There’s a strange silence in the run up to the Finance Ministers’ meeting in Kanansakis later this month – not unlike their slipping into Whitehorse just before Christmas last year– perhaps hoping we couldn’t find them!

Granted they have to tackle health care funding too – but what about their much ballyhooed announcements after their PEI meeting this June? Have we seen any change? “Modest” CPP enhancements? – um no. And according to Alberta’s Ted Morton, “Hell no!”

Let the private sector “innovate” they said. Industry has offered “new and improved” multi-employer plans – provided government obligates employers to offer “some” pension plan – thereby driving billions of dollars of business into the private sector with no public option. So what’s the track record of private MEPPs? Check out yesterday’s papers…

CARP members have said again and again that we have to get started on improving retirement security – not for themselves, they’re mostly already retired – but for other Canadians who – the experts finally agree – are not saving enough and need a better savings vehicle to save for their own retirement.

A simple message that doesn’t seem to be getting through. So, now’s the time to ask your Finance Minister – or all the Finance Ministers – when, not if, are you planning to take the first step in pension reform.

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