'Harper Government' Pension Reform - The Real Reason

It is important to realize that the market economy, though it is associated historically with the rise of modern private capitalism, is as a mechanism not necessarily limited to that system.
Daniel Bell, The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism, p. 223

The Oracle of Ottawa as per good form should not like to say "I told you so", but I do so much love it! All the people who during the last federal election reassured you that there was such thing as the Harper "hidden agenda" are all now firmly ensconed in the Senate, and other boards and tribunals where they are now free to achieve their highest levels of incompetence.

The pigeons of the 'Harper Government' come home to roost!

We have all learned in school that the main responsibility of the Government of Canada is to its citizens. Over the years we have refined that quite a lot, just to make sure that the government of the day stays on the rails. As per earlier posts, the Oracle of Ottawa has schooled his dear readers on the fact and reality that corporations cannot vote. They can no longer buy a government, like in the old days. So you have to wonder why the 'Harper Government' goes so far out of its way to ensure that an entity, that legally can in no way aid or support a government, gets everything it desires as a class! You should be asking yourself, what is in it for the minions of the 'Harper Government' to ensure such good service?

Now everyone that knows about such things of government, knows that to protect our social systems all we have to do is bring back the old corporate tax rates. Yes, some companies will leave Canada, but it will be the ones that we want gone anyway. When the old corporate tax rates are implemented there should be a clause that states; if you want to leave, you are gone forever. If you wish to re-enter and conduct business in Canada in the future you will have to pay a tax of 10% of total assets at the time of originally leaving Canada! It is all too easy!

Old woman wise to the 'Harper Government'...

In Canada we have a wonderful thing called OAS or old age security. It is above and beyond the Canada Pension Plan, but in Canada if you are well off and don't require a pension, you could end up with no government pension at all. It will be "clawed back" completely if your income is over $110,000. All in it is probably the fairest system in the world, next to some exceptions in the European Union.

But the Oracle of Ottawa got a peek into the Tory secret play book, that explains the real reason for the attack on OAS and eventually all other pensions, that will eventually be lowered and if possible, eliminated... In Canada the normal retirement age for a working man is 65 years. A man in Canada has a life expectancy of 78.3 years. The man can expect a retirement of 13.3 years. Now, and this is where it gets very interesting, your blessed Mother who stayed home as a homemaker, can start to get a small pension at the age of 60! Now, the life expectancy of a woman in Canada is 82.9 years! She can look out to a retirement of 22.9 years! Now simply divide 22.9 by 13.3 and you get an answer of 1.72. That is, it costs the 'Harper Government' 1.72 times more to pay a pension to a woman as it does for a man! 

Now everyone knows that here in Canada, the greatest gender of poor senior citizens that receive OAS are women! Women do not vote for the Conservatives! So, as far as the 'Harper Government' is concerned, it is a "financial decision". Fuck'em!

Diane "The Fly" Finley learns that a nine man majority, is not really a majority at all...