Town Hall on Retirement Security Crisis Promotes Increasing CPP Contributions

OSHAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 17, 2014) - Community advocates gathered at a town hall meeting on Thursday evening to discuss how expanding the CPP is the best way to end the pension crisis currently facing people in Oshawa and across the country. Moderated by Sid Ryan, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour, the panel consisted of Jennifer French, MPP for Oshawa, Tiffany Balducci, a young worker and member of CUPE 960, and Lyle Hargrove, from the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada. All were united in their support of an expanded CPP.

"Colin Carrie and Harper's Conservatives have not stood up for the 70 percent of Oshawans who don't have a pension plan," said Ryan. "Beginning in Oshawa, we are taking the demand for an expanded CPP to every single household across Ontario. If the Tories won't provide families with retirement security, then it's time to put the Tories into retirement."

Here in Oshawa, 95% of those 65 or older had income from CPP in 2012, while under 10% had income from an RRSP.

"Seniors are living paycheck to paycheck and still can't make ends meet. We have to make things better for seniors now, and for future generations of workers. Status quo is just not good enough anymore," said Marie Clarke Walker, CLC Executive Vice-President.

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.3 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada's national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 111 district labour councils.

Web site: www.canadianlabour.ca

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