What Matters to You – To APP Critics: How Do You Know?

Read the Alberta Pension Plan published report, so we don’t have to pay for advertising to have you read it

Link here: www.albertapensionplan.ca

Main takeaways:

1. The CPP rules and framework of the fund have a provision of giving notice, not seeking permission
2. We have the option of just using the same management firm, but they would report to Alberta rather than Ottawa, and save Albertans 5 billion a year in management fees etc.,
3. From those savings, we could have a higher payout of benefits and a lower contribution rate!

Back to my story, now!

I was fortunate to work for some great critical thinkers in my career, many of whom remain mentors of mine today.  There were a couple of management techniques that they had imparted to me for obtaining a level of comfort with the information being provided or presented.  One gent by the name of Keith Hanson said he used the “Columbo” technique, referring to an old television series that was based around a police detective asking what seemed to be unassuming questions that really led down the path to an “Ah Ha!” moment where the mystery was solved.  The other gent was Tom Raptis, who had a very simple line of questioning that gave the same result that would allow you to dive into the information as far as you needed until you received a satisfactory answer that substantiated the information being provided.  “How do you know?” was the question, which could be repeated after each answer was provided. 

I continue to use that simple line of questioning today, and to ensure when I’m presenting information myself, that I can answer someone’s questions if they were to ask me, “How do you Know?”.  What strikes me as odd and makes me highly suspicious is when I use this same method in the “Political World” that many of the people presenting their ideas when asked, how do you know, refer to “Specialists”.  When you ask them to name them, or if they considered other “Specialists” opinions that are counter to the opinion they believe they cannot rationally answer.  Their defense is emotional, and they pivot to the “Non-Believer” tag, or suggest there is no option other than the one they are presenting.  Warning alarms are going off inside my head nonstop when I hear and see this.

It pains me to observe as well that so many people have been fed so much misinformation over the years that does not pass the “How do you know?” test that they either don’t believe anything, or they get comfortable and apathetic towards asking any questions.  When presented with an option for an alternative, to break free of convention, and to regain their freedoms in many cases, they think that it is better to stay in the proverbial cage, because that’s what they have been conditioned to do.  It’s known, even though the door is open, all they have to do is walk out of it, they are unable to take that step. 

Alberta’s recent victory empowers us to think bigger

We as Albertans, and as of all Canadian’s quite recently have had a major victory when it comes to our constitutional rights. Bill C69, was found to be unconstitutional as it has been applied by the federal government at the provincial level. In short, they have been mucking about in our provincial jurisdiction where they have had no right to do so, and I believe they knew it all along. With the recent decision, they are licking their wounds, and rather than accept they were wrong, and work with us, their environment minister who is known for his prowess of civil protest as an environmental extremism of climbing the CN Tower does not resect the decision of our highest court, and wants to make a new law, in an attempt to circumvent the constitution. Wow! Any warning bells going off for you, they sure are for me.
Case in point when it comes to the Canada Pension Plan, the formula for contribution, the framework for the asset allocations within the fund, and in the event of a withdrawal were all agreed upon by the participating provinces. It’s a contract, with clearly defined rules, so that the participants all know what the “rules are” and that they all are comfortable with the deal that was made. Most recently, we have released a report produced by an independent third-party consultant based on the most recent data from the fund, and applying the “Contract Formula” from the pension plan itself that Alberta’s share of the entire fund accounts for a whopping 53% of the total value. This is realistically the conservative number of the value, middle of the road, as it were. What jumped off the page for me is that if you look at the percentage of the contributing population that we have in the fund, we, as Albertans, only account for 15% of the total number of people paying into it. That is staggering when you think of it, and no wonder why fancy socks and all of his supporters are shaking in their well-polished shoes. The golden goose may just decide to move on, cash out, and then they will have to pull up their own socks and dig in.

My message to you!

I have taken that to heart, and we will be having hybrid town halls to talk about this, and any other emerging items. Through my weekly article I will continue to provide the links to the information so that you can find out for yourself what the real deal is on this. The challenge that I give to you is that you need to read it for yourself, and ask people who are giving you the splashy 30 second sound bites “How do you know?” I want you to ask the same thing from me as well, I’d like you to take the time and participate in a town hall. To me this is one of the biggest decisions that Albertans have the ability to make, it literally will give us an opportunity to set our own course, and make sure that we take care of the folks who have contributed not only to our province, but to our country as a whole. A way to give them more than what they would be getting under the CPP, and to offset some of the darned inflationary pressures. We are opening the cage door; I sure hope that enough folks still have that Strong and Free spirit left in them to walk out of it.

Sincerely,

Shane Getson

Useful links:

https://www.albertapensionplan.ca/

https://www.albertapensionplan.ca/the-report

Download the report here!