AQRP introduces bill that would allow retired civil servants to be consulted<br>about the future of their pension plans

QUEBEC, Sept. 30 /CNW Telbec/ - In front of the National Assembly, a huge crowd gathered together thousands of retired civil servants from all over Quebec as the Association québécoise des retraité(e)s des secteurs public et parapublic (AQRP) revealed a legislative proposal that exemplifies the demand for a work group as set forth by the main associations representing retired civil servants attending this event. Essentially, the legislative proposal seeks to form an advisory committee overseeing pension plans for the public and paragovernmental sectors. The advisory committee would be comprised equally of government representatives and pension plan beneficiaries.

"Last week, as public debate considered the possibility of tariff increases or budgetary reductions, retired civil servants discovered that their pension plans presented a shortfall of 2.4 billion dollars. The news could not have come at a worse time since negotiations with the public and paragovernmental sectors have just begun. Will the government keep its commitment to maintain our benefits, despite the historic loss experienced by the Caisse de dépôt et placement? This disturbing question is a clear reminder that retirees' are powerless and are excluded from any discussions dealing with the future of their own pension plans.

Therefore, a large number of retired civil servants gathered together in front of the National Assembly to demand a joint work group with the government that would develop into an opportunity to discuss public and paragovernmental pension plan parameters as a whole. To prove the feasibility of such demand to the government, the AQRP decided on a rather unusual approach: to publicly reveal a legislative proposal clearly exemplifying and illustrating the demand submitted by the main associations representing retired civil servants in Quebec.

If this legislative proposal had the strength of a law today, the State's retired workers would, and for the first time ever, be consulted on the future or their own pension plans. Last year, at this same date, representatives from all parties represented at the National Assembly agreed, upon the express request of the AQRP, to convene a committee to deal with the future of our pension plans. We are therefore asking Members of the Finance Commission to invite us to present, as part of a committee, this legislative proposal," declared the vice-president of AQRP, Mr Roch Perreault.

The legislative proposal was drawn up by Mr Stéphane Rochette, from Tremblay Bois Mignault Lemay, a legal office specializing in public law.

    
    The complete text of this bill is available at this address:
    http://files.newswire.ca/766/projet_de_loi-fin.pdf
    

AREQ finally disclosed a survey in which 79% of Quebeckers would support the proposal put forth by retired civil servants.

About AQRP

AQRP is Quebec's largest independent organization representing retired unionized public and paragovernmental workers. Quebec has more than 247,000 retirees from the public and paragovernmental sectors.

For further information: Mathieu Santerre, [phone], [email protected]; Source: AQRP