REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck called on the Premier to denounce Alberta’s reckless plan to withdraw from the Canadian Pension Plan and to stand up and protect Saskatchewan pensioners during one of the most crushing cost-of-living crisis in decades. The Premier refused to stand and take questions while his Finance Minister offered cagey and mealy-mouthed statements without committing to protecting Saskatchewan retirees and workers.
“Job one for the Saskatchewan government should be to stand up for the people of Saskatchewan. With the Canadian Pension Plan coming under attack from the Alberta UCP government, Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party need to do their jobs and stand up for Saskatchewan pensioners.” said Carla Beck.
Provinces such as Ontario have taken a stand to protect the pensions of their residents, and provincial and territorial leaders have called an emergency meeting on Alberta’s threat to withdraw. But when given the chance to denounce Premier Smith’s threat to Canadian pensioners, Premier Moe refused to stand up and protect Saskatchewan retirees.
There are over 280,000 beneficiaries receiving over $2.05B here in Saskatchewan who rely on the Canadian Pension Plan. There are over 524,000 Saskatchewan workers here who pay into the Canadian Pension Plan. And all of those Saskatchewan beneficiaries and workers will pay a price for the threat posed to the Canadian Pension Plan by the Alberta UCP government - a threat that is aided and abetted by Scott Moe and the Sask Party government.
“This Sask Party government needs to find its feet and stand up for those hundreds of thousands of Saskatchewan retirees and workers who benefit from a strong and stable Canadian Pension Plan. This provincial government needs to speak up loudly and clearly in defence of the CPP, instead of mumbling into their sleeves while their Alberta UCP friends throw the very future of the CPP into question.” said Trent Wotherspoon, Opposition Finance Critic.
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