We know Stephen Harper doesn’t think it’s his job to ensure people have a secure retirement. But when Premier Kathleen Wynne took action on her promise to introduce the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP), we didn't expect Mr. Harper to completely stonewall cooperation to improve retirement security for Ontarians.

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Toronto - August 3, 2015 - We know Stephen Harper doesn’t think it’s his job to ensure people have a secure retirement. But when Premier Kathleen Wynne took action on her promise to introduce the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP), we didn't expect Mr. Harper to completely stonewall cooperation to improve retirement security for Ontarians.

We were wrong.

Recently, federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver wrote a letter to Ontario saying that the federal government won’t help implement the ORPP, even though they already have similar administrative agreements with Saskatchewan and Quebec.

This blatantly political move is a slap in the face to Ontarians. We need a federal government that is committed to working with the provinces to help people, not bent on playing political games.

Here’s the truth: Two-thirds of Ontarians don’t have a workplace pension plan and the CPP’s average payout of $6,900 a year is simply not enough.

Is it really possible that one of Stephen Harper’s last acts as Prime Minister may be to block greater retirement security for the three million Ontarians who stand to benefit from the ORPP?

Poverty should not be the reward for a lifetime of hard work. The people of this province and this country deserve a secure retirement.

Our government remains committed to introducing the ORPP in 2017 as planned, even if that means pushing past petty attempts from Stephen Harper and his apologists in Ontario to kill it. We will do what is right and what is needed for our future retirees.

Sincerely,

Mitzie Hunter, MPP
Scarborough-Guildwood

P.S. When Stephen Harper retires, he is expected to receive a pension of $191,000 annually - a pension you are helping to pay for.