To the Editor:
This election, retirees across Canada are asking members of Parliament and candidates, and all Canadians, to make sure the next government of Canada honours its promises and commitments to retirees, and to all Canadians on retirement income security.
Employees played by the rules: They served their employers with honour and dedication during their careers. An employer that has benefited from the services provided by retired employees should not be allowed to go back on the promises and commitments made to those pensioners.
Retirees do not have the ability to bargain in retirement. They do not have the leverage that employees have and many do not have the option to earn other income. Their retirement income security cannot be left to the whims of employers and policy makers.
A pension is a promise and a commitment. Employees provide their service and employers compensate them. That compensation includes pensions. Federal employees bought and paid for their pensions through the collective bargaining process and through the contributions that matched those of the employer. Pensioners trust their employers to keep their side of the agreement — to honour their promise.
Canada’s retirees deserve retirement income security. The best security we can give them is legislation to ensure that no employer, public or private, can go back on the pension promises made to people once they are retired.
Lynn Ray
Lister