This June, Finance Ministers from across Canada will meet to decide whether or not to expand the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). An overwhelming majority of the Canadian public support CPP expansion, as does an ever-growing body of seniors' groups, pension experts, academics and even financial industry leaders.
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) plan would gradually phase-in a doubling of CPP benefits, which currently provide retirees with a maximum of about $1,000 per month (though the average retiree receives just over $500 per month). The CLC plan would see these amounts double.
In the current economy, we are told, it is unlikely that you will make it through your life without being laid-off and have to search for a new job. In fact, we are told that this will actually happen more than once or twice, it will be a rather regular.
The reason for this is not that we are all bad workers, but rather because that the nature of capitalism. The economic system imposed on us has brought with it a reduction in secure employment and a massive increase in precarious work.