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Opposition says Alberta delaying CPP reform to manipulate outcome

Click to play video: 'Alberta to further explore its own pension plan and tax collection agency'
Alberta to further explore its own pension plan and tax collection agency
Alberta's conflict with the federal government continues in Premier Danielle Smith's latest mandate letter. She's telling the finance minister to explore an Alberta pension plan and Alberta tax revenue agency. Saif Kaisar reports. – Jul 13, 2023

Alberta is entering the fourth year of debate over whether to ditch the Canada Pension Plan and the Opposition NDP is accusing the United Conservative government of dragging its feet in order to sway the outcome.

NDP house leader Christina Gray says the UCP has failed to release a long-promised analysis of the proposal because it’s busy doctoring the report to make the case for Alberta going it alone on pensions.

Gray says opinion polls suggest ditching CPP would be deeply unpopular and studies say it could be catastrophic.

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But she says Premier Danielle Smith continues to pursue it just to thumb her nose at the federal government.

Click to play video: 'Alberta government continues to explore pulling out of CPP'
Alberta government continues to explore pulling out of CPP

The UCP government under former premier Jason Kenney began studying the issue in June 2020, and a third-party report was to be released in the spring of 2021 but has met with delays ever since.

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Smith directed Finance Minister Nate Horner in a letter last week to release the report and consult with Albertans on whether a referendum should be held on leaving the CPP.

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