The first rule of public relations is “call me anything, but just call me!” The growing chorus of pension reform naysayers surely indicates that pension reform advocacy has now managed to secure an unprecedented level of public, governmental and media attention.

The silver lining is that they are talking about reform and that it remains on the table. After all, its better to have loud public discourse about the issue than to have the issue ignored! We have compiled a list of various experts and commentators should you wish to get more acquainted with the currently pension reform opinion landscape. After you’ve read the various opinions available out there, don’t hesitate to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or to one of the major newspapers (a small list is included at the end of the article) as well as let your MPs know how you feel about pension reform via http://www.carp.ca/evoice/

Point: There is no Pension Crisis

Jack Mintz: former C.E.O. of the C.D. Howe Institute is a fiscal and tax policy specialist hired by the Federal Government to compile a Report on Canada’s Pension Landscape. He was on record holding strong opinions about the virtue of RRSPs and personal responsibility.

“No pension crisis” this Financial Post commentary is a summary of his report. December 18th 2009. Click here to read the article

Malcolm Hamilton: Investment Industry Expert Actuary. Says there is no need for reform. Read “Retirement crisis overblown: expert” from January 12th 2010 in Benefits Canada. Click here to read the Benefits Canada article

Terence Corcoran: Financial Post Editor, takes aim at CARP which he says keeps bad company with the likes of best management school in the country. Read his January 12th 2010 article “Stop the music! CARP speaks” Click here to read the article

Counterpoint: Who are You Going to Believe, Me or Your Own Two Eyes? In Support of Pension Reform

Jim Murta, Fellow of the Society of Actuaries; Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries; Former President of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries responds to the Mintz Report on December 22nd 2009 via his blog: Click here to read the entry

Pension Pulse Blog/Leo KolivakisRead all about the pension reform backlash and pretty much anything pension related at independent analyst Leo Kolivakis’s very informative pension blog. Click here to read the entry.

Keith Ambachtscheer: Director, International Centre for Pension Management, Towards the Canada Supplementary Pension Plan”“ is a May 2008 paper published by the C.D. Howe Institute which outlines the logic behind and the arguments for a variation on the CPP.

Don Drummond:Is the chief economist for TD Investments, in this December 17th article he is on record saying that the pension gap needs to be addressed and that the first priority of government should be helping those who don’t have pension coverage. Click here to read the article

Susan Eng, CARP VP of Advocacy’s Response to Terence Corcoran’s January 12th Article