WESTLOCK — Two Westlock County residents had positive thoughts about an Alberta Pension Plan (APP) after last week's panel discussion on the subject (see previous page).
Linda Hall said she would like to see the APP move forward.
“I think all the facts and figures we were given and there just doesn’t seem to be anything to lose,” Hall said.
“Seniors getting more (money), maybe the working class having to pay less premiums and employers (paying) less premiums — I think it’s all a benefit,” she added.
Fellow county resident Bert Seatter thought the event provided “a lot of very good information” that will make a lot of people think.
“With this kind of turnout there’s definitely a lot of curiosity about where our future is and how we need to start looking at it,” said Seatter, noting several things stood out for him during the meeting, including how the Canada Pension Plan is managed.
“One of the comments that stood out to me was other pension plans are investments but the Canada Pension Plan is not and that was a little bit of a surprise too, so you put money in and you’re not making any interest on your money,” he said, adding that it was suggested that evening that Alberta would conduct an APP as an investment.
He said he would consider supporting the APP if the province pursues the idea of it becoming an investment plan, “then it would definitely have some serious benefits,” Seatter added.
The only concern he had pertained to potential timing for a referendum on an APP, noting it’s “still not a done deal.” Seatter said the information coming from the Alberta Prosperity Project, is probably the best way of doing it because “their mandate is to inform Alberta about our economic status on a federal level ...I think it’s coming from the right source. They’re neutral, they’re not associated with any one particular party.”
Seatter also agreed that an APP could have benefits for all Albertans.
“The provincial government, after they’ve acquired the Canada Pension Plan to be an Alberta Pension Plan, then they could make changes. That’ll be a motivation to say, maybe we should go with it,” said Seatter.
