[War] Canada: "Freedom 65...or Maybe 70"

[Ian Martell]

“Freedom 65…or Maybe 70”
Josie Blauchet PMO Communications Director
Guy Lavesuqe Minister of Human Resources
Canada
April 30, 2006

“What a rat hole,” Josie Blauchet said as she and the Minister for Human 
Resources sat by a window and smoked in the Ottawa Press Club building, 
which was in theory supposed to house the press corps for the Parliament, 
though in reality most of the outlets had space in nearby office buildings 
and the CBC, Canada’s national broadcaster had built it’s own Ottawa office 
across the street.

Guy nodded. “Yeah, you ever do Ottawa for La Presse?” he asked.

Josie shook her head. “No,” she said. “Just Quebec City.”

He nodded.

Josie’s assistant Mike came over. “Hey no smoking in a Federal building,” he 
joked. Josie just as jokingly extended her middle finger, then smiled.

“Are we ready?” she asked.

“Yeah, though they want to know why we don’t use the Parliament press room.”

“There was a meet and greet with some Boy Scouts,” explained Josie as she 
stubbed out the cigarette on the sill of the window and tossed the butt in 
the garbage. “One of them had stomach flu.”

Mike nodded. “Gotcha,” he said putting two and two together.

Guy dealt with his own cigarette adjusted his suit jacket and then joined 
Josie and Mike to head down to the press room.

Josie went first. “Good afternoon everybody, sorry we had to do it here, but 
they won’t let us use the CBC office.”

That got a few laughs. She smiled. “Anyhow I present, Minister Guy 
Lavesque.”

Guy took the podium. “Good afternoon,” he said and got right to it. “I am 
here to announce that this government is undertaking an initiative to 
provide a better retirement for Federal Government employees. As such we are 
raising the mandatory retirement age in all branches of the federal civil 
service to 70, however this is the mandatory age and not the voluntary age 
which will remain at 65.”

“Minister Tilton of Intergovernmental Affairs is talking to the provinces 
and urging them to follow our lead and allow their people to stay at work 
beyond 65 in order for them to earn more money towards their eventual 
retirement. While in general this policy will be universal it will not 
include the Military or the RCMP and any job where the physical strain may 
be a danger to someone over 65.

“Additionally we shall be introducing with the coming budget a reduction in 
taxes for workers over 65 scaled according to income, which you will find in 
your hand out. Are their any questions?”

Actions:
1>	Change the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 70 in all Federal Service 
positions except the RCMP, Military and those positions where physical 
strain may be an issue (as decided by Ministry of Human Resources review).
2>	Make it clear, that voluntary retirement is still an option at 65 and 
working longer is a matter of choice.
3>	Urge the provinces and the private sector to follow suit.
4>	Reduce personal income tax for seniors to:
•	$35,595 or less - 10% (5% decrease)
•	$35,595 to $71,190 - 17%  (5% decrease)
•	$71,190 to $115,739 - 23%  (3% decrease)
•	More than $115,739 - 28% (1% decrease)
5> Begin reduced taxation for military and law enforcement personnel at age 
60.

Sources:
http://www.ufile.ca/TaxNewsAndTips/TaxLawChanges.asp

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