Thanks for the question.
The Government of Alberta has asked the federal government to task the chief actuary in coming up with a number for the transfer amount. With due respect, we think that is too narrow a scope. We would like the finance minister to ask the chief actuary to do what actuaries do, which is to measure risk. There are all sorts of risks associated with a big change like the one that the Alberta government is proposing, not just to workers here in Alberta but workers elsewhere. We feel very strongly that the scope of the project being handed to the chief actuary should be expanded to talk about risks associated with the viability of the CPP, the viability of an APP—an Alberta pension plan— and the impact it might have on contribution and benefit rates. They're opening a huge Pandora's box, and we think it's very dangerous. We need more information on the table, not just the transfer amount.
I would draw the committee's attention to a column that was published in the Financial Post yesterday. It was written by two actuaries, one based here in Alberta by the name of Doug Chandler—he's from Calgary. We in the labour movement agreed with what Mr. Chandler is recommending in that column.