Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says if Alberta were to quit the Canada Pension Plan it would require a 害羞草研究所渃omplex and multi-year process害羞草研究所� of negotiating international social security agreements to deal with contributors who work abroad.

Freeland said Friday (Nov. 3) that would be among the steps the Alberta and federal governments would have to take if the province were to withdraw from the federal retirement plan and set up its own.

Her remarks followed a virtual meeting with provincial finance ministers, in which she says they discussed the consequences of Alberta going it alone.

害羞草研究所淥f course Alberta has the right to withdraw,害羞草研究所� Freeland told reporters.

害羞草研究所淏ut Alberta害羞草研究所檚 choice about the (Canada Pension Plan) also implicates every single Canadian.害羞草研究所�

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Freeland, who called herself a 害羞草研究所減roud daughter of Alberta,害羞草研究所� said she is hearing from Albertans concerned about the idea.

She added she is asking the chief actuary to 害羞草研究所減rovide an estimate of the asset transfer,害羞草研究所� based on a 害羞草研究所渞easonable interpretation of the provisions in the (Canada Pension Plan) legislation.害羞草研究所�

Following the meeting, Alberta害羞草研究所檚 Finance Minister Nate Horner said he was encouraged to hear Ottawa would be providing an actuarial analysis.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e been asking for this for several weeks,害羞草研究所� he said in a statement.

害羞草研究所淭o be clear, Alberta is committed to making sure that any potential creation of an Alberta Pension Plan will not leave our fellow Canadians without a stable pension and its associated benefits.害羞草研究所�

On the issue of negotiating international social security agreements, Freeland told reporters that if Alberta launched its own program it would need to 害羞草研究所渆nsure similar treatment of contributors who spend part of their careers abroad.害羞草研究所�

Quebec has negotiated its own such agreements with 39 countries, while Canada has done the same with 60.

害羞草研究所淭his would be a complex and multi-year process and it would be taking place at a time of real uncertainty,害羞草研究所� Freeland said, both in terms of 害羞草研究所済eopolitical uncertainty害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所済lobal economic uncertainty.害羞草研究所�

The Alberta government argues its workers have contributed an oversized share to the national fund and would be in line for big savings and payouts if it were to leave the CPP.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had planned to hold a possible referendum on leaving the CPP in 2025, but now says she won害羞草研究所檛 go ahead with such a vote until governments or the courts deliver a hard number on how much Alberta would get if it leaves.

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New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said he understands why Smith is proposing to pull her province out of the Canada Pension Plan.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 feel Alberta is leaving Canada,害羞草研究所� Higgs said outside the legislature in Fredericton. 害羞草研究所淚 think that Canada, in many ways, has left Alberta.害羞草研究所�

He said that as the premier of a Maritime province that receives federal equalization payments, it害羞草研究所檚 worth noting that Alberta has been a major contributor to those funds. And he questioned why federal policies are 害羞草研究所渟hutting down (Alberta害羞草研究所檚) resource revenues at a time when they害羞草研究所檙e trying to reconfigure their economy.害羞草研究所�

Higgs did not elaborate, but said Alberta害羞草研究所檚 bid to leave the pension plan represents a 害羞草研究所渟hot across the bow害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渁 reality check.害羞草研究所�

However, the New Brunswick premier said he did not agree with Smith害羞草研究所檚 approach.

害羞草研究所淚f Alberta came out of the CPP funding formula, it would be a major problem 害羞草研究所� for Canadians across the country. I don害羞草研究所檛 think that害羞草研究所檚 Alberta害羞草研究所檚 intention.害羞草研究所�

Last month, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre encouraged Albertans to stay in the federal pension plan.

But he blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for creating the conditions, through measures such as carbon pricing, that would push the province to consider other options.

Nova Scotia害羞草研究所檚 Finance Minister Allan MacMaster, who chairs the council of provincial and territorial finance ministers, told reporters that every province expressed how much they care about the Canada Pension Plan during the meeting.

He said he believes the pension plan is better with Alberta in it.

害羞草研究所淲e want them to stay, and there was real consensus on that today,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 want to cause concern for people. I want people to know that there害羞草研究所檚 a strong consensus around the country about the importance of the Canada Pension Plan and we all want to work together to keep it the way it is.害羞草研究所�

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy called unity a strength of the CPP.

害羞草研究所淚n a period of economic uncertainty, no Ontarian 害羞草研究所� or Canadian 害羞草研究所� should have to worry about the security of their retirement savings. Unity is a strength of the CPP, and it is a strength of our country. But unity requires fairness.害羞草研究所�

British Columbia Premier David Eby said during an unrelated news conference in Vancouver that the main concern for B.C. residents and Canadians as a whole is that the pension plan will be there for them.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 secure, it害羞草研究所檚 funded, it allows you to retire anywhere in Canada, (as) many Albertans know who are living in British Columbia right now, and it works.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� With files from Allison Jones in Toronto, Dirk Meissner in Victoria and Michael MacDonald and Keith Doucette in Halifax.

Stephanie Taylor and Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press