Latest news with #UCP
CTV News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Majority of Albertans want to stay on Canada Pension Plan: survey
Edmonton Watch A quietly released UCP survey shows 63 per cent of respondents are against an Alberta Pension Plan. CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson reports.
CTV News
15 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Opposition, unions back up 63% of Albertans against provincial pension
Aerial shot of the Alberta legislature on Monday, May 26, 2025. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) Survey results on a provincial pension plan show many Albertans are dead-set against what Premier Danielle Smith has been pushing since stepping into office. On Wednesday, the province quietly released raw data from a survey done nearly two years ago showing only 10 per cent of respondents were for an Alberta Pension Plan (APP). But Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) president Gil McGowan said the results of the survey aren't what's surprising. 'What's really significant is that the UCP government seems determined to proceed with this crazy notion to pull Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), despite clear opposition to this idea,' said McGowan. 'This poll is just the latest evidence that Albertans are dead-set against this idea. 'Albertans should be outraged by our premier's continued refusal to take no for an answer.' Premier Smith has touted an APP will be of benefit to Albertans, who she says are disproportionately represented in the CPP. A LifeWorks report from 2023 calculated that Alberta would be entitled to 53 per cent of the CPP — about $334 billion — if it leaves. Other economists, however, have estimated Alberta's share to be closer to 15 to 20 per cent. 'The CPP isn't perfect, but it is one of the best and most secure and stable pension systems in the entire world,' said McGowan, adding that he's spoken to thousands of AFL members who want the province to keep their hands off their pensions. 'It's not Danielle Smith's money. These are the retirement savings of literally millions of Albertans. People are relying on them and they don't want our provincial government to be playing political games with their retirement security.' The CPP is currently working on an enhancement that will increase the maximum pension by more than 50 per cent for those who make enhanced contributions for 40 years. The maximum level of earnings protected by the CPP was also increased by 14 per cent over 2024 and 2025. NPD leader Naheed Nenshi also wasn't taken aback by the results or the way they were released. 'This government held these results from Albertans for nearly two years … and this is just very typical of this government.' said Nenshi. 'They lie, they cheat, they hide information from the public to get their ideological work done.' Naheed Nenshi Leader of the Alberta NDP Naheed Nenshi speaks to media about the Alberta 2025 budget in Edmonton, on Thursday February 27, CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson (JASON FRANSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Nenshi said the UCP government spent some $9 million on advertising to convince Albertans the APP was the right thing to do, but when they were asked to release the results, they consistently refused. 'The Information Privacy Commissioner forced them to release the results, and this is what came out: everyone hates it,' said Nenshi. 'And that's obviously why the government didn't want to release this information, but taxpayers paid for it — they have the right to see it. The opposition leader said the real reason Smith wants an APP is to control investments and use pension funds to invest in things that align with her interests, not the interests of Albertans. 'I think the government needs to take the loss and move forward,' said Nenshi. CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal said an Alberta plan would cost more and deliver weaker investment returns and smaller pensions. 'I know Smith likes to flirt with separatists, but the CPP is one of the strongest reasons for Alberta to remain in Canada,' said Uppal. 'The premier needs to abandon this idea and stop threatening the retirement security of Albertans.' Moshe Lander, a senior lecturer at Concordia University in Montreal, told CTV News Edmonton the issue of an APP is likely very low on the federal finance minister's to-do list. 'I don't think it's a priority at all until there's a clear sign that Alberta has voted for independence,' said Lander. 'They have so many other things to worry about that are now and that are legitimate. This is not one of them.' A statement from the federal department of finance said a separate provincial pension plan would mean Albertans would no longer enjoy the same economies of scale, pooling of risk and investment advantage that is currently available through the CPP. SUB: 10 per cent of Albertans are still on board with an APP One Alberta senior said she'd much rather go with Alberta than the federal government on a pension plan. 'You look at Quebec and the power they have and they have their own pension plan,' said Irene Moyer. 'I think Alberta would be way better off.' Moyer is skeptical of the federal government's spending and said Ottawa holds Alberta hostage. 'I'm going to be fine because of my age, but I look at people coming up and I wonder if there will even be a pension for them.' A respondent to the survey said Alberta deserves a better deal than what it's been given by the federal government. 'Alberta has always overcontributed to CPP … with no thanks from Canadians,' said another comment from a survey respondent. 'Enough. Leave CPP.' Results from the survey show 63 per cent of respondents were against the APP while 12 per cent were unsure. Fifteen per cent of the responses were incomplete. The province said it will continue to engage with Albertans on an APP through the Alberta Next panel despite the survey results. Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith speaks to media prior to the First Minister's Meeting in Saskatoon on Monday, June 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith speaks to media prior to the First Minister's Meeting in Saskatoon on Monday, June 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards The Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance did not provide a new statement to CTV News Edmonton and reiterated comments made Wednesday. The Alberta Pension Protection Act guarantees the CPP won't be replaced with an APP unless Albertans approve it in a referendum. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson and Nicole Lampa
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Braid: Monday's byelection bonanza could boost separatists, challenge Nenshi
Article content Three Alberta byelections next Monday come with much higher stakes than the usual mid-term summer contests. Article content They'll show the strength of separatist feeling, and test NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi's support both with the voters and his own party. Article content Article content The byelections are in Edmonton-Strathcona, where Nenshi is running; Edmonton-Ellerslie; and Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. Article content Article content The rural one is fascinating. This is bedrock UCP country, where Nathan Cooper won 75 per cent of the vote in 2023. Article content Article content In this riding, on Feb. 17, 1982, Gordon Kesler became the only separatist ever elected in Alberta. Article content The crowd at a candidate forum held Tuesday in the riding was heavily in favour of Davies, I'm told. Article content The UCP vote is bound to drop somewhat simply because Cooper isn't running. The former legislature speaker was popular as a United Conservative MLA. He's now heading to Washington to represent Alberta. Article content Article content But there's no doubt about the surge in separatist feeling. The Republican Party, formerly the Buffalo Party, calls for 'Alberta separatism' and 'Pro-Americanism.' It demands a binding referendum on independence. Article content Tara Sawyer is running for the UCP. Bev Toews represents the NDP, whose strategists dream that the separatists will split the conservative vote, and Toews will slip up the middle. Article content That's a faint hope, although nobody will be surprised if separatist Davies wins up to 30 per cent. Article content Such a strong showing would cause a stir, but only a victory will shake the province. As one observer of the riding said, 'If separatists can't win Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, they sure can't win Alberta.'
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Alberta to move to hospital-based leadership structure and eliminated AHS zones in latest health care restructuring
Article content Dr. Luanne Metz, Alberta NDP chairwoman of the future of health care, said instead of focusing on hiring health-care staff and reducing wait times, the new model is part of the UCP's plans to 'hand control of our publicly paid-for hospitals to private operators.' 'What happens when a hospital starts to run out of money? Private operators need to make a profit. They achieve that by focusing on simple medical issues and when patients become complex, Bill 55 allows them to discharge patients,' Metz said. 'Albertans should not expect hospitals to make a profit, nor should we use public money to pay corporate profits.'
Edmonton Journal
3 days ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Opinion: Alberta's plan to limit free COVID vaccines makes no sense
Article content In the absence of any other explanation, it is cruel and hurtful on a personal level, and shortsighted and wasteful on a population level. Without explicitly saying it, the UCP government is once again clearly signalling their anti-vaccine and anti-science ideologies. Concerning the COVID-19 vaccination coverage policy, Premier Danielle Smith was quoted on the weekend as saying: 'I think it's because it doesn't work particularly well, if you want to know the truth.'
