Imagine it's March, 2013 and you discover to your considerable horror that you must pay the government $9,000 in addition to the taxes you normally fork over. Sounds pretty far-fetched, doesn't it? Well, you and I, and every other man, woman and child in Canada are each on the hook for an extra $9,000 to pay for the $300 billion (or more) in promises to public sector pension plans that governments don't have the money to pay.

Earlier this year, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released a report showing that taxpayers put in $23.30 for every one dollar parliamentarians contribute to their pension plans. Politicians are reluctant to step away from the machine multiplying their money. Here are some dirty little secrets about those pensions.

With the budget coming up, we need to talk Old Age Security (OAS). The cost of the OAS program will explode, going from $36 billion in 2010 to $108 billion in 2030. Refusing to deal with this problem for partisan reasons would be completely irresponsible to future generations, if not shameful.

Seniors and members of the labour movement concerned about changes to Old Age Security staged peaceful sit-ins at the offices of 24 Conse...

Rather than social programs to help the poor and vulnerable, to help seniors, there is an emphasis on fulfilling a right-wing agenda in areas such as crime. This reflects the lack of fact-based policy which is needed in a government that promotes economic growth.

OTTAWA - The federal government considers it imperative to cut the costs of public pensions and intends to propose future reforms in the budget, Finan...

OTTAWA - The upcoming federal budget will not include changes to the Old Age Security program for seniors but changes are coming, Finance Minister Jim...

OTTAWA - The Conservative government's move Tuesday to curtail debate on legislation creating a new pooled pension plan illustrated some of the potent...

With the federal government potentially eyeing changes to public sector pensions, there are new calls to alter the pensions that members ...

OTTAWA - The federal government's bill to create pooled registered pension plans will likely boost savings for retirement, but not enough to fully add...