Yes, they all have the same option as the member has.
Within days of beginning the current legislative session of the 35th Parliament, a question was put to the Prime Minister in daily question period about allowing MPs to decide for themselves if they wished to continue to participate in their pension plan.
This is not something normally done, I might add, in the private sector or other public sector plans. Canadians are encouraged by the government and by organizations and companies throughout the country to provide for their retirement allowance, to provide for themselves when they are no longer part of the workforce. It makes sense to save to do that. We should be encouraging people to do so.
The Prime Minister rose on January 21 and committed to the House that members of Parliament would have a choice. Pension plans in Canada are supported through the income tax system to provide employer sponsored retirement funding for Canadians. The Government of Canada is no different from other employers. Pension plans are provided for public servants, military personnel, RCMP and parliamentarians.
The government believes in retirement benefits for its employees, pure and simple. However certain MPs have made a case that they can better provide for their retirement needs and those of their families, or they think they can.
I should like to say something about that in terms of families. During the consultation period prior to the introduction of the legislation I was told numerous stories by present and former members who originally entered politics at a young age. Many of them were single at the time. They married during their political careers. They began families. Their retirement needs changed. They were vastly different with families from what they were when they first started out as single individuals.
It is important to note in this context that the optional participation decision all MPs will make should not be taken lightly. Most certainly consideration of families should be included in the decision with respect to optional participation.
Clause 2 allows members who choose to leave themselves or their families without pension benefits once the changes to these pension arrangements receive royal assent 60 days to decide whether they want to opt into the plan. It is a major change that is being made in the plan. The Prime Minister has given the opportunity to members of the House.
Members who have six or more years of service and who choose not to continue contributing to the pension plan will have their contributions returned to the beginning of this Parliament.
The member for Beaver River may want to hear this point.