The C.D. Howe Institute - a powerful influence with no conscience.

The C.D. Howe Institute is a think tank that is trying to suppress the news of the CPP’s surplus. They have received a 2 out of 5 rating for transparency in revealing their funding. Their funding is probably from the 1%, which includes the Republican Koch brothers.

Regrettably, Canada uses think tanks extensively to formulate government policy. Globe and Mail reporter Konrad Yakabuski explains.

Between 2000 and 2015, representatives from Canada's 10 leading think tanks appeared at least 216 times before parliamentary committees and were cited in the Canadian media almost 60,000 times. It gave them and their research priceless exposure and influence in shaping government policy.

But at what price to Canadian democracy?

There is little doubt that the research conducted by Canadian think tanks often enriches public-policy debates. While they claim to be independent, however, most think tanks rely on funding from wealthy benefactors, corporations, unions or lobby groups seeking to push their own causes.

Yet, few Canadian think tanks will tell you who exactly is funding them, or, if they do, how much they get from such benefactors. Indeed, think tanks here lag well behind their peers in the United States and Britain in providing detailed disclosure on their sources of funding….

In April 2017, the average transparency score among the top 10 was a miserable 1.5 stars.

Here are three indications that the C.D. Howe Institute is shamefully trying hard to keep the news of the CPP’s surplus and potential suppressed.

  1. C.D. Howe recently published a  misinformation paper that is packed with misleading information denying the CPP’s “gigantic” surplus. It implies our pensions may be in jeopardy.

  2. Malcolm Hamilton, the pension expert who spent 40 hours trying to explain why the CPP is not in surplus, has worked for the C.D. Howe Institute. 

  3. The C.D. Howe Institute hosts 90 meetings a year that are “off-the-record”.

    An “off-the-record” meeting enables anyone complicit in a cover-up to verbally agree on a cover-up strategy without any fear of reprisal or criminal charges. The actuarial industry, the investment industry and the media industry all have a great deal to lose if the news of the CPP’s surplus and potential become public. The C.D. Howe Institute is the perfect venue to formulate their cover-up strategy without fear of reprisal. Click here to see a probable dialogue at this meeting.