A couple of weeks ago I was copied on a letter a colleague of mine had sent to Mr. Harper. He gave me permission to share with you parts of that letter that read in effect:

Mr. Harper, I’m 61 and just got a job after years of trying. And it’s a jolly good one too, given my education and the gifts I have to offer our society. I have four earned degrees, including two at the master’s level, and I’m cleaning the floor of a large supermarket on the graveyard shift. It is hard work (too hard, frankly, for a senior) with only minimum wage or less on heavy nights.

Now, you want to force me to wait an extra two years for the old age pension. My poverty is not enough for you?

Obviously, you are looking for public reaction with this declaration of righteous fiscal responsibility. You are totally disconnected from real Canadians and will never know the hardships of working full time for a poverty wage or retiring without a pension. Nor will it hurt you or your family if you have to wait a couple of extra years before qualifying for the old age pension.

Here is the voice of one of many Canadians who face uncertain retirement over the next many years. If you listen, you can hear the rising volume of Canadian retirees asking how they will survive their “golden years.” These Canadians have realized that, due to the fiscal failure of governments for the last 40 years, Canada cannot meet her obligation to those who have contributed a lifetime of work and taxes to this country. In good faith, Canadians have worked for generations assuming that the Canada Pension Plan, which they’ve spent a lifetime supporting, will carry them through their golden years. How does Canada measure up? In last week’s Communiqué, “Harper Should Start with MPs if He Wants to Reform Canada Pensions,” written by Gregory Thomas of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, we learned about the “pork-laden MP pension plan.” Compare that to the impact of retirement on your average Canadian! Canada, the land of opportunity, through fiscal mismanagement, has turned the “golden years” into the “destitute years.” It’s too late to go back and change the myriad of poor financial decisions that have contributed to cheating our Canadian seniors out of proper retirement benefits. But, it is not too late to ensure that future decisions are made on the strong foundation of our Christian heritage. Our heritage promotes responsibility, strong families, a clear definition of right and wrong, and responsible governments. We can get back on track, but doing more of what has brought us here will not change the outcome. We have better solutions for retirement. Today, take a moment to write your MP about his “pork-laden” pension plan and what your average retiring Canadian can expect over the next 50 years. The difference is a problem and we need representatives who will fight for our future in the same way they’ve fought to ensure their future. Make your MP responsible for representing you! It’s time to ensure that your membership is up to date and to financially support the only political party that rests firmly on the heritage that gave us this great country. Go to www.chp.ca to sign up for or renew your membership, or to make your donation.