The Opposition NDP said the absence of any planned in-person town halls is "a move of pure cowardice."
The first of five Alberta government telephone town halls will begin next Monday to gather feedback about a controversial proposal to establish the province’s own pension plan, but the UCP so far hasn’t announced any in-person engagement sessions.
Former provincial treasurer Jim Dinning, who has in the past been opposed to the idea of a stand-alone provincial plan, will be leading the engagement panel. His work is set to continue into the spring, but the government didn’t provide details Thursday about whether that work will eventually include in-person engagement sessions beyond the telephone town halls.
The cost of the final version of the LifeWorks report has been pegged at about $1.8 million, while the government’s ad campaign will cost $7.5 million.Shannon Phillips, Opposition NDP critic for finance, pensions and insurance, said in a statement Thursday the absence of any planned in-person town halls is “a move of pure cowardice.”
The government has promised that an Alberta Pension Plan would have to be approved by referendum before it could be implemented.Regardless of where they live, Albertans can listen to five sessions, slotted to run from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Edmonton and surrounding area will see its town hall on Nov. 16, and Calgary and the surrounding area are scheduled for Nov. 9. For northern Alberta, the town hall is next Monday, for southern Alberta Oct. 24 and for central Alberta it is Nov. 22.
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