Garry Breitkreuz, M.P.
Yorkton-Melville		 News Release

For Immediate Delivery

May 13, 1999

LIBERAL’S 52ND BLOW TO DEMOCRACY - RAM PENSION PLUNDER BILL THROUGH HOUSE

"Why the double standard in federally-regulated pensions? What’s next? Sex police or conjugal cops?"

Ottawa – Today in the House of Commons, Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville, criticized the Liberal government for using closure or time allocation for the 52nd time since coming to power. "There’s only one reason for the government to use such undemocratic means to pass legislation and that is to ram it through before the public really find out what’s going on," exclaimed Breitkreuz. "It was a disgusting practice when the Mulroney government did it and it’s just as disgusting when the Chretien government does it. This is how the Liberals keep their 1993 Red Book promise to restore "honesty and integrity in our political institutions."

Breitkreuz used the limited time available to him to expose some major flaws in the government’s 200-page bill that will amend seven public service pension acts. "With Bill C-78, the government is saying that 670,000 public employees don’t have a say in how the $30 billion dollar surplus will be managed or spent. When Bill C-78 becomes law with the help of many well-trained seals on the government benches, the government will have the power to change premiums and benefits without seeking the approval of Parliament," Breitkreuz told the House.

"Want to see the hypocrisy of this government?" asked Breitkreuz. "The government has an obvious double standard. One set of rules governing pensions of employees in federally-regulated industries and another set for employees working directly under the government’s control. The Pension Benefits Standards Act of 1985 gives members of the pension plan the right to vote on any proposal an employer, in a federally regulated industry, has with respect to a pension surplus. In fact, the Act stipulates that the employer’s proposal must pass with a two-thirds majority by the members and former members of the pension plan. Why didn’t the Liberals give these same voting rights and privileges to public servants, members of the armed forces and members of the RCMP in Bill C-78?" asked Breitkreuz.

Breitkreuz also used the opportunity to speak in defence of the definition of marriage, spouse and the traditional family. "The Liberals say they are all for defending the family except when they won’t fight court cases that undermine it. The Liberals say they are all for strengthening the family except when they bring in laws that redefine it," observed Breitkreuz. "Bill C-78 would not only extend survivor benefits to married couples as it should be, but would redefine ‘survivor’ to include couples who have cohabited in a relationship of a conjugal nature for at least a year before the death of the pension plan contributor. So, according to the government, it doesn’t matter whether you are the husband or the wife of a pensioner. For Liberals it only matters if you’re having sex with a government employee for a year before they die to be entitled to that person’s pension." "Isn’t it ironic that the party of Pierre Trudeau, who said the government has no business in the bedrooms of the nation, is willing to extend pension benefits to a person because of what goes on in the bedroom," concluded Breitkreuz. "What’s next? Sex police or conjugal cops?"

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