moved for leave to introduce Bill C-574, An Act to promote and strengthen the Canadian retirement income system.
Madam Speaker, since the Mackenzie King government first introduced the Old Age Pension Act 83 years ago, Liberals have fostered a long history of creating, enhancing and expanding pensions available to Canadian seniors. From old age security, to the CPP and the supplement, we understand the extreme importance of protecting and preserving pension security, adequacy and coverage for all Canadians.
Today I am pleased to present a bill called, “an act to promote and strengthen the Canadian retirement income system”, or as I like to call it, “the pension income bill of rights”. I am seeking to enshrine in law the notion that all Canadians have the right to contribute to a decent retirement plan and to be provided with up-to-date, unbiased and conflict-free information on their retirement savings. Too often financial illiteracy, inadequate opportunity and economic instability strip away the hard-earned savings of our seniors, and that must stop.
This is the first bill of its kind ever proposed to better protect our seniors and their nest eggs. I am proud to present it today.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)