Maybe I'm really alone now.
If you look at these organizations, you'll find they represent all generations--predominantly seniors and pensioners, but all generations--because everyone has the right and the expectation to retire with some degree of confidence and security, when their time comes. As the principal founder of this movement, I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. I realize your time is limited, but I'm going to stick around, so if you have some questions that don't get answered, I'd be glad to answer them.
I like a challenge. I might be older than most of you, but don't worry about exciting my heart too much; it can take it.
We think you people in government--politicians, not just the ones in this room--have already recognized this as an issue that has to be dealt with. You've done it many times. Family law recognizes the rights and entitlements of both spouses to assets and pensions, and if you don't understand that, you probably haven't gone through a divorce, because divorces separate, and you can split.
CPP/QPP has recognized this. You're allowed to share--in fact, you're encouraged to share--your pension with your spouse. If you look at the website, it spells out that there's an incentive: you can save taxes. And when you introduced the spousal RRSP in 1985, you recognized there was an entitlement for that other spouse. The problem is we don't think you did it in the most universal way, because it discriminated against some people--people who had pensions other than RRSPs and people who couldn't afford it because of financial reasons. So we see it as a precedent. You've done it already, and what we're asking you to do is to do it right, now.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.