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4LV TIMES., THURSDAY, DECEMJ3ER 23rd, 1965 Report From Queens Park x-ý Carruthers, M.P.P., Durham SIntegration of Pension Plans ýood government bas for its ,ctives the protection of every s3on within its care in the great- liberty consistent with the 1 order of society, and his per- security in the enjoyment of arnings. .e above words arc those of ~mous statesman and take on cular signifîcance in the ligit, esent day events surrounding introduction on January lst of 'anada Pension Plan. but of those in other jurisdiction in Canada, Great Britain, Austral- ia, New Zealand and United States- O.M.E.R.S. bas many beneficial features not found in the major- ity of the other plans încluding portability, low , administration costs, uniform benefits, security of investment funds, and is avail- able to alI persons employed by municipal councils or local boards irrespective of the size of those public bodies, or the numbers of persons involved. The system provides in specific e décision of the Ontario un Ols rmetto integrate with the (a) A normal retirement pen- ida Pension Plan al eso sion of 2% of earnings at age 65. ems for which it bas a respon- ob)cA dsblt eso f2 ty, and the resulting confus- of creer earnings to the date of and misunderstanding, once disability7. e points nip the sensitive area (c) A widowA's pension of 50% wiîrting, security and individual of normal retirement pension, ' ty. suhipct to certain adjustments. ie government is being criti- (d) Ani immediate investing of J fo acing astly ad -employer's contributions., m1fracngrastlan in (e)' Refuind of employee's con- i a nannr astq not allow tributions plus interest on term- e for niegotiations between em- ination of service before retire- jee and employer. Criticism is mn Sbeing levelled at the compul- Am erent.tatfetreo V aspect of the governmfents O.M.E.R.S. is its portabiîity with- ýiy and it is rather odd that i l uiiaiiso nao par cte.ri . sm in hmncphtiso nao f1rero the an ritiCsmand An employee can transfer to em- , 'idfrom thoea gopsand plovmnent with another municipal litidlsr who ýiareavcti body without sacrificing bis, accu- ~pusor meîcae.mulated benefits. t should be pointed out that on That O.M.E.R.S. bas been a1 temnber 2th, 1965 the Prime miarked success is illustrated by Aster issued a statement to the tefc ht so oebr3 4 tht Te Otaro Mnicpalof this year. 550 municipalities 1/.oyees Retirement Syte and local boards with 23,000 em- LE.R.S. and aIl otherpeso ployees have chosen to partici- is for, which the Governmenit pate. Tt is further expected that Ontario bas responsiiîlity as of January lst, 1966 some ad- <Ad be integrated vwith~ the ditional 200 municipalities wlth leral schemie. Four days later an estimated membehship of 10, -September 24th the Minister 000 emploveëes will eleet to parti- Municipal Affairs notified ahl cipate in the system.t lIuicipalities and local boards, Contributions to the plan arer At the Township nomination meeting in November gvovernment's policy and its rea- lows: John Stone, Reeve of the Township, stated that lie would sons for adoptinig the samne. (1) 5½ %ý1 of earnings for em-t like to see miore interest in local' municipal government In order to 4inderstand tlie Gov- ployees wlio will retire at 65 and and municipal aff airs- This interest was essential if muni- ernment's policy ln this connec- 6½ % /, for employees who will re- cipalities are to mnaintain their local form of governmnent tion it is necessary to have a tire at age 60. Which the reeve feil was second to noue. Failing to gainthis ýknowledge of O.ME.R.S. itself, and (2) The employer, mutnicipality, .interest Regionlal Goverumnent would surely take over re- ilits relationship to the Canada Pen-, or local board contributes an' sulting in the loss of close ties betweeu the taxpayer, and sion Plan. equal amnount in each case. the government. A number of municipalities and ( Bnft repoîe e It does appear true that the fartlier government re- local boards have, had pension gardlBesoftsizre of the mu.ici- tires from the local scene the less is the iuterest showu by plans lu effect, under permissive pality or its location. 'the ratepayers. This condition wouild appear true if we législation, over a perîod of some1 (4) There are no restrictionýs as', judge and compare the interest sliown this year at tlie nom- 23 years. Only 219,- ho-wever, Ou.t ito age, sex, or occupation of the ination meeting for the school area with that of the iudivid of a total of almost 1000 munîci- emnployee. ual sections a year ago. This year iuterest at the meeting was palities liad taken advantage of W ith this kýnowledge of O.M. practically nil whle we do know that individual sections the legislation. Legislation was E.R.S. as a background, we are liad, in the past, shown considerable iuterest. therefore badly needed, in order now lu a better position to, ex- This may not, howevei, be a fair basis on whicli to to provide a sound system of mun- ainie tlie reasons for the iuteg- judge, a larger unit of goverument witli that of a smnaller icipal'pensions that would assure perhiaps, keep in mmhd tlie state- unit. There are certainly other factors to be considered and the orderly, and secure retirement ment in mny first paragraph. The il, is quite possible that the area form of government may of thousands of municipal employ- give better and a more economical form of administration ees and in addition, contribute to ndi we- believe it does in many cases. the development of much-needed The f îeld of local municipal politics continues to municipal officiais. uarrow yarby year as responsibilities become more comn- The -Ontario Municipal Employ- plex anid candidates with, adequ.ate time and ability becomie ees Retirement System was the re- fewer and fewer, How mauy ilu the Township of Clarki-e suit of extensive and exhaustive could afford the time to sit on couincil at both day and Istudy begun in 1960 of, not only niglit meetings? The num)ber is decreasing every year. iexistiug pen1sion plans in Ontario, Régional and area formns of government may be our ration policy of the Ontario Gov- salvation even though iuterest does appear to declir.e. erumeut. In doing so we should,i Orono Junior Gardeners n,,-ld to ]eft, Dale Evass, best novice; -Kiwanis President John Brownlee. tlheir. annual aw'ard djmcinn nd Chris Jorgensen, winner of tlie Sue Aslett received t' e perfect at- Cliristma's show on),thusX ev- BowmanviIle Kiwanis T ophy for tendance award arid - a ('ha'- euingDeemer9th in 0~ Un- the best garden n il Evelene lice, the 4-C a-,,efi ite Chrcl whn mny "ner-lýrwntropblw 'n.er for the flot preserx, a hnre fuiarangmetswer o 'iply.Most points .trie annual show. mumps, w'as~ of the a- AwaYîrd inuiers wýere,, frt.. right Botli tropli 's were preseuted by chievement awîfd.' reasons cou-1ld be classified fal f 01lows : (1) Adding the Canada Pension Plan contributions of 1.8% to the 512 % of O.M.E.R.S. Plus the Oki' Age Security contributions we find the total deductions to beý 9.8% of earnýings. It must be re- alized that there !s a limit to the- amount a family can afford te- contribute to income after retireý ment. Many families are already over-extzended in attempting taý meet their obligations. (2) Historically, the amount of' income provided to employees after retirement, has been less than their income before retire- ment. If the Canada Pension Plan, is added or stacked it is feasibly, possible for an employee to re- ceive more in pensions than ieý earned while employed. Using: the $5000 maximum income under the, Canada Pension Plan, an employ- ee could receive an annual pen- sion of $1,250 plus $900 from 01(f Age Security, plus his wife's pen-. sion of $900 from the same source, This total of $3,050 does not in- clude benefits from O.M.E.R.S. or any other private pension plan. (3) Municipal emploveýes and taxpayers, through the taxes lev- ied by their local. municipal councils, are already contributing large sums annually to provide pension benefits, for municipal' employees. The financial resouire- es of municipalities are under great pressure. [t lias been estF- mated that stacking of the two, plans. would in Metropolitan Tor- onto alone mean an additional cost to the taxpayers of at least $1,500,000 per annum. (4) Many large industrial and commercial organizations have- made arrangements to integrate. (5) The Governments of Canada and the Governments. of Nova Scotia, Quebec, Manitoba and Sas- katchewan have ail indicated that those plans for which they are responsible will be integrated. These are the main reasons for the Government's decision to in- tegrate, and public opinion must judge its polîcy in the light of the above facts. We at the p &G Gas Bar Wish Everyone Sineere Ilappiness This Christmas and throu ghout the New Year Fred & Zela Grahamn Clhristmias is the time of year That brings wth it Joy and Cheer And those things that are real joliy, ,,Like puddin', mistletoe and Holly., KMind thoughts "and kind words abound And children's heads go 'round and 'round, Hopig that Saint Nick will hring, iToys, games, books - most anything; For tiny faces to e1iae with gie When they find what's 'neath the tree; 'And mom and dad and grandfolks do Look, on with smiling faces too. And one tan tell from that smile After ail 'twas weIl worth while. -Anonymous ~TO 0ONE AND ALL A VÉRY MERRY CHIRISTMAS FROM ALL 0F US AT Orono 5c to $1 Sto re