The Liberals believe they're taking strides to improve the Quebec's finances, but they say there's a ways to go. One of the proposals being floated to get the province on better financial footing? Making Quebecers work longer and postpone their retirement.
The Couillard government is laying the groundwork in order to increase the age of retirement and delay the payment of benefits from the pension board for as long as possible.
This scenario is inevitable, said Finance Minister Carlos Leitao Saturday morning at a Liberal Party convention in Montreal.
“People are staying longer in the labour market and also because they now have a longer life expectancy, you could end up with the situation where you have someone that works for 25 years and collects a pension for 25 years, that's a huge burden on public funds,” he said, adding delaying retirement can help keep pension funds sustainable and prevent labour shortages.
One idea is to base the age of retirement on life expectancy. The plan is just a proposal now, but it is part of the goverment's ongoing financial plan – a plan that has plenty of opponents.
ASSE protestors took to the streets outside the congress-and tomorrow public sector unions will take up the torch to send a message to the government that austerity doesn't work.
But after two recent byelection wins and a recent Leger poll showing public support for the party has grown to 36 per cent, Saturday’s protest did little to rain on Liberals' party.
