It came, through the magic of email, from someone who has reason to be deeply concerned. It stems from the Military-RCMP Veterans’ Campaign Against Pension Clawback at age 65. It is so explicitly well written that I felt it necessary to be sent on to you, to make each of you aware of what I can’t believe has happened, is happening and will continue to happen if we average Canadians don’t wake up to reality and start phoning our local politicians to get things back on track in Ottawa.
“The Honourable Vic Toews, MP, Ottawa. Thank you very much for your reply to my initial letter I sent to the Honourable Mr. Flaherty, Minister of Finance.
“Parliamentarians, regardless of which party they belong to, have a very difficult job and must be congratulated for the job they chose to do. I don’t know your pay scale but I am quite sure that you are not paid equivalent to what you would make if you were working for a private firm. It is my belief that the majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) are of professional status, having given up a high paying civilian job to represent their constituents in Ottawa. I offer my deepest respect to all of you.
“In response to your letter dated Aug. 11, 2009, I’ve heard it all before. It was back in 1966 when I was being paid $20 a week, which was never shared with us at that young and very co-ercible age and rank. Throughout those many years since 1966, surely someone in a position of authority must have known this was wrong. I wonder why someone didn’t implement a plan to right this injustice. We all struggle along through the years and pay no attention to what is inevitable at age 65 – the ‘Clawback,’ I’ll call it. I served over 27 years and retired in 1990. My service record was impeccable, having served all across Canada from coast to coast and multiple tours of duty at Alert, NWT. I also served with the Canadian Contingent United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in Egypt as well as Canadian Contingent United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights in Israeli Occupied Syria. I also served with NATO forces in Bosnia.
“My second career was with Corrections Canada (CSC). In January 1990, after my release from the Canadian Military, I immediately took up employment with CSC at Joyceville Federal Prison here in Kingston. It too was a challenging job, characteristically similar to my military career. I was employed as a Correctional Officer (CX-COF-o2). This second career terminated in September 2005 after over 15 years, 42 years of dedicated and rewarding service to Canada and ‘In The Service of Peace.’
“During all these years I paid into Superannuation, Canada Pension Plan and Unemployment Insurance as it was called then, now EI. During my peak years being employed, I was paid quite well. However, like most, I had house payments and maintenance but this was at various locations across Canada. Seems whenever we get some equality built up it’s time to move on again. I paid my daughter’s university costs which were substantial. And the list goes on so, unlike affluent Canadians who deservedly maintain their wealth, I didn’t have bundles of cash in the bank at retirement time. I received pensions from Canadian Forces, Corrections Canada, CPP and the old age pension. After taxes there’s not a great amount to live the good life but we get by.
“As you know, efforts have been made in the House to eliminate the ‘Clawback.’ I have listened to Question Period and the readings of bills and it is my understanding that many members have supported Bill C-201 but the governing Conservatives flatly deny any support to eliminate the ‘Clawback,’ saying in part that it would be too expensive and that the reduction of our hard earned pensions is justified. When I turned 65 in March 2009, my military and CSC Pension were reduced a total of $750 a month, basically eliminating my CSC pension in total. That’s hard to swallow after all those years of hard work.”
Sorry, folks. That`s all the space I have left for this week. But be sure and tune in next week for the mind-boggling tax dollar expenditures that are going on at your and my expense.
Take care, `cause we care.
barrie@barriehopkins.ca
519-843-4544