs that be
RC
T- D
EN
IS
ve ridin and gaining new ones. PAPINEAU
a re fi QUEBEC
CH
e re
EM
. H
ational polls
IN R
MONT-ROYAL
OC
BER
AUTOROUTE DE LA C ÔT E-D
E-L
520
PAUL BAR
IE S SE
KL AN
Keep an eye on South Shore-
Forget the n
MONT-ROYAL
D
0 0.5 1 km MOUNT ROYAL ROSEMONT—
LA PETITE-PATRIE
St. Margaret's, which runs along the The Orange Wave is back. As of late July
coast south of Halifax and includes the NDP appeared to have enough support
Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg. Incumbent to win back most of the seats they won in
long-time Conservative MP Gerald Keddy 2011. At the same time, Justin Trudeau's
is retiring and this contest looks like a Liberals had re-asserted their dominance
Back in the spring, the Globe boss — using words like "controlling," Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 10 points and quickly. The party in third place can
in anglophone Quebec and among
"arrogant" and "tyrant" to describe in Ontario and 15 points in Atlantic leapfrog into top spot because of factors
and Mail sent a reporter to Montreal's immigrant voters.
Peter MacKay's Central Nova
Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Canada. (There had been little change
in Tory fortunes in Quebec, the province
playing out at the regional level. A party
might be much stronger on the ground
South Shore- The wild card here is the Bloc Québécois,
The problem with tracking federal
riding after the cabinet minister politics in a country as big and
where the party saw its weakest results than the polls suggest because (for St. Margaret's once again under the leadership of Gilles
in 2011.) example) it’s better at mobilizing the vote. Duceppe — who can expect a struggle
announced his retirement from diverse as Canada is one of focus;
So don’t expect to learn much from the
• Three way race
winning back NDP votes from Tom Mulcair,
elections happen nationally but they’re The Conservatives’ shortfalls have been
federal politics. national numbers this time. • Mainly small town and rural the most popular leader in Quebec.
fought on the ground, riding by riding. partly offset by a tight split in support
Voters in the riding gave the Globe By mid-July the Harper Conservatives between the New Democrats and Liberals. Instead, here are a handful of key ridings • 97% English-speaking The riding to watch here is Ahuntsic-
a slightly confusing impression of had seen their national support drop After New Democrat Rachel Notley won that bear watching in October — places Cartierville in north-central Montreal,
• 95% non-immigrant
their voting plans; while a lot of them significantly — but not consistently the Alberta provincial election in early where the results reflect regional trends where the 2011 results in the new
said they still admired MacKay, a lot — from 2011 levels, losing on average May, the federal NDP surged to a narrow and can offer hints about who’s got the • 7% employed in farming, boundaries suggest a close three-way
also said they weren’t wild about his about seven points in their strongholds lead in a three-way race. But in such a best shot at moving into 24 Sussex. forestry and fishing race. Bloc MP turned New Democrat
of B.C. and Alberta, 14 points in close campaign, anything can happen — Maria Mourani is running. As of late
Stephen Harper on the campaign trail in 2006. THE CANADIAN PRESS//Tom Hanson
12 I SAGE FALL 2015 VOL. 7 FALL 2015 VOL. 7 SAGE
I
13
FEATURE FEATURE
AJAX
WANUSKEWIN ROAD
CORMAN PARK
CONCESSION ROAD 5 NO. 344 CARLTON TRAIL—EAGLE CREEK
SENTIER CARLTON—EAGLE CREEK
July it appeared probable that the Liberal Brampton, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Ajax, Holland has been reaching out to Muslim issues such as child care and child benefits.
SIDELINE 16
(CN)
candidate would be Melanie Joly, who Whitby, Durham and Pickering in 2011, voters in the riding; over the summer he His principal opponent, New Democrat
ION AL
N NAT
CANADIA
finished a surprising second in the 2013 winning all but a couple of seats. Harper's was fasting for a charity called Give 30, veterinarian Claire Card, agrees child care
RANGE ROAD 3050
CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY (CPR) 16
TAUNTON ROAD W TAUNTON ROAD E
Montreal mayoral race. PICKERING WHITBY
polling losses in Ontario have been smaller which fundraises for food banks during matters in the riding — but so does the
D
SALEM ROAD N
SU
IV E
DR 41
WESTNEY ROAD N
PICKERING— DURHAM 51S T S TREET E LENORE
UXBRIDGE
than elsewhere — but he risks losing Ramadan. "And I’ve had a lot of local track record of the Harper government
AN
EW
Mourani's replacement as Bloc candidate,
ROA D
TCH
SASKATOON—UNIVERSITY
S ASKA
seats in 905 along with the eight the party Muslim families ask me to break my fast itself. "I think you’ll find that among the
WARMAN
SASKATOON WEST
BLACKLEY ROAD
SASKATOON
activist and Cégep teacher Nicolas Bourdon,
ESC ENT E
CR
SASKATOON-OUEST A
RE
WHITBY IÈ
IN
RIV
D
captured in Toronto. with them in the evenings,” he said. educated and the younger voters, the
SPA
ROSSLAND ROAD W ROSSLAND ROAD E
BROCK ROAD
LLEWELLYN ROAD
will face a stiff test repeating Bloc success
CIR CLE
D R IVE E
R IVER
AJAX
environment and climate change inaction
DRIVE N
CENTRAL AVENUE
A T T R IDG E DRIVE
here, one of just four constituencies won by A key 905 electoral confrontation will occur Alexander, whose constituency office is
33RD ST E
M
AN
C
5
IDYLWYLD
EW
O
CHURCH STREET N
RM
are discussed quite a bit."
G
ATCH
ON
R
D
AY
PRESTON AVEN UE
D
AV
the Bloc in 2011. (Mourani was expelled from in the riding of Ajax, where Citizenship adjacent to the Ajax GO train station, is
SASK
RIV
EN
108TH STREET W AD
U
E
E
RO
KER R
AJAX
H
E
UT
KINGSTON ROAD W KINGSTON ROAD E RIV
D
the Bloc over her vocal opposition to the and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander sometimes seen there greeting potential Other likely NDP targets in Saskatchewan
SO
CHURCH STREET S
E
DU
EG
SALEM ROAD S
LL
NOTION ROAD
LAKE RIDGE ROAD
VE S
CO
FFIN
SASKATCHEWAN
DR I
SASKATOON—GRASSWOOD
S
IVE
AVENUE S
MCKERCHER DR
former PQ government's ‘charter of values’.) faces a return match with Mark Holland, voters and handing out granola bars. include the other two Saskatoon seats
CA
CORMAN PARK
NA
Y LD
DIA
401 16 NO. 344
N
PA
LW
C
HARWOOD
IF
CRE
Y
8TH STREET E
ID
IC
EK
the three-time Liberal MP he defeated in — Saskatoon West and Saskatoon
0 0.75 1.5 km
RA
IL
W
AY
Quebec is the province where One key government initiative that
(C
PR
)
2011. The NDP banner is being carried by Saskatchewan remains a Conservative Grasswood. New Democrats also have
BAYLY STREET W BAYLY STREET E
VICTORIA STREET W
dissatisfaction with the Harper government could help Alexander is the commitment
SQUIRES BEACH ROAD
Stephanie Brown, a political science and stronghold despite some loss of support. hopes of winning two Regina constituencies
is strongest. The Conservatives believed announced in July to double the federal
philosophy student at the University of However, a radical re-drawing of electoral and the northern riding of Desnethé—
they could strengthen their foothold here contribution to the nearby Rouge National
Toronto. Holland had a reputation as an boundaries gives the NDP opportunities Missinippi—Churchill River.
by tapping into fears about terrorism. The FRISCO
ROAD
Urban Park. For Alexander, the project to use
party did jump in the polls in rural Quebec ONTARIO effective opposition member, leading the
the expropriated lands for a park rectified "a
in Regina and Saskatoon. Before 2015,
Globe and Mail to claim he had the "status
0 0.75 1.5 km LAKE ONTARIO
LAC ONTARIO the constituencies in the two cities were
and the Quebec City area following the breach of faith and trust for the taxpayers,
Representation Order of 2013
of most-hated Liberal MP among Stephen partly urban, partly rural — combining ALBERTA
attacks in Paris in January, but Conservative For the Conservatives, Ontario presents the for property owners, with communities."
Décret de représentation électorale de 2013
Harper’s Conservatives." rural areas dominated by the Conservatives
support in the province has since faded. greatest opportunities for both success and
with the cities, where the New Democrats Notley’s win opened doors for the NDP
failure. The party has been doing relatively Alexander’s cabinet status makes Ajax a
here, particularly in Edmonton. Already,
well here. Its problem is that it must repeat high-value target for both the Conservatives MANITOBA are stronger. This, combined with a
three Edmonton-area Conservative MPs,
Ahuntsic-Cartierville the 19-point lead it achieved in 2011, which their rivals. It’s suburban — Highway 401
majority vote province-wide for the
Conservatives, has helped shut out the representing areas swept provincially by the
was key to capturing scores of seats. and the GO Train are vital links to downtown Provincial politics is casting a long
• Key Liberal target shadow over the federal race here. The NDP in Saskatchewan since 2006. NDP, say they are not running for re-election.
Toronto — and like all of southern Ontario
Ontario was hard hit by the economic Alberta's political history includes at least
• Multi-cultural and multilingual the riding is ethnically diverse. NDP provincial government is suffering Redistribution created exclusively urban
slowdown post-2008, with GDP growth two instances where provincial success was
in the polls because of a sales tax hike ridings that could fall to the NDP. One
• 40% immigrant including declining despite a pickup in 2014 and a later echoed federally.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick and divisions within the party over the example is Saskatoon—University,
Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Greek, weaker dollar. Manufacturing, particularly in
leadership of Premier Greg Selinger. covering southeastern Saskatoon. There’s a key difference between the
Armenian southwestern Ontario, has been struggling.
Meanwhile, Manitobans have been Population growth there has been rapid, federal and provincial scenes, however. The
Having sold themselves as responsible
• Half have French as mother unhappy with the Harper government reflecting strong growth in the economy. Alberta New Democrats could exploit vote-
managers of the economy, the Harper
tongue over issues such as the termination of splitting on the right between the provincial
Conservatives may be forced to take some of Conservative candidate MP Brad Trost
the Canadian Wheat Board’s marketing Conservatives and Wildrose; that’s not
• 90% speak French, 56% are the blame for Ontario's economic setbacks estimates that one home in six in the riding
monopoly and lagging federal assistance an option for their federal cousins. The
bilingual — unless, as Premier Kathleen Wynne was is less than 10 years old. The relatively
for flooding compensation. Conservative party remains strong enough
able to do in last year's provincial election, young population drives up the value of
• 55% speak non-official languages to win most of Alberta’s seats.
they can cast doubt on the alternatives. The Liberals have been the principal
Ajax Liberal candidate Mark Holland.
beneficiaries of anti-Harper feelings here The drop in oil prices has led to economic
Expect some overlap in Ontario between
and look to be in a good position to pick decline in Alberta, so the opposition parties
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair
federal and provincial party brands. Premier
up Conservative-held ridings in south
Saskatoon University could take away a handful of Tory seats in
announces the candidacy Wynne’s provincial Liberal government has
Winnipeg, including St. Boniface, Winnipeg • New all urban riding and Calgary and Edmonton. At the moment the
of Maria Mourani, right, in
Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
suffered setbacks to its popularity over
issues like the privatization of electrical
Ajax South and Winnipeg South Centre. Despite NDP target NDP holds one, Edmonton Strathcona.
its difficulties, the NDP has a good chance
utility Hydro One. If Ontario voters aren’t • Key 905 Liberal-Conservative • 17% Ukrainian, 6% Aboriginal
to win back Elmwood-Transcona.
happy with Wynne, they may decide to battleground
• Many languages spoken
punish Trudeau for it.
• Culturally diverse, many recent including Dutch, German,
The Harper Conservatives have enjoyed immigrants Ukrainian, Arabic, Hindi,
some success in Ontario in targeting middle Urdu, Chinese, Tagalog
• Languages spoken include
class suburban immigrants. The 905 belt
Italian, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, • University of Saskatchewan
around Toronto was key to the party’s 2011
performance in Ontario; the Conservatives
Farsi, Tagalog, Tamil, Sinhalese located here
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
swept the suburbs of Mississauga,
I
14 SAGE FALL 2015 VOL. 7 FALL 2015 VOL. 7 SAGE
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FEATURE FEATURE
BURNABY NORTH—SEYMOUR BURNABY-NORD—SEYMOUR
GREATER VANCOUVER A
PORT COQUITLAM
THE
EL
SA
COQUITLAM—
Y
A poll done in May gave the NDP a big lead environmental issues such as the Kinder
EK
CR E
here, reflecting the party's overall surge Morgan pipeline, as well as repealing
CO
W
LD
EL
POLITICS
C RE E K
L
GREATER VANCOUVER in support in B.C. Opponents scoffed at some of the more controversial laws
NORTH VANCOUVER
the results. "What I think is interesting is of the Harper Conservative era, such
SH
ON
E
R
E
RIV
PE
that there’s a sitting NDP MP in this riding as Bill C-51.
CR E E
K
RC
Y
BURNABY NORTH — SEYMOUR
LY
N
BURNABY-NORD—SEYMOUR
who has chosen to run in another riding
ANMORE
N
Local Green candidate Lynne Quarmby
CRE E
K
CR
EE
and a Conservative MP from what’s now
K
M
AR
made news last fall when she was
HI GHWAY
this riding that chose to run in another,”
OF
NORTH VANCOUVER RACOON
arrested for civil disobedience while
OU R
ISLAND
said Liberal candidate Terry Beech. “They
AD
MOUNTAIN
SE Y M
RO
N
IA
ET
protesting the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
D
OO
IN
LILL
have access to all of the same numbers
RETIREMENT
BELCARRA
PORT MOODY—COQUITLAM “I felt like my voice just wasn’t being
UR
PARKWAY
we did and I think that does something to
heard as a citizen.”
O
M
EY
MO U N T S BURRARD INLET 3
highlight the Liberal opportunity here, that
DO L BOULDER
LA ISLAND
RT
O
N HIGHWAY
SEYMOUR VANCOUVER
CREEK 2 HARBOUR
PORT MOODY
BURRARD
INLET PORT
MOODY
two MPs from other parties have made the
decision in other, likely safer ridings.”
BOUNDARY ROAD
HWA
BAR NET H IG Y
SO, WHAT DOES IT
VANCOUVER EAST
VANCOUVER-EST
BAR NET
RO A D
HASTINGS STREET BURNAB
First-time NDP candidate and retired judge
ALL MEAN?
Y
HOLDOM AVENUE
M
SPERLING AVENUE
UN
O
1 TA
IN P A RKW
AY
NORTH ROAD
7 BURNABY
G
AG
LA
RDI
WA
Y
Carol Baird Ellan has some experience
LO
UG
H
COQUITLAM
in doorstepping voters. "My first job was
As the population ages, voters worry
EE
D
VANCOUVER HIGHWAY
VANCOUVER
BURNABY SOUTH
BURNABY-SUD
AUSTIN AVENUE door-to-door sales, selling brushes for the What few people understood about the
KINGSWAY 0 1 2 km
Fuller Brush Company when I was 15, Harper government’s majority win in 2011
BRITISH COLUMBIA Representation Order of 2013
Décret de représentation électorale de 2013
so knocking on doors is pretty natural was its fragility; any number of factors more and more about how they'll live in
for me." She said she will campaign on could have left Harper with another
B.C. is big and very diverse politically — minority. Another factor weighing against retirement. We spoke to representatives
and this is the province where the Harper the Conservatives this time could be the
of the major federal parties to find out
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Conservatives have seen their deepest impact of strategic voting as Canadians
regional erosion in support levels, having
lost about a third of their 2011 vote.
cast ballots for their second-choice how they plan to tackle the problem.
candidates to prevent Conservative wins.
The province is critical to the Liberals, who Over the past two years, most poll Interviews conducted by:
made big gains here early in Trudeau's results would have produced a House BJ SIEKIERSKI, JAMES MUNSON, JANICE DICKSON
leadership. B.C. is home to the western of Commons controlled by the NDP
side of Trudeau's family and Pierre Trudeau and ALICE MUSABENDE
and the Liberals combined. Most of the
made a major breakthrough here in 1968. polls going into the writ period suggest
The environment competes with resource that no single party will have more than
development for voter attention. A relatively Former provincial court chief judge fifty per cent of the seats. Much depends
and NDP candidate Carol Baird Ellan on the campaign, of course — but how
minor oil spill created a controversy that
(Burnaby North-Seymour). Please note these interviews have been edited for length.
highlighted federal cuts to the Coast Guard to make the 42nd Parliament work could
and triggered widespread media coverage. turn out to be the critical question on the
morning after. p EMPLOYMENT MINISTER S: The late Finance minister Jim Flaherty S: If the problem is that people aren’t
The NDP did well here last time and is on PIERRE POILIEVRE: rejected the idea of a voluntary CPP saving enough, how will this help?
track to do well again in 2015. With the Burnaby North- ‘I think a dollar for dollar is very fair.’ enhancement approach a few years ago. P: Well, what’s ironic is that the Liberals say
Liberals’ strength and the Conservatives’ Seymour Why are you considering it now? that people can’t afford to contribute more
slide in support, expect competitive P: I think, at the time, Minister Flaherty saw to their Tax-Free Savings Accounts, yet they
races in suburban Vancouver ridings like • Key suburban Vancouver Sage: In the last budget you said you’re some logistical challenges which we have say that people can afford to pay a new
Burnaby North-Seymour, one of six new battleground assessing a voluntary target benefit plan since been advised … can be overcome. tax for a government pension scheme. Our
ridings in the province. Its importance for Crown corporations and federally- There’s no question that we should retain approach has always been to give people
• Multilingual, multi-ethnic
to the government was highlighted regulated private sector plans. Where the existing mandatory CPP ... However, options and let them choose.
by Harper’s visit in April to announce • 24% have Chinese origins does that stand? if people believe they’re best served by
expansion of the Canada Student Grants Poilievre: That is ongoing. I don’t think voluntarily expanding their contribution S: If you had a choice between offering
• Nearly half speak non-official
program. In attendance was Conservative you’ll see anything announced (before to the CPP in exchange for an enhanced voluntary CPP enhancement and giving
languages
candidate Mike Little. the election), but that would be under retirement benefit, then we want to look more TFSA contribution room, what
• Riding includes working the purview of … probably the Treasury at ways for them to do that. would you prefer?
harbour on Burrard Inlet Board president.
I
16 SAGE FALL 2015 VOL. 7 FALL 2015 VOL. 7 SAGE
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FEATURE FEATURE
S: Your government has introduced TOM MULCAIR: S: Would you tie health transfers to the M: Again, this is something that was
several measures for long-term care — ‘You have to respect the deal.’ number of seniors in a province? done unilaterally. When you’re changing
the extension of compassionate care the conditions unilaterally, that is not
"Changes … to be
M: That’s exactly the type of argument that
EI benefits, for example. Might we see some provinces will make, while another good faith. made by the government
more for long-term care? Sage: Ottawa wants a “voluntary target
province will make a different one. That’s why
P: Well, my belief has always been
benefit option” for some employees.
you have to sit down and do the hard work.
S: But will you reverse the decision? need to be negotiated in
Should the federal government honour
that family is the greatest social safety
the terms of pension agreements?
We will seek to incorporate things like
M: The NDP will always act in good
faith in these issues. The wages that
good faith."
net we have. The expansion of the catastrophic medical coverage for the
compassionate leave under EI to six Mulcair: The important thing is you have are being deferred and that come out in
cost of pharmaceuticals, and look at
months from six weeks — it allows family to understand that this type of benefit is a the form of a pension and other benefits
how we can make sure that we can
members to take care of each other in deferred wage. When you have a deal, you are not to be tinkered with unilaterally
integrate newer drugs while the system
those last painful months of irreversible have to respect the deal. and retroactively.
remains sustainable.
illness. That’s also consistent with our
S: Is a voluntary target benefit option
approach on (the) Registered Disability S: What would you do about home care
a good idea?
Savings Plan … why not allow parents and long term care?
a tool where they can set aside money M: All Canadians should have access to
M: That would be included in talks with the
JUSTIN TRUDEAU:
and prepare a nice stable nest egg so a pension with a defined benefit. (Prime ‘Changing the rules retroactively
provinces. Fifty years ago, if you were talking
… is unacceptable.’
"Our approach has that … their disabled child can live a Minister Stephen) Harper tries to take away
benefits to create a level playing field. I’m
about medical care, that was synonymous
dignified life? with hospital care. Today you can get better
always been to give going to try to add benefits to create a level
results by keeping people at home. Sage: The federal government intends
S: Your government tied the Canada playing field.
people options and Health Transfer to average GDP We want the next round of health accords to study a “voluntary target benefit
to be a serious, substantive discussion option” for employees of federally
let them choose." growth starting in 2017, with a floor S: Why is an expanded Canadian
Pension Plan (CPP) the best way to with all the provinces and territories so regulated entities. What’s your position
of 3 per cent. The (Parliamentary
close the gap between savings and that we can look at this with a very modern on accumulated benefits?
Budget Officer) suggests the costs S: The government is open to voluntary
will be shifted to the provinces and retirement needs? sort of eyes and try to find a solution for the Trudeau: I was relieved the government enhanced CPP/QPP contributions. Are
that could lead to a shortage of M: Given the number of people who are next generation. didn’t move ahead on this. They probably
P: I think we can do both. That’s what we voluntary savings options enough?
resources in the system. arriving at retirement without enough to made a smart calculation that taking
said we’ll do. S: Would you reverse Ottawa’s decision T: I don’t believe voluntary savings programs
live on, increasing the CPP is the most away benefits from seniors that had
P: The irony is that nominal GDP — that’s to increase premiums for the Public are enough. The government’s own study
S: Some people say the decision in effective way of getting a result. been earned and accrued over years,
inflation and GDP combined — let’s say Service Health Care Plan? concluded it wouldn’t be enough.
2012 to increase the eligibility age retroactively, is unacceptable, would
that on average it’ll be four per cent. That’s
for OAS and GIS will increase the S: Why would you reverse the cost them too high politically, and it’s
pretty reasonable. The federal transfer is S: The government says it is open
number of seniors living in poverty. government’s decision to increase wrong in principle.
growing at twice the rate as the growth to consultation on voluntary
And yet, there’s money for things in Ontario’s health care spending. The
the eligibility age for Old Age Security
(OAS) from 65 to 67?
"I’m going to try to add S: Do you believe that governments
contributions to the CPP/QPP. What’s
like income-splitting? problem isn’t that the provinces don’t have your position on this?
P: Every government in the OECD is enough federal money. It’s that many of M: I’ve never been able to find this benefits to create a level should honour the terms they agreed
T: Ontario, for example, has made it clear
to in pension plans?
making changes to the age of eligibility them are not spending it on health care. statement where (Harper) told Canadians
that he was seeking a mandate to increase
playing field." T: Changing the rules retroactively, unless
they don’t want to move forward with an
for income security programs. When OAS I mean, in Ontario, the Liberal government Ontario Pension Plan. In my conversations
the retirement age by two years. there’s a grievous error or unforeseen
came into place in the 50s, the average is just squandering it on every cockamamie with Kathleen Wynne and other premiers,
consequences, is unacceptable.
person lived to 69 and OAS was available scheme that comes along. I’ve seen a very clear desire to move
S: Will you reverse the increased
at 70. So the average person didn’t get S: Do you see a role for target benefit forward on an expanded CPP.
S: The 2014 budget increased share of health care costs falling
any OAS. Now eligibility is 65, and people plans beyond the employers mentioned
premiums for retirees in the public on the provinces?
live to about 81-and-a-half years. What the S: The increase in the age of eligibility
in the budget?
prime minister proposed is a very gradual service health care plan. Could we M: Mr. Harper has yet to attend a single for OAS from 65 to 67, and the decline in
see further changes? meeting of the Council of the Federation. T: One of the things we’ve seen this overall pension coverage, could increase
and mild increase in the age of eligibility,
We will go back to the six per cent (increase government do too much in the past is the number of seniors living in poverty.
from 65 to 67. So anybody who is currently P: I think a dollar for dollar is very fair. And
in the Canada Health Transfer to the make unilateral decisions about employees What’s your position?
over the age, of say 57-58, will not notice if you go into the private sector and ask
provinces per year) until such time as we under its domain. Changes … to be made
any difference. people — you tell people that they could T: On top of that, it’s another form of
sit down with the provinces for a new long- by the government need to be negotiated
get a dollar for dollar supplementary health downloading onto the provinces. We are
term health care accord. in good faith.
plan — they would be ecstatic. unequivocally opposed to raising the age on
OAS eligibility retirement from 65 to 67.
I
18 SAGE FALL 2015 VOL. 7 FALL 2015 VOL. 7 SAGE
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