On the matter of gauging public sentiment regarding Alberta’s possible departure from the Canada Pension Plan, Premier Danielle Smith prefers the convenience of telecommunications over face-to-face meetings. However, the opposition NDP insists that face-to-face meetings should be prioritized for a matter of such magnitude.
Speaking on her provincewide radio talk show on Saturday, Premier Smith stated that around 300,000 individuals attended public information sessions held in late 2019 and early 2020. These sessions were conducted by the Fair Deal panel which, upon completion, advised the government to consider a referendum regarding Alberta’s exit from the CPP. However, a clarification was issued by her office on Monday, stating that the Premier misspoke. The actual number of attendees was around 3,000.
Premier Smith emphasized the need for more viewpoints and declared that the most effective way of acquiring these is over the telephone. By letting people voice their opinions through phone calls, she argued, potential obstacles are minimized. It is not always feasible for everyone to travel long distances or make time for an evening meeting.
The government initiated a series of five 90-minute telephone town hall discussion sessions, spanning a period of six weeks. The first session was set for Monday night, aimed at residents of northern Alberta. Each session is dedicated to garnering feedback from different regions.
The Fair Deal panel was constituted by UCP in 2019 to determine whether Albertans believed they were receiving due benefits from their investment in Confederation. The panel’s final report disclosed that it received feedback from just 2,500 individuals who attended its 10 in-person sessions. They also received 320 emails, over 4,100 online submissions, and over 42,000 responses to its online survey. An additional telephone survey of 1,000 Albertans was conducted, with two-thirds agreeing that Alberta deserves better in Confederation.
In opposition, the NDP disclosed that a mere 42% of those surveyed considered exiting the CPP to be advantageous for Alberta’s federal position. The NDP also conducted its own survey, concluding that 90% of the 26,000 respondents opposed the formation of an Alberta Pension Plan.
NDP house leader Christina Gray publicly criticized Premier Smith’s government for not holding in-person sessions. She also expressed her intent to organize NDP’s own public town halls to hear Albertan’ concerns on this matter.
In alignment with her launch of the pension debate, Premier Smith released the LifeWorks report. The findings detailed the feasibility of a separate Alberta pension plan but were met with skepticism from detractors questioning the mathematical accuracy and fairness of it.
Premier Smith, when questioned about the absence of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s estimation, stated that she enlisted Finance Minister Nate Horner to solicit the federal government for their calculations. If their estimates differed, she hopes for a dialog to ensure accuracy.
The final report on public sentiment towards a stand-alone pension plan from the Dinning’s panel is anticipated in spring. If the report reflects public acceptance, Premier Smith assured that a referendum would be initiated, requiring a majority vote in favor to exit the CPP.
