TORONTO, ON: At 2 pm Wednesday November 19th, 2008, the Throne Speech will be read and CARP chapters and other retiree groups will be watching to see if the government will respond to the clamour across the country for mandated Registered Retirement Income Fund [RRIF] withdrawals to be suspended and for their pensions to be protected against unfunded deficits.

The groups watching and available for comment include: [for later additions, please check our website: www.carp.ca]

Bruce Bird CARP – White Rock Chapter Coquitlam BC (778)284-1189

Larry Duffield CARP – Windsor Chapter (519)944-1913

Dean Lindsay National Coordinator Retired Workers CAW-Canada BlackBerry: 416-728-6911

Retired Airlines Pilots of Canada [RAPCAN]

Meeting at Wickie’s Pub 274 Burton Ave, Barrie. (705) 725-0630
Go east from 400 on Essa Rd and turn right at Burton

Organizer: Alan Cameron

Also in attendance:

Dan Braniff, Founder, Common Front for Retirement Security, [CFRS] and Chair of CARP’s Georgian Bay Chapter.519-363-2552

In an open letter to all First Ministers, CARP has called for specific action to protect current retirement savings and to provide retirement security into the future, including an immediate moratorium on mandated minimum Registered Retirement Income Fund [RRIF] withdrawals, conditions to protect pensioners in exchange for extending the time for pension fund managers to fund deficits and implementing a universal supplementary pension plan for those without any retirement savings.

CARP is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to advocating for a New Vision of Aging for Canada, social change that will bring financial security, equitable access to health care and freedom from discrimination. CARP seeks to ensure that the marketplace serves the needs and expectations of our generation and provides value-added benefits, products and services to our members. Through our network of chapters across Canada, CARP is dedicated to building a sense of community and shared values among our members in support of CARP’s mission.

For further information, please contact:

Pam Maher 416.363.2277 x. 235 Communications coordinator

Anne Gravel 416.363.2277 x. 230 Researcher, Policy Development

for

Susan Eng
Vice President Advocacy
CARP, A New Vision of Aging for Canada
or visit our website: www.carp.ca