Made-in-Alberta pension plan isn’t catching fire with voters: poll

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The concept of ​​an Alberta pension plan may very well be useless earlier than it will get off the bottom.

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After turning into premier, LCP chief Danielle Smith let Finance Minister Travis Toews have a look at withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan in favor of a provincial plan, however the concept has little public assist, based on a Military ballot for Postmedia.

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And on Friday, Smith mentioned she wouldn’t marketing campaign on a few of her get together’s extra controversial concepts — together with an Alberta pension plan, in addition to sovereignty laws and a provincial police drive — forward of the Might 29 election.

The survey of about 1,000 Albertans indicated that solely 21 per cent have been in favor of a provincial retirement plan, together with simply 33 per cent of people that establish as UCP supporters.

“It is not a simple win for anybody attempting to push it. If it is dropped at a referendum now, it appears to be like like Albertans will vote it down,” mentioned Andrew Enns, a professor of sociology on the College of Lethbridge. “They simply do not wish to lose it. I imply, it is a very protected funding, versus what’s presumably not so protected.”

Smith beforehand argued that Albertans contribute an excessive amount of to the CPP, and that conserving pension {dollars} right here would higher assist seniors.

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One of many huge points is the vagueness of what a provincial plan will appear to be. Extra folks mentioned they did not know the place they stood on the subject, 25 %, than mentioned they supported it. General, 54 % mentioned they didn’t assist leaving CPP for a provincial plan.

UCP supporters have been cut up on the concept with 39 % in opposition to, 33 % in favor and 28 % undecided. NDP voters have been far more determined, with 80 % opposed and eight % supported, whereas 11 % did not know.

“1 / 4 of the inhabitants is unsure, and given among the complexities with simply pension plans and folks’s stage of understanding of how issues work, I am not stunned,” mentioned Leger govt vp Andrew Enns. “I’m not stunned that there’s a giant a part of the inhabitants that won’t assist the transfer.”

Probably the most pronounced age teams have been these closest to retirement (55-plus, 65 %) and people aged 45 to 54 (59 %). The very best stage of assist in any age group was from these 18 to 34 years outdated (29 %).

In an emailed assertion Friday, Dave Prisco, director of communications for the UCP, mentioned if the pension plan problem is up for reelection, a referendum can be required.

“That is Albertans’ pension and it ought to at all times be Albertans’ alternative,” he mentioned.

In March, NDP Chief Rachel Notley mentioned the CPP must be legislated to guard it from “rogue political threat.”

– With recordsdata from Michael Rodriguez

jaldrich@postmedia.com

Twitter: @JoshAldrich03