Ontario nurses support CLC plan to expand CPP

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty urged not to sell out the majority of Canadians to the banks and insurance companies

TORONTO, Dec. 17 /CNW/ - Members of the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) are contacting federal Finance Minister The Hon. Jim Flaherty today, reminding him that the majority of Canadians support the labour movement's plan to expand the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

"Minister Flaherty should be ashamed of himself for turning his back on the majority of Ontarians in favour of the few bank and insurance company executives who stand to profit from his pooled-savings gimmick," said Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN, President of the Ontario Nurses' Association.

"A private, defined contribution gimmick isn't a plan," said Haslam-Stroud. "It guarantees workers nothing except what they'd pay in."

"The daughters and sons of Ontario's nurses, who are struggling with the worst labour market conditions in this recession, deserve better," said Haslam-Stroud. "Everyone deserves retirement security and a phased-in increase of CPP contributions would cover all employees with our safe, portable and efficient national pension plan."

The Canadian Labour Congress' (CLC) plan to gradually increase CPP contributions by 0.43 per cent of pensionable earnings for workers and employers over seven years would effectively double the average earnings replaced by CPP pension benefits, to a maximum of $1,868 (in 2010 dollars) per month.

Expanding the CPP is the best option and it's supported by pensioners, students, Canada's mayors and Ontario Finance Minister The Hon. Dwight Duncan.

"Ontario nurses' message to provincial and territorial finance ministers is: Don't be bullied by the Conservative minority," said Haslam-Stroud. "The majority of Canadians know that expanding the CPP is the right plan, so stand up for us and let Mr. Flaherty isolate himself as he shills for his unimaginably rich friends who can't resist finding another way to gouge us with service fees."

For further information:

Ontario Nurses' Association
Ken Marciniec 416-964-8833 ext.2306; 416-803-6066 (cell)
Ruth Featherstone 416-964-8833 ext.2267.