Citing the 害羞草研究所渃omplicated害羞草研究所� nature of pensions and need for all provinces and territories to weigh in, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland would not provide a specific timeline for determining how much Alberta would be entitled to if it leaves the Canada Pension Plan.
Speaking after a meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts, Freeland said officials reported back to the group Friday (Dec. 15) about the work involved with arriving at the number, which she requested from the chief actuary in November.
Those officials suggested they needed to meet again in January to discuss progress, 害羞草研究所渁nd we all agreed that was a good idea,害羞草研究所� she said.
The ministers held a special meeting last month to discuss Alberta Premier Danielle Smith害羞草研究所檚 push to quit the Canada Pension Plan for an Alberta-only version.
Smith began her push to exit CPP in September, when she released a Lifeworks report estimating Alberta is entitled to $334 billion, or 53 per cent, of the Canada Pension Plan if it starts its own pension program.
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Other economists, including those with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, believe Alberta害羞草研究所檚 share is closer to its percentage of the CPP membership, at about 15 per cent.
To settle the debate, Freeland is seeking a number from the chief actuary, but when pressed Friday about whether it could take months or even until summer to arrive at that figure, she offered no timeline.
害羞草研究所淚 learned during the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations never to answer hypothetical questions. It害羞草研究所檚 not a good idea for an elected political leader,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淲hat I think was very clear in the conversation today, when we heard back from officials was how technical this work is 害羞草研究所� we agreed that we害羞草研究所檙e going to do the work and define the tasking very carefully, very deliberately and crucially, really transparently.害羞草研究所�
Freeland said some ministers were 害羞草研究所渆motional害羞草研究所� talking about the pension issue because many people are anxious about it and the certainty of receiving a pension is a 害羞草研究所渉uge comfort害羞草研究所� to Canadians.
Asked about the pension portions of the meeting, Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner said, 害羞草研究所淚 am pleased Minister Freeland agreed that the chief actuary should rely on their own legal analysis and not what the federal government says.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he decision to move forward with an Alberta pension plan is up to Albertans,害羞草研究所� he wrote in a statement.
Freeland said in her remarks that any province or territory can leave the federal pension plan.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no debate about that,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淭he federal government害羞草研究所檚 contention, though, is first and foremost that we have a great system. We have a system that works, which actually is the envy of the world.害羞草研究所�
After the day害羞草研究所檚 meeting wrapped up, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said conversations around the pension issue had been 害羞草研究所渧ery collaborative.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淎lberta being in the pension plan害羞草研究所� is good for Alberta, it害羞草研究所檚 good for Canada, it害羞草研究所檚 good for Ontario,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淪o we害羞草研究所檙e going to continue pushing that we have a process that害羞草研究所檚 clear, that害羞草研究所檚 timely, that害羞草研究所檚 deliberate and thoughtful.害羞草研究所�
But before the meeting began, Saskatchewan Finance Minister Donna Harpauer downplayed the need to take care of the pension issue immediately.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a very long process and it害羞草研究所檚 not what is pressing and urgent today,害羞草研究所� she told reporters as she headed into the meeting.
On top of Alberta害羞草研究所檚 pension push, provincial and territorial ministers along with Freeland said they also discussed housing, inflation and the economy.
Also on hand for the meeting was Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, who provided the ministers with an update on the country害羞草研究所檚 economic outlook.
Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
