Flaherty rejects demands that pension changes be hived off from budget bill
October 18, 2012 - 10:44 AM
OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is rejecting the idea that controversial changes to public service and MP pensions deserve their own piece of legislation.
The changes are contained in another mammoth budget implementation bill being introduced today by the Conservative government.
Flaherty, who held a news conference at an Ottawa bike shop, says he's not going to split the pension changes from the bill because they were all part of his last budget.
The bill will see the pension contributions from public servants, MPs and senators move toward a 50-50 split.
While MPs can still take their pension at age 55, there will be reductions for every year before age 65.
Flaherty is insisting the bill won't contain any surprises, but opposition critics — who engineered a 24-hour voting marathon on the original omnibus bill as a form of protest in the spring — aren't so sure.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012