The Following may be the Most Damaging Cover-up in Canadian History

The following provides specifics of an insidious cover-up that is costing 99% of Canadians $170 billion, and much more. Some politicians, impervious to bribery, are listening. 

• Premier Danielle Smith, who has received these details, justifiably demanded Alberta’s estimated $86 billion share of our $591 billion Canada Pension Plan fund, as shown below. 

• Pierre Poilievre has called the concepts below “new and innovative ideas to rescue our economy.”, as shown below.

• Finance Minister Freeland has unsuccessfully attempted to refute my findings, which prove the Liberals have likely accepted bribes from the financial industry. 

As a professor emeritus (Business), I have studied the CPP for eight years. To establish credibility, my research and advocacy helped bring $440 million more per year to low-income seniors, as outlined in the March 2019 Federal Budget. A vicious 76% Guaranteed Income Supplement clawback has now been mostly eliminated.

The details below show that deserving Canadians are being subtly deprived of almost 400 times $440 million, $170 billion, and much more. It uncovers a bribery scheme that is making the wealthiest 1% of Canadians even wealthier at the expense of the other 99%. It gives suggestions on how Canadians can effectively combat this insidious cover-up.

Because CPP Investments has been declared the best pension fund investor in the world, our CPP fund now has an irrefutable $240 billion surplus. Based on standard pension practice, roughly $170 billion should be distributed. Such a surplus distribution would give 17 million Canadians $10,000 each, increase our anemic GDP by 3%, increase business profits by 20%, reduce our deficit by $50 billion, help solve income inequality and much more.

However, the financial industry, the actuarial industry and the media industry would lose if the news of the CPP’s surplus became known. The evidence below is convincing, some say overwhelming, that these three industries have rigged our capitalist system so that Canada’s wealthiest 1% can increase their wealth at the expense of the remaining 99%.

Several Experts and Icons Recommend Suspicion and Vigilance.

To make these disturbing allegations more credible, below are warnings from several prominent Canadians. They state that, under-the-radar, selfish powers are defying democracy so they can become even wealthier.

In her book, PLUTOCRATS, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland highlights the prevalence of elite attempts to use political influence for personal gain, stating,

“In an age of super-wealth, we need to be constantly alerted to efforts by the elite to get rich by using their political muscle to increase their share of the pre-existing pie, rather than adding value to the economy and thus increasing the size of the pie overall.”

Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, echoes these concerns in his book VALUE(S), describing Canadians as victims of

"Twisted economics, an accompanying amoral culture, and degraded institutions whose lack of accountability and integrity accelerate the system’s dysfunction."

Pierre Poilievre asserts that "Our system is broken.” and “Fire the gatekeepers.", probably alluding to our complicit Chief Actuary and the complicit President of the CBC.

David Meslin, Canada's foremost expert on democracy, in his book "TEARDOWN," states,

“Our political system has evolved into a sophisticated enabler of mass institutionalized bribery... powerful corporations continue to wield enormous power in our legislatures.”

Duff Conacher of Democracywatch.ca emphasizes the significant financial impact of corporate cash, stating,

"Corporations spend $25 billion annually on their lobbying and promotion efforts."

If capitalism is so suspect, what specific companies or industries are “using their political muscle to increase their share of the pre-existing pie?” 

It is probably not those companies that provide goods or services. The law of supply and demand keeps them somewhat, but not unreasonably, profitable. Walmart and Costco are excellent examples. 

However, consider Canada’s mysterious financial industry. They earn  47% of all corporate profits in Canada but only contribute 7.4% to our anemic GDP. In 2020, their profit was a whopping $125 billion, aka $125,000 million. For comparison, the US financial industry only earns 25-30% of all corporate profits in the US.

The following shows how Canada’s financial industry has managed to “use their political muscle” to deprive millions of Canadians of billions of deserved dollars so that they can greedily continue collecting 47% of Canadian corporate profits.  

Why the Canada Pension Plan has a huge surplus.

My second cousin, John MacNaughton, was CEO of CPP Investments from 1999 to 2004. Up until 1999, the fund was composed of mostly low risk bonds and guaranteed income certificates. John spearheaded a move to invest in riskier investments, including stocks, private equity, real estate, infrastructure and much more, worldwide. This change in investment strategy has generated very large profits for the 20 million members of the CPP, at very little risk. John’s initial investment strategy has resulted in CPP Investments being able to state in a Globe and Mail advertisement that they have had “the highest returns of any global pension fund. Period.”

In 2010, our Chief Actuary stated he needs a CPP fund value of $329 billion on January 1, 2024 in order to fund all pensions for 75 years. Thanks to the outstanding success of CPP Investments, the actual fund value was $591 billion, meaning our CPP fund now has a surplus of roughly $240 billion, 70% above our Chief Actuary’s target.

Aside from investment return, actuarial science calculates pension fund stability by forecasting for mortality, fertility, inflation, net migration, unemployment, participation, GDP and number of disability recipients. Since 2010, all these factors combined, over 12 years, have resulted in the fund now having $18 billion more than predicted. This is another reason that justifies declaring a surplus. 

Global SWF is a New York-based pension industry specialist. They recently analyzed all Public Pension Funds, worldwide. CPP Investments was ranked best, with an outstanding investment return averaging 10.9% return over ten years. 

CPP Investments is proud of their outstanding ability to invest our CPP contributions with success better than any other pension fund in the world. The following graph was recently published in various Canadian media, as a paid advertisement.

Update: In the first quarter of 2024, the fund has increased to $632 billion, a 7%, $41 billion return in one quarter. Our Chief Actuary specified he needed an investment return of $32 billion for the entire 12 months of 2024. At this 7% rate per quarter, by Dec. 31, 2024, the fund value will be $774 billion, with a return of $183 billion. Please compare $183 billion to $32 billion. This excess $151 billion is a surplus of roughly $7,500, on average, per member of the CPP, in 2024 alone. 

This $240 billion surplus to Jan. 1, 2024 is roughly 74% above target. However, if we forecast using CPP Investments’ likely ongoing 10.9% return, as pension experts recommend, we only need roughly $200 billion in the fund today, resulting in a 200% surplus. When a pension fund has a mere 25% surplus, a surplus distribution is recommended. That is why, in 2000, when the Ryerson University Pension Plan had a mere 18% surplus, the CRA demanded a surplus distribution. Professors, including me, received as much as $20,000 each.

Consider the benefits or a recommended $170 billion surplus distribution:

• Seventeen million Canadians would receive $10,000 each, on average, 

• Business profits would increase by 20%, 

• Our sputtering GDP would increase by 3%,

• Employment would increase, 

• Charitable donations would increase, 

• Poverty would decrease, 

• Income inequality would decrease, 

• Our troubling deficit would decrease by roughly $50 billion, thanks to increased income tax and HST, 

• The 100,000 low-income seniors who will die this year could enjoy increased longevity and improved quality of life,

• CPP Investments could sell off its poorly performing investments, thereby increasing its overall return to 15%, for example,

• Several other positive outcomes.

No actuary, economist, politician, or journalist has provided one reason to NOT distribute the CPP’s surplus.

Why a $170 billion surplus distribution would substantially solve our anemic GDP and low productivity problems

Consider a typical Canadian company with $10 million in sales. With a $170 billion CPP surplus distribution, because our GDP would increase by roughly 5%, his sales might increase by, for example, 5%. The table below shows the impact. 

Because the cost per unit would decrease by almost $3, the productivity improvement in this example is (80-77.1)/80 = 3.6%. Additional sales above predicted sales are highly profitable because fixed costs have been paid for by initial sales. A $170 billion surplus distribution and the resultant 3.6% increase in productivity would help move Canada from near the worst in the G20 countries in terms of productivity to near the best. With, for example, 100 employees in the company, their per capita output, a growing concern in Canada, would increase by roughly 3.6%.

Consider the impact on our sputtering GDP. Possibly $80 billion of a $170 billion surplus distribution would be spent. The multiplier effect occurs when money is paid to one company and the owner takes that money and spends it a second time in the same year. The multiplier effect might make the contribution to GDP $20 billion more, resulting in a $100 billion GDP increase. Our GDP would then increase from $2.7 trillion to $2.8 trillion, a 3.7% increase. Such an increase added to The Economist’s anemic 2024 forecasted increase of 1.7% would give Canada a 5.4% increase in GDP. This would probably vault Canada from near last place in the G20 countries to first place, according to The Economist’s forecast.

Still more benefits

We all have a personal fund within the CPP’s giant fund. Presuming a 10.9% return, consider a 25-year-old earning, for example, $50,000 today. Here is how his personal fund would grow.

With $3.2 million in his personal fund at age 65, presuming an ongoing 10.9% return, using the investment income only, he could enjoy a $350,000 CPP pension. He could leave the principal of $3.2 million for an emergency or for his family when he passes on. 

What about inflation? Based on a 2% inflation rate over 40 years, $350,000 becomes $160,000 in 2024 dollars. Based on a 3% inflation rate over 40 years, $350,000 becomes $107,000 in 2024 dollars. 

(For advanced analysts, this analysis accounts for the fact the CPP is a pay-as-you-go pension plan and presumes the CPP’s $240 billion surplus will be distributed today.)  

Ongoing high returns for CPP Investments are probable. For example, their private equity investments, constituting one-third of their $591 billion portfolio, recently achieved an unprecedented 33.2% return, as shown in their Annual Report 2022 (Page 43). 

CPP Investments enjoys many investment advantages over the average investor. High returns will very likely continue. For example, by searching for “The most expensive toll road in the world”, you will find The Pennsylvania Turnpike. Ontario’s 407-ETR is 2 ½ times the cost of The Pennsylvania Turnpike, resulting in huge profits. CPP Investments owns half of 407-ETR. It has numerous other similar investments, worldwide, with 2,000 employees searching for them on our behalf. 

Why the Financial Industry would want to suppress the news of the CPP’s surplus

One would naturally think, as I did five years ago, that the financial industry would want these numerous, considerable benefits reaching millions of Canadians and our sputtering economy. However, the reverse is true. The following explains why.

The financial industry recommends Canadians invest 15% of their income towards retirement. Canadians are listening. We now have $4 trillion invested in RRSPs and TFSAs alone. This is $100,000, on average, for each of 40 million Canadians. At an estimated 1% charge for investment advice, the financial industry earns $40 billion per year on RRSPs and TFSAs alone, Because there are maximums on RRSP and TFSA accounts, Canadians may have an estimated second $4 trillion also invested with the financial industry.

However, if young Canadians knew a $100,000 CPP annual pension likely awaits them, their desire to invest 15% of their income towards retirement would plummet. Many, now struggling financially, would use their additional 15% in income to improve their quality of life today. The financial industry would then lose billions of dollars in investment fees, annually. Moreover, some Canadians might even cash in their RRSPs and TFSAs now instead of waiting until age 65, knowing a large CPP pension awaits them. 

The financial industry is also understandably terrified of voluntary contributions to CPP Investments. They know that Canada’s Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, investigated this possibility in 2011. For example, if a 25-year-old Canadian voluntarily contributed just $1,000 per year to CPP Investments, $40,000 in total, with an ongoing 10.9% return, he would have $838,000 at age 65. He could then, for example, live off the investment income of $91,000 per year, tax-free because he had used a TFSA. This would leave the $838,000 principal untouched, available for a rainy day or a bequest to his children. 

Conversely, voluntarily investing the same amount with the financial industry, based on historical investment returns and a 1% per year investment fee, he would only have $209,000 at age 65.

Consider his investment value if he invested his $1,000 per year in life insurance or an annuity. They provide a 3% return. His $1,000 annual investment for 40 years would then become $114,000, 13.6% of what voluntary contributions could likely provide.

What about the impact of inflation? A 2% inflation rate over 40 years makes $838,000 equivalent to $380,000 in buying power in 2024 dollars. It makes $114,000 equivalent to $51,000 in 2024 dollars.

Why is the financial industry’s yield so small compared to what CPP Investments’ can give him? Firstly, the financial industry takes as much as 2% off an investment return to pay for overhead and profit. Secondly, the financial industry’s  investment return will likely be half of CPP Investments’ return, because CPP Investments has many substantial advantages over any other investment option.

To summarize, the financial industry cannot compete with CPP Investments’ probable outstanding, ongoing 10.9% return.

Would CPP Investments be overwhelmed if a $1,000 maximum investment per Canadian per year were allowed? Not in the slightest. If, for example, 10 million Canadians invested, the total investment would be $10 billion per year. Please recall that, based on standard pension practice, our CPP fund should be now distributing $170 billion to deserving Canadians. If this happened, CPP Investments would then need more investment to maintain its ownership of numerous profitable companies.

The financial industry has publicly stated CPP legislation could,

“undermine a lot of successful, legitimate, (retirement savings) products in the investment industry.”

Who should be undermined - millions of struggling Canadians or an industry that already corners 47% of all corporate profits? Three associates who I met in university are now worth an estimated $100 million each, thanks to their employment in the financial industry. 

The ramifications extend beyond the investment sector in the financial industry. Why would one need life insurance if their spouse is destined to receive 60% of their possible $100,000 CPP pension, if they die early?

Mental health has emerged as a big problem among Canada’s youth. Surveys indicate many fret about retirement security. The revelation that a  $100,000 CPP pension likely awaits them, coupled with as much as 15% more income available today, could help bring peace of mind to millions of young, struggling Canadians. For some, this 15% increase in income could even pave the way for a down payment on a home.

Canada’s sputtering economy would improve. If Canadians had as much as 15% more income available to spend, our anemic GDP and business profits would increase, resulting in more income tax and HST revenue. The problems of our spiraling deficit and sluggish GDP would then be substantially addressed.

Finally, expensive contributions to other pension plans could stop. Currently employers contribute as much as $10,000 per year per employee, matched by the employee, towards a pension plan.  With the CPP likely providing a $100,000 pension, this cost to both employers and employees could be reduced substantially.

The above shows that the financial industry has the motivation to suppress the news of the CPP’s surplus. The news could likely result in billions of dollars in lost profit, per year.  But do they have the resources? Absolutely. In 2020, for example, their $125 billion in profit was 47% of all corporate profits in Canada. 

The evidence below is convincing that the financial industry has invested, for example, a mere 1% of their profit, a very convincing $1.25 billion or $1,250 million, to subtly and illegally suppress the news of the CPP’s surplus. They have done this so that they can continue to collect huge profits from millions of Canadians who have been duped into thinking they need to invest substantially now or experience a retirement in poverty.

Few Canadians realize that, in the 1960’s, the top tax rate in Canada and the US was over 90%. Then, likely using bribery, the wealthy have managed to decrease that rate to roughly 53% in Canada and 40% in the US. 

Moreover, in Canada, 47 of 51 tax loopholes favour the rich. The wealthy already have huge advantages. This insidious CPP surplus cover-up needs to be stopped.

Why Doesn’t Any Party Claim Their Majority?

Democracy expert David Meslin’s statement in his book "TEARDOWN", Rebuilding Democracy from the Ground Up is telling. He wrote:

“Our political system has evolved into a sophisticated enabler of mass institutionalized bribery... powerful corporations continue to wield enormous power in our legislatures.”

Even the NDP could potentially secure a landslide majority by merely promising to give $10,000 to each of 17 million Canadians, let alone the other benefits alluded to earlier. So, why haven't they? Did the financial industry strike this example bargain with all three political parties:

"If you never mention the CPP’s surplus, we will give your party $50 million per year"?

This would explain why all politicians remain mute regarding the CPP’s surplus, even though all 334 MPs have received these details, twice, in the last five years. Only Mr. Poilievre, who has stated “Our system is broken.” and “Fire the gatekeepers.” has responded, as shown below. 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants no part of this bribery. She has demanded Alberta receive its fair share of our CPP fund so that she can give Albertans the numerous benefits described above.

The Canadian Media is Obviously Complicit.

Consider the landscape of our Canadian media over the past two decades. Can you recall a story more significant and impactful for Canadians than the following:

"Adhering to standard pension practice, the CPP should now distribute $170 billion of its $240 billion surplus to deserving Canadians, with no risk to future CPP pensions. The potential benefits are vast, including 17 million Canadians receiving $10,000 each,  a 20% increase in business profits, a 3% GDP boost, heightened employment, a deficit reduction of $50 billion and much more.

Because CPP Investments has many advantages over the average investor, it is likely they will continue investing so successfully. If so, an average 25-year-old could have a $100,000 CPP pension in 2024 dollars. This means he can stop investing now towards retirement and use his additional income to improve his current quality of life. The CPP could notify him annually regarding how successful CPP Investments has been in investing his contributions."

If such a story were published, politicians would be forced by protesting Canadians to legislate CPP changes so that millions of Canadians and our anemic Canadian economy could receive these benefits. 

Canadians are starved for good news. After first struggling with Covid, most are now faced with high rents or double the mortgage payment, galloping inflation, mushrooming income inequality and much more. What a shame to deprive them of such good news.  

Surprisingly, not one word on the CPP’s surplus has ever been published in Canada’s mainstream media. In contrast, in 2019, The Economist, the esteemed and unbiased international publication, stated:

"Canada’s vast pension fund is gaining even more financial clout. The fund’s portfolio size has more than tripled over the past decade and is going to become only more gigantic.”

Moreover, since those words were published, our "gigantic" CPP fund has expanded by another $200 billion.

Candid insights from Canadian media experts underscore the prevalence of bribery in the industry. They claim:

 "The Canadian media is cannibalistic...They’re chewing away bone marrow of their own properties in order to make them a profit, so the whole public service aspect of journalism has taken a back seat. The overall quality of journalism has been lost."

(John Miller, previously Managing Editor of the Toronto Star and Chair of Journalism at Ryerson University aka TMU) 

"The super-rich have bankrolled a network of conservative think tanks, elite journals, and mass media outlets to dominate the debate over economic policy."

(Ex-world class journalist, Chrystia Freeland’s thoughts from her book PLUTOCRATS: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else) 

"Media owners don’t really care too much about journalism. It’s just a means to an end, and that end, of course, is making money."

(Marc Edge, Canadian journalist, academic and author.)

“We can’t count on the media to communicate our messages to Canadians. We have to go around them and their biased coverage.” 

(Pierre Poilievre here.)

The lengthy tentacles of the financial industry have even reached “our” CBC. Executives there refuse to publish one word on the CPP’s surplus. This failure strongly justifies Mr. Poilievre’s threat to “Defund the CBC.” and “Fire the gatekeepers.”, probably alluding to the disgraceful president of the CBC.

Consider the ArriveCan APP. Our Canadian media has published an estimated 1,000 stories regarding this $60 million scandal. Meanwhile, our Canadian media has published zero stories on a scandal that is costing Canadians $170 billion, almost 3,000 times $60 million. This further confirms media experts’ claim that our media has abandoned integrity for profit. 

Instead of this impactful CPP surplus story, our media supplies us with a steady diet of stories that, financially, have virtually no impact on our day-to-day lives. The ArriveCan APP, the carbon tax, and foreign interference are the somewhat irrelevant stories that the media continues to bombard us with in April 2024. Please compare any abuse you have personally encountered from these “scandals” compared to the abuse you are experiencing because you, and millions of other Canadians, are not receiving the CPP benefits described above.

The entire Canadian media, grappling to turn a profit, is controlled by a handful of questionable corporations, mostly within the financial industry. Did the financial industry orchestrate this example arrangement with all media owners:

“If you never mention the CPP’s surplus, we will give your company $50 million per year."?

Regrettably, the few ethical journalists who approached this CPP surplus story with vigor are no longer employed. Media owners will fire those journalists who have a conscience. 

Actuaries Also Have Much to Lose.

If Canadians know the CPP will likely give them as much as a $100,000 pension, few would want to contribute to any other pension plan. Then the need for actuaries, the watchdogs of pension plans, would plummet. This explains why the ten top Canadian actuaries who I have consulted have all denied the CPP’s $240 billion surplus with vacuous arguments that Donald Trump would admire. 

Canada’s Chief Actuary oversees 10% of the lifetime earnings of most Canadians, totaling trillions of dollars. However, he operates without oversight. There are three oversight options that, on behalf of millions of Canadians, could check on the reporting of our Chief Actuary. 

1. The Canada Revenue Agency. With jurisdiction over some pension funds, the CRA ordered the Ryerson University Pension Plan to distribute their 18% surplus. In 2000, professors, including me, received as much as $20,000 each.

2. Canada’s Auditor General. They audit most government organizations for fraud, mishandling of funds, inaccurate reporting and injustice to Canadians.

3. A CPP Board of Governors. Pension experts claim the success of every pension fund depends on a representative Board of Governors, composed primarily of contributors and pensioners. Actuaries report to them. The Board decides on investment decisions, surplus payments, pension payments and contribution amounts. (CPP Investments has a very competent Board of Governors but their mandate involves investment decisions only.)   

Regrettably, our Chief Actuary is not subject to scrutiny from any of these organizations. He has full control. Meanwhile, one top Canadian actuary with a conscience stated, with disgust:

“Our Chief Actuary has done what pension actuaries frequently do - invent measures that are easily manipulated so that actuaries can control the narrative and hide things at will...I must remain anonymous because I am not allowed to criticize my fellow actuaries.”

Based on my eight years of research, after poring through thousands of pages of CPP actuarial reports, I heartily agree. 

Despite this undisputable CPP surplus, our Chief Actuary has stated to me, "The CPP is not in surplus" and “No further comment.”. Moreover, in thousands of pages of his reporting, he never mentions “surplus” even though our CPP now has a 200%, $240 billion surplus. Our Chief Actuary is supposed to serve Canadians with accuracy and honesty. Instead, he has chosen to deceive us so that he can protect his fellow actuaries in his at-risk industry. 

When we had cash payments, for example, consider most Canadians’ behaviour when we give a clerk a $20 bill for something costing $16.50. Most Canadians scrutinize the change returned. It astounds me that most Canadians, now forced, with employer matching, to contribute 12% of their income to the CPP, let one industry with a huge conflict-of-interest and zero accountability deny us of the huge benefits described above. 

Malcolm Hamilton, an actuary, is one of Canada’s foremost experts on pensions. He is associated with the C.D. Howe Institute, a think tank that will not reveal who funds them. Even though Malcolm could probably command $1,000 per hour as a consultant, he curiously spent 40 hours trying to convince me the CPP has no surplus.  He failed miserably, using ridiculous arguments.

The disgraceful C.D. Howe Institute, probably funded by the financial industry, irresponsibly published a misinformation paper that suggests our CPP pensions are in jeopardy! 

Did the Canadian Institute of Actuaries recently hold this meeting?

“Good day, fellow actuaries, from your President,

We cannot let Canadians know that CPP Investments’ will likely continue investing so successfully. Combined with the current $240 billion surplus, continued investment success means future CPP pensions will be so large that most Canadians will stop contributing to any other pension plan. A $100,000 CPP pension in 2024 dollars is probable for a 25-year-old. If Canadians know this, there will be a huge decline in the demand for other pension funds, and hence actuaries. We must act now to protect our at-risk industry. 

Unfortunately, Professor Macnaughton’s CPP surplus analysis has obviously reached Premier Smith of Alberta. Her Alberta Pension Plan website boasts a surplus payment to seniors of as much as $10,000 each if Alberta receives their share of the $591 billion CPP fund. It also suggests Albertans and their employer will enjoy a $1,425 contribution reduction per employee per year. 

Soon, citizens and businesses from other provinces will be saying, 

‘If Albertans are scheduled to receive $10,000 each and a $1,425 contribution reduction per year, what about my province and me?’ 

Then complicit premiers will be forced to listen. The entire CPP surplus story will then be impossible to suppress, especially with the threat of social media looming. 

Premier Smith probably asked the federal Liberals for a Canada-wide CPP surplus distribution. Thanks to the bribes by our friends in the financial industry, the Liberals refused. Then Premier Smith demanded Alberta’s share of the surplus, which is her right. She hired our actuarial friends at Lifeworks to determine how much Alberta deserves.

Here is a crucial question that must be now answered: How can we continue to keep this inconvenient news of the CPP’s surplus suppressed? We need to think outside the box.”

After many hours of thinking outside the box, members of the association presented a risky but effective strategy.

“Even before her CPP request, our media has portrayed Premier Smith as an unhinged, un-Canadian, uncooperative premier who couldn't care less about the rest of Canada as long as Albertans benefit. We can use this portrayal to our advantage. There is an obscure clause in The Canada Pension Plan Act that, if taken verbatim, lets Lifeworks theoretically suggest Alberta deserves an outlandish 53% of the CPP’s $591 billion fund. It will slightly tarnish Canadians’ opinion of Lifeworks and actuaries but we must risk it. Actuarial science is so complex that few people will question it, especially since we are only following The Canada Pension Plan Act. 

If we can get our friends controlling the media to attribute this ridiculous 53% claim to Premier Smith and not Lifeworks, Albertans and all Canadians will presume she is unhinged and all statements she makes regarding the CPP and its surplus should be ignored. 

Canada’s media owners, thanks to cash from the financial industry, have never mentioned the CPP’s surplus, even though it may be the most newsworthy story in Canada in years. They can now skillfully cooperate and mislead the public into thinking Premier Smith, not the Lifeworks actuaries, greedily claims 53% of the CPP fund.”

And the media did cooperate. The Globe and Mail published the following news on Sept. 22, 2023. Note how the blame is all put on Premier Smith. Lifeworks is not even mentioned.

Danielle Smith wants 53 per cent of the CPP, but to get it she’s in for a fight with other premiers

Danielle Smith has always been on the side of Alberta going it alone with a provincial pension. What we didn’t know until this week is what a stunningly big chunk of the pie the Premier would seek in that separation from the Canada Pension Plan.

The Alberta claim is so huge – Ms. Smith’s United Conservative Party government says the province is entitled to more than 50 per cent of the CPP’s assets – that it’s likely to usher in a new era of Canadian political chaos if seriously pursued. The province is embarking on a new fight not only with Ottawa, but potentially with all the other provinces and territories, except for Quebec…

This sentence from Michel Leduc of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board earlier this week sticks: “A province that accounts for only 16 per cent of total contributions can’t legally, realistically or morally be allowed to claim more than half the assets,” he told The Globe and Mail.

In the Fall of 2024, our Chief Actuary will report his version of Alberta’s share of the fund. Will he join Lifeworks and further confuse Canadians about the true status of the CPP? Will he, for example, wrongly claim Alberta only deserves 10% of the fund, roughly a $35 billion shortfall. Such a claim would trigger a prolonged lawsuit that will end up in Canada’s Supreme Court, resulting in a final judgment possibly ten years away. Will Albertans and all Canadians ever receive their fair share of the CPP’s surplus? Only if federal politicians intervene. Time will tell.

Democracy traded in for cash.

There are only 45,000 financial analysts and actuaries in Canada, constituting just over 0.1% of our population. It is likely that the remaining 99.9% of Canadians, if informed, would overwhelmingly support a no-risk CPP surplus distribution of $170 billion. However, all three political parties refuse to propose or even discuss such a distribution. The democratic principles in Canada seem to have been abandoned. Instead of:

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people,"

Canadians are receiving:

"Government of the people, by the financial industry, for the financial industry."

Our suspect media, experiencing a shortage of topics, is currently dwelling on foreign interference on our democracy. Our media should focus more on domestic interference, right here in Canada. It is probably having 1,000 times the impact on the day-to-day lives of struggling Canadians.

The following is a stretch but it should be mentioned. Did the NDP, in a state of desperation, threaten to disclose the CPP's surplus in parliament? Is it plausible that our Liberal government, possibly influenced by prodding from the financial industry, propose a strategy of appeasement by forming the current Liberal-NDP coalition? This coalition has provided dental care for children in low-income families and limited Pharmacare. Canadians might prefer a $170 billion CPP surplus distribution over dental care and Pharmacare for some.

Every year, thousands more Canadians’ lives are being shortened 

There are two million Canadian seniors now living near the poverty line of $22,000 in income per year. Two thirds are women. An additional $10,000, similar to a 45% raise,  could vastly improve their quality of life and longevity. Please recall that it was their money that was used by CPP Investments to create this “gigantic” surplus.

Consider the plight of those 100,000 suffering low-income Canadian seniors expected to pass on in the next 12 months. Struggling to survive on an income near the poverty line, they can barely pay for rent and day-to-day living expenses. An additional $10,000 from the CPP’s surplus would lead to a substantially improved quality of life and a longer life. They could, for example, travel, dine out, buy a car, visit grandchildren, visit Florida, play golf, and enjoy all the other activities wealthier retirees take for granted. 

One study shows that those seniors in the top quintile of income (aka members of the financial industry) live 13 years longer than those in the bottom quintile. Tragically, the lives of these suffering seniors are being cut short because of the greed of millionaires in the financial industry.

Is this the Canada you envision living in? As I write this, Remembrance Day approaches. Is this the Canada our brave soldiers fought for and died to protect?

What about the benefits of an extra $1,000 to a low-income senior as opposed to a banker? The Economist recently wrote,

“The marginal benefit of an extra $1,000 is greater for the poor than the rich. A hungry family might buy food for a month; a banker might blow that amount on a single dinner, not including the wine.”

Next year, another 100,000 struggling seniors will die earlier than they should. Please help stop this cover-up. Suggestions are below.

There are also 200,000 middle-income and high-income Canadians who will also die this year, never receiving their deserved surplus payment, which is closer to $15,000 each. 

Generational equity, or fairness to all, is supposed to be the primary goal of all pension fund managers. This is especially true with our Chief Actuary who oversees the pensions of 20 million Canadians, many struggling. 

For smaller pension funds, legislation exists that demands a surplus distribution when the surplus is 25% above target. Our CPP fund is arguably 200% above target. Recall that the CRA demanded the Ryerson University Pension Plan distribute a surplus when the fund only had an 18% surplus. Meanwhile the Canada Pension Plan Act and thousands of pages produced by our Chief Actuary, conveniently never mention the word “surplus”. Politicians, where are you?

Our Chief Actuary is failing miserably at generational equity - the goal of all pension fund managers. His self-serving actions make him disgracefully guilty of shortening the lives of thousands of Canadians. 

Bank presidents are the most guilty…and could easily stop this cover-up

Banks oversee 70% of the $10 trillion in total financial assets in Canada. The bank presidents in the five big Canadian banks are each paid roughly $15 million per year to keep the profits flowing. Arguably, they represent 70% of the financial industry. If they agreed, one phone call to our politicians saying, 

“The jig is up. Forget the bribes. Let’s release the CPP’s surplus. Our banks’ image (and my legacy reputation) are too much at risk.”

Because they refuse to use their power and influence to cancel this cover-up, they are guilty of depriving millions of struggling Canadians of the benefits listed above. This is a complete contradiction of their declared mandate. For example, TD bank’s slogan is “Enriching the lives of those we serve.”. A more accurate slogan is “Worsening the lives of those we serve.”

These organizations should also are also guilty

The tentacles of the greedy financial industry are ubiquitous. Canada's two foremost seniors' advocacy groups, CARP and CANAGE, have a mission statement that claims they will advocate vigorously for the well-being of seniors. For example, CARP’s stated mandate is to "Promote and protect the interests, rights, and quality of life for Canadians as we age." 

However, both CARP and CANAGE, despite receiving repeated CPP surplus details from me, have not responded. Of a $170 billion CPP surplus distribution, seniors would receive $60 billion. This failure to respond is especially suspicious because CARP and I partnered to successfully secure an additional $440 million per year in GIS payments for low-income seniors. This failure to meet their mandate is probably caused by substantial "donations'' received from the financial industry. The agreement may have been worded as, for example, 

“We will donate $10 million to your organization on the condition that you never mention the CPP’s surplus.” 

Our CRA frowns on nonprofits like CARP that receive income from the public but do not match their advertised mandate. The CRA has been notified. 

Eight years ago, I viewed think tanks with great respect. I thought they were packed with experts who advise naive politicians regarding the best legislation for Canadians and Canada. However, think tanks are also curiously mute on the CPP’s surplus. Two facts confirm that they are a well-disguised scam:

• Several think tanks have received the above details and never mentioned the CPP’s surplus. Instead, some have even written papers claiming our CPP pensions may be in jeopardy.

• Canadians have no idea who funds these think tanks. Those Canadian think tanks that write about financial issues have all received an underwhelming rating between zero and two, out of 5, for revealing who funds them. The evidence is convincing that the financial industry has paid think tanks to promote policy that favours the financial industry, not the other 99% of Canadians. Regrettably, because many politicians do not have the time, background or skill to properly analyze complex issues, they listen to think tanks extensively. 

In 2017, Konrad Yakabuski of the Globe and Mail, wrote:

“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.”

For comparison, the CPP’s gigantic $240 billion surplus has been cited in the media zero times. Please compare zero to 60,000 on an issue involving almost 3,000 times as much money as the $60 million ArriveCan scandal.

We Canadians proudly think freedom of speech and freedom of press flourish in Canada, much more successfully than in almost every other country. This is not true. Here is why:

• No media in Canada, including “our” CBC, will publish any details about the CPP’s surplus and potential to solve many of our problems, especially those of the less fortunate.

• Allegedly reputable leftwing organizations like CARP and CANAGE, have abandoned seniors and their alleged mandate, probably thanks to generous “donations” from the financial industry.

• Think tanks, the generously paid, biased mouthpiece of the financial industry, can gain huge access and influence with politicians. 

• Individual leftwing researchers like me represent 99% of Canadians. After presenting the above details to my three MPs and all 334 MPs via email, I have received no response. Moreover, any active professor seeking funding for this type of research would probably be rejected by the university’s administration. Why? Such research would lead to a decline in donations from the financial industry. The tentacles of the greedy financial industry are ubiquitous.

This explains why Ms. Freeland and Mr. Carney claim our capitalist system is rigged to favour the super-rich. And why Mr. Poilievre claims “Our system is broken.”   And why Ms. Freeland thinks that

"The super-rich have bankrolled a network of conservative think tanks, elite journals, and mass media outlets to dominate the debate over economic policy."

The Save it for a Rainy Day Argument

Some critics suggest we should leave the CPP’s surplus alone, in case CPP Investments suddenly has poor returns. This scenario is especially unlikely because of the diversification of CPP Investments. They are invested in public equity, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, fixed income and credit, all over the world. If a few investments fail, hundreds of other safe investments will offset this failure.  Conversely, most individual investors and smaller Canadian pension funds are only invested in public equities, predominantly Canadian companies. If the stock market declines, these pension funds will decline in virtual lockstep. This suggests a CPP surplus distribution is much less risky than with other pension funds.

If Untrue, these Claims Merit Legal Action.

It is essential to highlight that, if I am spreading misinformation, I could potentially face a significant "defamation of character" lawsuit. I am leveling accusations against various organizations and individuals, alleging that they have forsaken their fellow Canadians and fallen drastically short of fulfilling their purported mandate.

Despite making these claims for years, no legal action has transpired. This absence of a legal challenge underscores the accuracy of the above information. Furthermore, a court would likely align with the perspective of 99% of Canadians. Finally, the fallout from an unsuccessful, publicized lawsuit could spell disaster for these implicated individuals and organizations that have likely abandoned millions of Canadians for cash.

Seventeen questions that can only be answered with one word: 

BRIBERY

Bribery is an unsavory word that most Canadians connect with third world countries. Many think, as I did ten years ago, that large-scale bribery could never happen in Canada. I was wrong.

Consider Ontario’s Premier Ford. After promising to never release Toronto’s surrounding Green Belt land to developers, he did just that, making the developers roughly $8 billion wealthier. Fortunately, unlike the financial industry, he cannot afford to bribe the entire Canadian media to remain silent. The media revealed his corruption and he has since backpedaled.

On April 25, 2024, the Globe and Mail wrote:

“A former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to 3½ years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal, the RCMP say.

A police investigation revealed that SNC-Lavalin executives paid bribes of roughly $2.3-million in order to secure a $128-million contract to repair the Jacques Cartier Bridge deck in the early 2000s.

In 2017, Michel Fournier, former chief executive officer of Federal Bridge Corp., admitted to receiving the bribes through Swiss bank accounts between 1997 and 2004. He was sentenced to 5½ years in prison.”

The financial industry, with its huge resources, is much more subtle and hidden in its efforts to conceal the truth about the CPP. Probably even an RCMP investigation would never reveal the millions of dollars changing hands.

Unless someone can provide answers other than “BRIBERY” to the following questions, I am convinced that our greedy financial industry has used bribery to enrich Canada’s wealthiest 1% at the expense of Canada’s less fortunate 99%.

Here are the questions.

1. Why do Ms. Freeland and Mr. Carney claim our capitalist system is rigged to favour the super-rich? Why did Mr. Poilievre state “Our system is broken. Fire the gatekeepers.”, probably alluding to our Chief Actuary and the President of the CBC?

2. Why does David Meslin, Canada’s expert on democracy, claim “Our political system has evolved into a sophisticated enabler of mass institutionalized bribery... powerful corporations continue to wield enormous power in our legislatures.”

3. Why does democracywatch.ca claim "Corporations spend $25 billion annually on their lobbying and promotion efforts."

4. Any party could win a majority by proposing a $170 billion CPP surplus distribution, with no risk to future pensions, and a $50 billion reduction in our troubling deficit.  The benefits for Canadians and Canada would be immense. Why has no politician from any party ever even mentioned the CPP’s surplus? 

5. Why did two of my MPs, after a half hour presentation, show enthusiasm for a CPP surplus distribution, mentioning their re-election would be a surety if their party proposed it. They “sent the ideas to Ottawa”. Why did they then refuse to respond to me, despite repeated requests.

6. Why did my third MP, the principled Jane Philpott, after a half hour presentation, respond with “It is those disgraceful lobbyists.”? 

7. The most newsworthy story in years is about the CPP’s surplus and what a surplus distribution could do for Canadians and Canada. Why has our entire Canadian media never published one word regarding the CPP’s $240 billion surplus, which is more than ten times our average annual deficit and almost 3,000 times the size of the ArriveCan scandal.

8. Why has “our” CBC never mentioned the CPP’s surplus, despite repeated submissions by me? 

9. Why has no think tank member, actuary, journalist or politician provided one reason to NOT distribute the CPP’s surplus?

10. Pension fund experts recommend every pension fund should have a representative Board of Governors, primarily composed of contributors and pensioners. Such a Board would have declared a surplus distribution years ago. Why does the CPP not have such a Board of Governors?

11. Almost all government departments are audited by our Auditor General or our CRA. They are our watch dogs who report on scandals like the ArriveCan scandal. The CPP holds 10% of the lifetime earnings of most Canadians, trillions of dollars. Why is our Auditor General or our CRA not allowed to audit the work of our Chief Actuary?

12. Why have ten top Canadian actuaries all denied the CPP’s obvious surplus with vacuous arguments?

13. Malcolm Hamilton is a top Canadian actuary who is associated with the think tank C. D. Howe Institute. They will not reveal who funds them. Why did Malcolm spend 40 hours trying to convince me the CPP has no surplus.

14. Why did one top actuary near retirement, in a moment of conscience, state our Chief Actuary “invents measures that are easily manipulated so that actuaries can control the narrative and hide things at will.”

15. Why did CARP and CANAGE, Canada’s two best advocates for seniors rights, ignore repeated requests to assist in advocating for a CPP surplus distribution, thereby helping deprive six million seniors of a deserved $10,000 each, $60 billion in total.

16. Generational equity is the goal of all pension fund managers. To achieve generational equity, most pension funds distribute a surplus when it is 25% above target. The CPP’s surplus is now 70% above target, or 200% if we presume an ongoing 10.9% investment return, which is likely.  A $10,000 surplus payment to those 100,000 low-income seniors who will die this year could lead to their increased quality of life and their increased longevity. Why are our politicians and the others complicit in this cover-up not guilty of shortening the lives of thousands of innocent Canadians?

17. Why did Lifeworks’ actuaries claim Alberta deserves 53% of our CPP fund when the truth is roughly 16%? Why did the Canadian media then unfairly attribute this ridiculous claim to Premier Smith, portraying her as unhinged and unCanadian. She should have been portrayed as the only politician in Canada impervious to bribes and genuinely concerned for the welfare of Albertans.

A summary of this $170 billion cover-up

Impact, Understanding and Awareness are Gaining Traction.

Given my widespread dissemination of thousands of emails to influential Canadians, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, the news of the CPP’s surplus and potential is gaining traction. Recent developments have heightened the mounting evidence surrounding this cover-up: 

1. CPP Investments’ proud claim: Regrettably CPP Investments’ sole mandate is to invest. They are frustrated because benefits from their outstanding investment success are not reaching Canadians. Possibly because of prodding by me, they have published the graph above that shows them as the best pension fund investor in the world. As millions of Canadians realize their hard-earned contributions have been invested so successfully, they will start wondering “Why am I not reaping the benefits of this investment prowess? After all, it was my money they used to create this ‘gigantic’ surplus.”

2. Financial Industry wealth and ongoing greed: The news that the financial industry, predominantly composed of greedy, male millionaires, claims 47% of all corporate profits in Canada while contributing only 7.4% to our GDP, is slowly reaching many Canadians. To emphasize how disproportionate 47% is, in the US, including unsavory Wall Street, the financial industry earns 25-30% of all corporate profits.

3. Females are being abused more than males. Most wealthy members of the financial  industry are males. Conversely, two thirds of low-income seniors are females. Moreover, thousands of struggling single mothers are dealing with no support from absent fathers. Women’s groups have been notified and are taking action.

4. Politicians may capitulate: With…

• an election on the horizon,

• all 334 MPs having received these details,

• 99% of Canadians likely voting for a surplus distribution,

• a surplus distribution giving Canadians and Canada immense benefits,

• all three parties complicit in remaining silent,

• our deficit and debt mushrooming,

• our economy sputtering,

• seniors dying much earlier than they should,

• an ANYONE BUT THE INCUMBENT (See below) policy looming,

• and much more,…complicit politicians may soon agree to ignore the bribes and do the right thing.

  5. Will our next Prime Minister act appropriately? Pierre Poilievre, our probable next Prime Minister, is aware of the CPP’s surplus and potential, as evident in his email response. 

On May 3, 2024, Mr. Poilievre, stated in an article published in The National Post, entitled, 

“Memo to Corporate Canada - fire your lobbyist. Ignore politicians. Go to the people.” 

“Obviously, my future government will do exactly the opposite of Trudeau on almost every issue. But that does not mean that businesses will get their way. In fact, they will get nothing from me unless they convince the people first. So here is a how-to guide for dealing with a Poilievre government.

If you do have a policy proposal, don’t tell me about it. Convince Canadians that it’s good for them. Communicate your policy’s benefits directly to workers, consumers and retirees…Your communications must reach truckers, waitresses, nurses, carpenters, - all the people who are to productive to tune into the above-mentioned platforms.” 

It appears the days of the lobbyist, in some cases, briber, will be over when Mr. Poilievre is elected. Time will tell. Meanwhile, encouraged by his guidance, I will send these details to common Canadians - the associations that represent workers, consumers, retirees, truckers, waitresses, nurses, carpenters and many more. 

M. Poilievre has openly acknowledged that "Our system is broken.", indicating that scandals like this CPP cover-up are commonplace, and he intends to fix things. Additionally, he wants to “Fire the gatekeepers”, probably including our Chief Actuary who has ignored an irrefutable $240 billion CPP surplus. 

Finally, he wants to "Defund the CBC." This is justifiable because “our” complicit CBC president, Catherine Tait, has obviously ordered journalists to never mention the  CPP’s surplus, probably obeying instructions from Prime Minister Trudeau.

The question remains: If elected as Prime Minister, will Mr. Poilievre ignore all other pressures and give Canada what 99% of Canadians want – CPP reform? Any pressure exerted by Canadian voters now could play a pivotal role in his moving toward CPP reform.

6. Premier Smith’s desire to bring the benefits to Alberta: Premier Smith has received these CPP surplus details. Her recently published Alberta Pension Plan website has promised benefits very similar to the benefits described above. Below are two snapshots from the Alberta Pension Plan website.

Instead of providing Alberta workers with a $10,000 lump sum surplus payment, Alberta would give all employees and contribution-matching employers a $1,425 contribution reduction each, per year.

Her actions have brought the CPP’s surplus to the limelight. With…

• Her justifiable desire to withdraw from the CPP,

• Ottawa’s refusal to distribute the surplus,

• the outlandish actuarial claim that Alberta deserves 53% of the fund,

…it is now much more likely that curious Canadians will investigate and take action. Moreover, other premiers may also soon demand their province’s share of our CPP fund. 

7. The association with shortening lives is stark: Those 100,000 low-income seniors who will pass on this year could have each significantly enhanced their quality of life and longevity with their deserved $10,000. Additionally, 1.9 million other low-income seniors could enjoy a hundredfold increase in their cash available after covering rent and day-to-day expenses, with their deserved $10,000. Those complicit in this cover-up are responsible for these shortened lives. They may soon want to renege on their promise of silence.

8. Upcoming exposé: An upcoming book on this entire cover-up will expose many complicit individuals. Because millions of Canadians now deserve $10,000 from the CPP’s surplus, and the book will help them receive it, the book could be a bestseller. 

Moreover, stories revealing corruption and bribery typically captivate audiences. The widespread interest and anger against Ontario Premier Ford's blatant corruption is unmistakable.

The book will include a Rogue’s Gallery of all those complicit Canadians who disgracefully abandoned millions of less fortunate Canadians, for cash. Some readers will inspect the Rogue’s Gallery to see if any of their more unsavory acquaintances are publicly shamed. Those complicit in this cover-up will want to see if they have been embarrassingly included.

My personal journey from a naive, trusting Canadian to uncovering possibly the biggest scandal in Canadian history is an interesting tale of rejection, constant lies, doubt, discovery, determination, thousands of unpaid hours and helping bring $440 million more per year to one million low-income seniors.

In response to this upcoming book, the members of the three complicit industries may seek to disentangle themselves before millions of resentful Canadians link them to corruption, bribery and shortening the lives of innocent Canadians. 

9. The news is circulating persistently: Because of the lack of publication supplied by mainstream media, the above information has been emailed to thousands of influential Canadians. Many recipients have forwarded these details to thousands of others. My associates and I are in the process of sending thousands more emails to reach as many influential Canadians as we can. Social media could soon make this topic “Go viral.” The void in mainstream media coverage on this topic will soon be replaced with accurate information, instead of no information or misinformation.

10. The impact of complicit Canadians’ participation is coming to light. Many journalists, actuaries, politicians, and investment advisors are well aware of this cover-up. They remain silent because of the potential consequences for combatting it, including job loss, decreased income, blacklisting for future employment, and exile by colleagues. Will some disgruntled, unemployed participants break ranks and join the move to make these cover-up details public? For example, the CBC recently laid off 10% of its journalists. Throughout Canada, employment for journalists is declining at an unprecedented rate. Will one of them soon independently write and publish an article about this cover-up?

11. The impact of complicity is much more than anticipated. Many participants in this cover-up probably did not realize the profound impact their participation is having on Canadians and Canada. It appears that the financial industry said to would-be participants, for example, 

“We will ‘donate’ $X million to your organization or political party. All you need to do in return is to never mention the CPP’s surplus.” 

Most recipients probably said to themselves “This one condition can’t hurt Canadians much and we badly need funding, so let’s accept it.” 

They are gradually learning that they are complicit in robbing Canadians and Canada of huge, deserved benefits. Moreover, they are guilty of shortening the lives of thousands of innocent Canadians every year. Many organizations and individuals are likely now having second thoughts and will not continue participation. These participants are not bank robbers. Many are respected, law-abiding Canadian citizens, with a conscience. For many reasons, they may soon refuse participation in this insidious cover-up.

How can Canadians Combat this Diabolical Cover-up?

Despite this abundance of compelling evidence, you may remain skeptical. You might find it worthwhile to seek explanations from various sources such as your MP, the media, actuaries, think tanks, journalists, as well as organizations like CARP, CANAGE, or any individual or group with potential ties to the financial industry. In doing so, you will experience, like myself, a deafening silence in response.

When the formidable financial, media, and actuarial industries clandestinely collaborate, with possibly $1.25 billion in cash helping, it appears they can destroy democracy. To counteract this cover-up, the collective action of many thousands of Canadians is imperative. Only then will these three complicit industries backpedal and abandon their deceitful efforts.

With all MPs implicated in this alleged collusion, politicians find themselves in a precarious situation. Personally, I have sought explanations via email from all 334 MPs, including those representing my local constituency. Each MP had the opportunity to assert their ethical stance by saying to their leader, "I am ethical, and I will not participate in this." However, none chose to do so. They also could have rallied colleagues and initiated a Private Members Bill to legislate a CPP surplus distribution. Unfortunately, none took these steps.

Addressing this glaring failure in democracy requires the adoption of extreme measures to ensure that future MPs expose, rather than endorse, any bribery that favors the 1% over the 99%. After all, we live in Canada, not Russia or China.

How you can help: The ANYONE BUT THE INCUMBENT Strategy

Our MPs are elected, 

“to represent us in the House of Commons and work on our behalf to create new policies and laws.” 

The evidence above is convincing that our MPs have sold us out. Because all three parties remain mute on this crucial topic, we are left with one reasonable option.

Canadians can ask their MP for an explanation of why the CPP’s surplus is being ignored. Without a reasonable explanation, they can notify their MP that they will vote for ANYONE BUT THE INCUMBENT.  Participants in this cover-up might then backpedal for the following reasons:. 

1. Backbenchers’ Demands: Faced with the prospect of not being re-elected, backbenchers may exert pressure on their leaders to propose CPP reform. The threat of unemployment and, for many, a potential million-dollar loss in MP pension benefits makes this demand particularly pressing.

2. Party Leaders’ Response: Because party leaders rely on their incumbents being re-elected for overall electoral success, party leaders may be compelled to propose CPP reform.

3. Repercussions for Leaders: If party leaders are perceived as associated with bribery and shortening lives, they may backpedal on their failure to support CPP reform, as corrupt Premier Ford of Ontario has backpedaled on his recent multibillion-dollar corruption scandal.

4. Three Complicit Industry’s Reaction: Recognizing that the truth is emerging, these complicit industries may release politicians and the media from any existing bribery agreements. They are likely aware that if millions of Canadians become aware of these details, the potential damage to their personal image and their industry could be significant. Moreover, no Canadian wants to be associated with shortening the lives of innocent Canadians.

On behalf of millions of struggling Canadians, I encourage you to take five minutes and send the following email to your MP, whose email address can be found here:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Based on www.fixthecpp.ca and standard pension practices, our CPP should be distributing $170 billion of its $240 billion surplus to deserving Canadians. Moreover, there are numerous other substantial benefits that could arise from revised CPP legislation. If you cannot provide an explanation as to why your party has refrained from even discussing these potential benefits, I will be voting for anyone but you in the next election.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]”

The Forward this Message Liberally Strategy

As an influential, ethical individual, you've received this information along with a sincere plea to leverage your influence on behalf of millions of less fortunate Canadians. One impactful way to initiate this support is by sharing this email with as many Canadians as possible. These crucial details will never be communicated by our traditional Canadian media, and it's critical that people are aware that the CPP now owes them $10,000 and potentially much more.

• If you are an employer: Forward this email to your employees. They may press their MPs for an explanation. Additionally, your business stands to benefit with a potential 20% increase in profit this year, a 5% increase in subsequent years and thankful employees with $10,000 more in their pockets, therefore not seeking a huge pay raise.

• If you oversee an association: Forward this information to your members, as the media will not. They deserve to be informed and take action, if they want.

• If you are a journalist: Convey to media owners that their continued, selfish refusal to publish the truth about the CPP could result in a deep decline in trust, reduced readership, and diminished advertising revenue, resulting in much fewer employment opportunities for journalists.

• If you are an MP: Champion democracy and represent the desires of the 99% of Canadians who elected you. If your leader is unresponsive, consider initiating a Private Members’ Bill.

• If you are a provincial or municipal politician: Advocate for democracy by urging your MPs to address this failure to distribute the CPP’s surplus, emphasizing the impact on local neighborhoods. Join Premier Smith of Alberta in fighting the greedy financial industry.

• If you are any other Canadian: Share this information with your friends, family, and associates. Many would want to know, could use an extra $10,000, will thank you, and take action themselves.

• If you are complicit: Rather than enabling this cover-up, contemplate raising objections to it. Failing to do so may lead to your inclusion in the forthcoming book's Rogue’s Gallery, which will name complicit individuals and organizations. Do you really want to be associated with shortening innocent Canadians' lives?

Why am I so passionate about this topic? I feel guilty. Like almost all public sector employees, I currently enjoy a significant professor's pension, equating to 70% of my final pay and indexed to match inflation. This means my retirement is a joy, not a struggle. Additionally, in 2000, I received an unexpected $20,000 surplus payment from the Ryerson University Pension Plan when it only had an 18% surplus. It's important to note that all Canadians, because of employer matching, contributed to half of these generous public sector pensions, given to roughly 20% of Canadians. 

I am deeply offended by the selfish cadre of millionaires who have subtly used their deep pockets to rig our system so that they increase their wealth at the expense of the less fortunate. As a concerned Canadian, I cannot, in good conscience, stand idly by. 

There are 51 tax loopholes in Canada. And 47 of them favour the rich. An associate who enjoys an estimated $150,000 income boasts he never pays any income tax, thanks to these loopholes.

Consider this Newsweek story on billionaire Warren Buffett:

“Buffett's wealth grew by $24.3 billion between 2014 and 2018 but he only paid $23.7 million in taxes, a rate of 0.1 percent, after reporting taxable income of $125 million, according to an article published Tuesday by ProPublica.”

Finally, I heartily agree with The Economist: 

“The marginal benefit of an extra $1,000 is greater for the poor than the rich. A hungry family might buy food for a month; a banker might blow that amount on a single dinner, not including the wine.” 

Likely, millions of struggling Canadians agree. We sincerely hope that you will join this David/Goliath battle. It will only take five minutes to email your MP and could lead to your receiving $10,000. 

Finally, if you have any creative ideas on how to further bring CPP justice to Canada, I encourage you to exercise them.

Any comments, suggestions and criticisms are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Ross Macnaughton

Professor emeritus

Ryerson University aka TMU

www.fixthecpp.ca

Possibly the biggest cover-up in Canadian history

The following content has been emailed to hundreds of influential Canadians, starting in November 2023.

The consequences of the following cover-up are profound, with widespread implications for millions of Canadians and the nation as a whole. On behalf of 99% of Canadians, most of whom are currently grappling with significant challenges, I strongly encourage you to continue reading. Millions of these deprived individuals now deserve huge benefits that are not reaching them, resulting in Canada's wealthiest 1% amassing even greater wealth. It will be demonstrated that this situation involves elements of genocide.

Numerous conspiracy theories abound in today's discourse, and most are grounded in mere speculation with scant evidence. However, the theory I present here is substantiated by a wealth of proof accumulated over my seven years of research as a professor emeritus in Business. ChatGPT lists six conditions needed to validate a conspiracy theory – Evidence, Plausibility, Motivation, Expert Opinion, Critical Thinking and Media Accuracy. You will find all six conditions have been met in the following exposé.

To bolster my credibility, it is worth noting that my research and advocacy efforts played a pivotal role in securing an additional $440 million annually in Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments for low-income seniors. This accomplishment, achieved through the removal of a 76% GIS calwback rate in the March 2019 federal budget, underscores the tangible impact of my work on the lives of vulnerable individuals.

Why the Canada Pension Plan has a huge surplus.

In the current landscape marked by the challenges of COVID, inflation, high interest rates, and more, there is substantial positive news for Canadians. CPP Investments, responsible for investing 10% of the lifetime earnings of most Canadians, has proven itself to be the premier pension fund investor globally. This distinction is evident in their graph provided below from their website, showcasing their exceptional performance.

Following standard pension practices, approximately $170 billion of this $224 billion surplus should be distributed, posing no risk to future CPP pensions. Such a distribution would translate to $10,000 for each of 17 million Canadians, a 20% surge in business profits, a 3% increase in GDP, heightened employment rates, augmented charitable donations, diminished poverty, reduced income inequality, a $50 billion deficit reduction, and numerous other positive outcomes.

Strikingly, no politician, economist, actuary, or journalist has presented a single reason against distributing the CPP's surplus.

The CPP's surplus arguably now stands at an unprecedented 300%. In 2000, when the Ryerson University Pension Plan held a mere 18% surplus, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) ordered a surplus distribution, resulting in professors receiving up to $20,000 each. In contrast, our current Chief Actuary operates without oversight, answering to neither the CRA, the Auditor General, nor a Board of Governors. Despite the undisputable surplus, he has asserted, "The CPP is not in surplus!" One prominent actuary has disgustedly stated,

“Our Chief Actuary has done what pension actuaries frequently do - invent measures that are easily manipulated so that actuaries can control the narrative and hide things at will...I must remain anonymous because I am not allowed to criticize my fellow actuaries.”

My seven years of research echo these sentiments.

Future Pensions will be Enormous.

Why, then, is a distribution of the CPP’s surplus not taking place despite these numerous benefits? The financial industry, currently raking in 47% of all corporate profits in Canada, stands to lose billions of dollars if Canadians become aware of the CPP’s substantial surplus and likely ongoing 10.9% return. The industry is very aware that, if CPP Investments maintains its impressive 10.9% return rate, a 25-year-old earning, for example, $50,000 today could likely enjoy a $200,000 CPP pension in 2023 dollars, as the graph below shows.

Why the Financial Industry would Lose.

The financial industry recommends we all invest 15% of our income towards retirement. For example, Canadians now have $4 trillion invested in RRSPs and TFSAs alone. However, this practice would almost vanish if Canadians discovered the prospect of a likely $200,000 CPP pension. The financial industry would then lose billions of dollars in investment fees, annually.

The surge in mental health issues among Canada's youth is a growing concern. The revelation that a $200,000 CPP pension awaits them, coupled with 15% more income available to improve their current quality of life, could bring peace of mind to millions of young, struggling Canadians. For some, it could even pave the way for a down payment on a home.

Furthermore, this projected 15% increase in income stands to not only elevate income tax and HST collections but also bolster business profits. This collective impact could contribute significantly to alleviating our burgeoning deficit and revitalizing our sluggish GDP.

Currently, businesses in the private sector, to attract competent employees, are contributing as much as $10,000 per employee per year towards their pensions. The revelation of CPP Investments' capability to yield a $200,000 CPP pension in 2023 dollars could potentially render this considerable pension expense obsolete.

There is also financial industry concern that politicians would allow voluntary contributions to CPP Investments. Such a scenario could prompt an immediate shift of billions of investment dollars from the financial industry to CPP Investments, recognized as the world's premier pension fund investor. This prospect was explored by Finance Minister Flaherty in 2011. The financial industry has publicly stated CPP legislation could,

“Undermine a lot of successful, legitimate, (retirement savings) products in the investment industry.”

Who should be undermined? - Millions of struggling Canadians or an industry that now corners 47% of all corporate profits.

The financial industry manages an impressive $10 trillion in assets in Canada, with the big six Canadian banks overseeing a substantial 70% of this total, equivalent to $7 trillion. Despite projecting a pristine and caring image through annual donations of roughly $100 million per year to charities, compelling evidence suggests that behind the scenes, they endorsed this cover-up. Clearly, they possess the power and influence to put an end to it. If they don’t, is it plausible that irate Canadians might consider redirecting their banking needs to smaller banks or credit unions in the near future?

In addition to the escalating challenges in mental health, older Canadians have passed on to their children formidable issues such as soaring house prices, inflated rental costs, increasing income inequality, a demanding work environment, perilous climate change, and a global landscape marred by dictatorships, injustice, and frequent wars. We have a debt to repay to them. Appropriate CPP legislation would mark a substantial step forward. Continuing to allow this disgraceful cover-up to continue would be a substantial step backward.

Could the financial industry subtly be utilizing its substantial profits to suppress information about the CPP's surplus reaching the public? The industry possesses both the motivation and the resources to orchestrate such a cover-up. For instance, allocating just 0.8% of the industry's annual $125 billion profit amounts to a significant $1 billion, or $1,000 million. It raises the question: Why would the industry not invest $1 billion to safeguard a continued flow of billions of dollars in profit, per year? The evidence strongly suggests that they have bribed:

• Politicians to refrain from mentioning the CPP's surplus,

• The media to avoid discussing the CPP's surplus,

• Actuaries to steer clear of acknowledging the CPP's surplus.

Several Experts and Icons Recommend Suspicion and Vigilance

You might initially find it hard to believe, just as I did seven years ago, that such blatant bribery could occur in Canada. However, the assertions of several prominent Canadians suggest a high likelihood.

In her book, PLUTOCRATS, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland highlights the prevalence of elite attempts to use political influence for personal gain, stating,

“In an age of super-wealth, we need to be constantly alerted to efforts by the elite to get rich by using their political muscle to increase their share of the pre-existing pie, rather than adding value to the economy and thus increasing the size of the pie overall.”

Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, echoes these concerns in his book VALUE(S), describing Canadians as victims of

"Twisted economics, an accompanying amoral culture, and degraded institutions whose lack of accountability and integrity accelerate the system’s dysfunction."

Pierre Poilievre asserts that "Our system is broken.” and “Fire the gatekeepers.", probably referencing our Chief Actuary and our CBC President.

David Meslin, Canada's foremost expert on democracy, in his book "TEARDOWN," states,

“Our political system has evolved into a sophisticated enabler of mass institutionalized bribery... powerful corporations continue to wield enormous power in our legislatures.”

Duff Conacher of Democracywatch.ca emphasizes the significant financial impact of corporate deep pockets, stating,

"Corporations spend $25 billion annually on their lobbying and promotion efforts."

Possibly due to intricate political factors, these prominent Canadians have faced challenges in addressing the bribery that now undermines Canada's democracy. It could be that they are counting on initiatives from the Canadian public to prod the financial industry, the media industry, and actuaries to relinquish their self-serving behavior and let more genuine democracy thrive in Canada.

Why Doesn’t Any Party Claim their Majority?

The question arises: Why does it seem that all politicians have been influenced? Even the NDP could potentially secure a landslide majority by merely promising to give $10,000 to each of the 17 million Canadians, let alone the other benefits alluded to earlier. So, why haven't they? Did the financial industry strike this example bargain with all three political parties:

"If you never mention the CPP’s surplus, we will give your party $50 million per year"?

It is probable that this example $50 million has been used to fund party expenses. Running a political party is expensive, and legal political contributions are relatively small. Moreover, the multimillion dollar pay-per-vote subsidy was cancelled in 2015. Or has the $50 million been distributed to each Member of Parliament (MP)? Their silence on such a crucial issue is deeply suspicious.

The Canadian Media is Obviously Complicit.

Consider the landscape of our Canadian media over the past two decades. Can you recall a story more significant and impactful for Canadians than the following:

"Adhering to standard pension practice, the CPP should now distribute $170 billion of its $224 billion surplus to deserving Canadians, with no risk to future CPP pensions. The potential benefits are vast, including 17 million Canadians receiving $10,000 each, a 20% increase in business profits, a 3% GDP boost, heightened employment, increased charitable donations, reduced poverty, diminished income inequality, and a deficit reduction of $50 billion."

Surprisingly, not one word on the CPP’s surplus has ever been published in Canada’s mainstream media. In contrast, in 2019, The Economist, the esteemed and unbiased international publication, stated:

"Canada’s vast pension fund is gaining even more financial clout. The fund’s portfolio size has more than tripled over the past decade and is going to become only more gigantic."

Moreover, since those words were published, our "gigantic" CPP fund has expanded by another $200 billion.

Candid insights from Canadian media experts underscore the prevalence of bribery in the industry. They claim:

"The Canadian media is cannibalistic...They’re chewing away bone marrow of their own properties in order to make them a profit, so the whole public service aspect of journalism has taken a back seat. The overall quality of journalism has been lost."       

(John Miller, previously Managing Editor of the Toronto Star and Chair of Journalism at Ryerson University)

"The super-rich have bankrolled a network of conservative think tanks, elite journals, and mass media outlets to dominate the debate over economic policy."

(Ex-world class journalist, Chrystia Freeland’s thoughts from her book PLUTOCRATS)  

"Media owners don’t really care too much about journalism. It’s just a means to an end, and that end, of course, is making money."

(Marc Edge, Canadian journalist, academic and author.) 

“We can’t count on the media to communicate our messages to Canadians. We have to go around them and their biased coverage.” 

(Pierre Poilievre here.)

The lengthy tentacles of the financial industry have even reached “our” CBC. Executives there refuse to publish one word on the CPP’s surplus. This failure strongly justifies Mr. Poilievre’s threat to “Defund the CBC.”

The entire Canadian media, grappling to turn a profit, is controlled by a handful of questionable corporations, mostly within the financial industry. Did the financial industry orchestrate this arrangement with all media owners:

“If you never mention the CPP’s surplus, we will give your company $50 million per year."?

Regrettably, the few ethical journalists who approached this CPP surplus story with vigor are now conspicuously absent from Canada’s media landscape.

Actuaries Also Have Much to Lose.

Actuaries, too, are complicit in suppressing this crucial information. The top ten actuaries I consulted all vehemently denied the existence of the CPP's surplus, employing arguments reminiscent of Trump-like denials. This is because they know that the CPP could probably provide a 25-year-old with a $200,000 pension, in 2023 dollars. This news would jeopardize their future employability. If the CPP can offer a $200,000 pension to most Canadians, why would there be a need for other pension funds and, consequently, other actuaries?

The dissemination of misinformation by actuaries persists. For instance, in Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith, aware of the above details, understandably sought these CPP surplus benefits for her province. However, she faced resistance when requesting a Canada-wide surplus distribution from Liberals in Ottawa. Subsequently, she engaged Lifeworks, Canada's largest actuarial firm, to assess Alberta's rightful share of the CPP fund. Actuaries then claimed Alberta deserved an outlandish 53% share. The complicit media then wrongly attributed this ridiculous claim to Ms. Smith, thereby undermining her credibility and portraying her as nonsensical.

Democracy traded in for cash.

There are only 40,000 financial analysts in Canada, constituting a mere 0.1% of our population. It is likely that the remaining 99.9% of Canadians, if informed, would overwhelmingly support a no-risk surplus distribution of $170 billion. However, all three political parties refuse to propose or even discuss such a distribution.

The democratic principles in Canada seem to have been abandoned. Instead of:

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people,"

Canadians are receiving:

"Government of the people, by the financial industry, for the financial industry."

Could it be that the NDP, in a state of desperation, issued a threat to disclose the CPP's surplus? Is it plausible that our Liberal government, possibly influenced by advice from the financial industry, proposed a strategy of appeasement by forming the current Liberal-NDP coalition? This coalition, purportedly established to provide dental care for children in low-income families and, in the future, Pharmacare, raises questions about the motives behind such political maneuvers. If surveyed, Canadians might overwhelmingly express a preference for a $170 surplus distribution over the prospect of constrained dental care and possible access to limited Pharmacare for some.

Given the economic conditions in November 2023, the distribution of $170 billion from the CPP's surplus would be economically imprudent, as it could contribute to inflation. Nevertheless, recognizing the time it takes for politicians to implement recommendations, it is crucial to combat this cover-up as soon as possible. This ensures that the benefits are delivered to Canadians at a time when inflation is under control and both struggling Canadians and the economy are in need of substantial stimulation.

Is there an Argument for Genocide?

Contemplate the plight of 100,000 low-income Canadian seniors expected to pass away in the next 12 months. Struggling to survive on a modest income hovering around the poverty line of $22,000 per year, they find it challenging to make ends meet, struggling to just pay for rent and day-to-day expenses. An additional $10,000 would lead to substantially improved quality of life and, as numerous studies prove, a longer life. Tragically, their lives are being cut short to further enrich a select few within the financial industry who aim to boost their millionaire status.

When someone intentionally shortens the life of one person, it is considered murder. When someone intentionally shortens the lives of thousands of people, it is considered genocide.

Is this the Canada you envision living in? As I write this, Remembrance Day approaches. Is this the Canada our brave soldiers fought for and died to protect?

Deepening the concern is the possibility that Canada's two foremost seniors' advocacy groups, CARP and CANAGE, may have forsaken their commitment for financial gain. CARP partnered with me to successfully advocate for an additional $440 million per year for low-income seniors. Their stated mandate is to

"Promote and protect the interests, rights, and quality of life for Canadians as we age."

However, both organizations, despite receiving repeated details from me, have not provided any response. This lack of engagement could potentially be attributed to substantial "donations" received from the financial industry, effectively silencing them on the issue of the CPP's surplus—an ethically outrageous maneuver.

Think tanks are also curiously mute on the CPP’s surplus. For example, the C.D. Howe Institute is a think tank with a transparency rating of 2 out of 5 for reporting who its financial backers are. Their pension “expert”, Bob Baldwin, has recently published several misleading reports on the CPP, never mentioning our current “gigantic” CPP surplus. Malcolm Hamilton, arguably Canada's foremost expert on pensions, is associated with the C.D. Howe Institute. Out of the blue, he dedicated roughly 40 hours trying to convince me that the CPP has no surplus, using pathetic arguments.

If Untrue, these Claims Merit Legal Action.

It's essential to highlight that, if I am mistaken, I could potentially face a significant "defamation of character" lawsuit. I am leveling accusations against various organizations and individuals, alleging that they have forsaken their fellow Canadians and fallen drastically short of fulfilling their purported mandate.

Despite making these claims for years, no legal action has transpired. This absence of a legal challenge underscores the accuracy of the information. Furthermore, a court would likely align with the perspective of 99.9% of Canadians. Finally, the fallout from an unsuccessful, publicized lawsuit could spell disaster for these implicated individuals and organizations that have likely abandoned their mandate for cash.

How can Canadians Combat this Insidious Cover-up?

Despite this abundance of compelling evidence, skepticism may still persist. You might find it worthwhile to seek explanations from various sources such as your MP, any MP, actuaries, think tanks, journalists, as well as organizations like CARP, CANAGE, or any individual or group with potential ties to the financial industry. In doing so, you will experience, like myself on numerous occasions, a deafening silence in response.

When the formidable financial, media, and actuarial industries clandestinely collaborate, with possibly $1 billion in cash helping, they can construct a convoluted web of deception capable of destroying democracy. To counteract this cover-up, the collective action of many thousands of Canadians is imperative. Only then, with the specter of exposure looming, will these three complicit industries backpedal and abandon their deceitful efforts.

Politicians find themselves in a precarious situation, with all MPs implicated in this alleged collusion. Personally, I have sought explanations via email from all 334 MPs, including those representing my local constituency. Unfortunately, only the principled Jane Philpott, my MP and an independent at the time, demonstrated the integrity to denounce the situation, labeling the perpetrators as "disgraceful lobbyists."

Each MP had the opportunity to assert their ethical stance by saying to their leader, "I am ethical, and I will not participate in this." However, none chose to do so. They also could have rallied colleagues and initiated a Private Members Bill to legislate a CPP surplus distribution. Unfortunately, none took these steps.

Addressing this glaring failure requires the adoption of extreme measures to ensure that future MPs expose, rather than endorse, any bribery that favors the 1% over the 99%. After all, this is Canada, not Russia.

The ANYONE BUT THE INCUMBENT Strategy

If a substantial number of Canadians express to their local MPs that they will vote for ANYONE BUT THE INCUMBENT unless CPP reform is announced, several potential outcomes could unfold:

1. Backbenchers’ Demands: Faced with the prospect of election loss, backbenchers may exert pressure on their leaders to propose CPP reform. The threat of unemployment and, for many, a potential million-dollar loss in MP pension benefits makes this demand particularly pressing.

2. Party Leaders’ Response: Party leaders, reliant on their incumbents being re-elected for overall electoral success, may be compelled to put forth CPP reform proposals.

3. Repercussions for Leaders: If party leaders are perceived as associated with bribery and genocide, they may backpedal on their failure to support CPP reform, as corrupt Premier Ford of Ontario has in his multibillion-dollar scandal.

4. Three Complicit Industry’s Reaction: Recognizing that the truth is emerging, these complicit industries may release politicians and the media from any existing bribery agreements. They are likely aware that if millions of Canadians become aware of these details, the potential damage to their personal image and their industry could be significant.

Impact, Understanding and Awareness are Gaining Traction.

Given my widespread dissemination of thousands of emails to influential Canadians, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, the news of the CPP’s surplus and potential is gaining traction. Recent developments have heightened the mounting evidence surrounding this covert cover-up:

1. CPP Investments’ proud claim: Regrettably CPP Investments’ sole mandate is to invest. They are frustrated because benefits from their outstanding investment success are not reaching Canadians. Possibly because of prodding by me, they have published the graph above that shows them as the best pension fund investor in the world. As millions of Canadians realize their hard-earned contributions have been invested so successfully, they will start wondering “Why I am not reaping the benefits of this investment prowess? After all, it was my money they used to create this ‘gigantic’ surplus.”

2. Financial Industry wealth and ongoing greed: The news that the financial industry, predominantly composed of greedy millionaires, claims 47% of all corporate profits in Canada while contributing only 7.4% to our GDP is slowly reaching many Canadians. Many feel the obvious engineering of such a disgraceful cover-up is inexcusable for those already so wealthy. It deserves shame and severe consequences.

3.  Politicians may capitulate:

With:

• an election on the horizon,

• all 334 MPs having received these details,

• 99.9% of Canadians likely voting for a surplus distribution,

• a surplus distribution giving Canadians and Canada immense benefits,

• all three parties complicit,

• any ANYONE BUT THE INCUMBENT policy looming,

• our deficit and debt mushrooming,

• our economy sputtering,

• an association with genocide,

• and much more,  

…complicit politicians may soon agree to ignore the bribes and do the right thing.

4. Premier Smith’s desire to bring the benefits to Alberta: Ms. Smith has received these CPP surplus details. Her Alberta Pension Plan website alludes to benefits very similar to the benefits described above. Her actions have brought the CPP’s surplus to the limelight. With…

• Her justifiable desire to withdraw from the CPP,

• Ottawa’s refusal to distribute the surplus,

• the outlandish actuarial claim that Alberta deserves 53% of the fund,

• all Premiers recently meeting to discuss Alberta’s withdrawal from the CPP,

…it is now much more likely that curious Canadians will investigate and then take action.

5.     Upcoming exposé: An upcoming book on this entire cover-up promises compelling evidence, exposing many complicit individuals. It may be a bestseller because our government forced millions of Canadians to contribute 10% of their lifetime earnings to the CPP. They had no choice. Many, now struggling, could put an additional, deserved $10,000 to good use.

Moreover, stories revealing corruption and bribery typically captivate audiences. The widespread interest and anger against Ontario Premier Ford's blatant corruption is unmistakable.

In response to this upcoming book, the three complicit industries may seek to disentangle themselves before resentful Canadians, incensed by this blatant bribery, express their dissatisfaction with substantial, costly consequences.

 6.     The news is circulating persistently: Because of the lack of publication supplied by mainstream media, this information has been emailed to thousands of influential Canadians. Many recipients have forwarded these details to others. My associates and I are in the process of sending thousands more emails to reach as many influential Canadians as we can. Social media could soon make this topic “Go viral.” The void in mainstream media coverage on this topic will soon be replaced with accurate information, instead of no information or misinformation.

How you can help:

The scale of this cover-up is unprecedented. With…

• The financial industry channeling an estimated $1 billion to politicians, media outlets, actuaries, and supposedly caring organizations like CARP, CANAGE, and the C.D. Howe Institute,

• The entire Canadian media, including “our” CBC, choosing not to report on the most newsworthy story in years,

• Journalists with good intentions not wanting to jeopardize their future income by speaking out,

• Actuaries presenting a united front in deceptively safeguarding their at-risk industry,

• All political parties accepting bribes, resulting in 99.9% of Canadians being denied these immense benefits,

• Numerous struggling organizations now reliant on generous donations from the financial industry, concerned that speaking out could lead to a cessation of these donations,

…addressing this cover-up requires a coordinated effort from thousands of concerned Canadians.

As an influential individual with, hopefully, a strong ethical standing in Canada, you've received this information along with a sincere plea to leverage your influence on behalf of millions of less fortunate Canadians. One impactful way to initiate this support is by sharing this email with as many Canadians as possible. These crucial details will likely never be communicated by our traditional Canadian media, and it's critical that people are aware that the CPP now owes them $10,000 and potentially much more.

• If you are an employer: Inform your employees. By advocating for their rightful $10,000, they may press their MPs for an explanation. In the absence of a satisfactory response, they can leverage the threat of voting for ANYONE BUT THE INCUMBENT. Additionally, your business stands to benefit with a potential 20% increase in profit this year, a 5% increase in subsequent years and thankful employees with $10,000 more in their pockets.

• If you oversee an association: Communicate this information to your members, as the media will not. They deserve to be informed and take action, if they want.

• If you are a journalist: Convey to media owners that their continued, selfish refusal to publish the truth about the CPP could result in a deep decline in trust, reduced readership, diminished advertising revenue, resulting in much fewer employment opportunities for journalists.

• If you are an MP: Champion democracy and represent the desires of the 99.9% of Canadians who elected you. If your leader is unresponsive, consider initiating a Private Members’ Bill.

• If you are a provincial or municipal politician: Advocate for democracy by urging your MPs to address this failure to distribute the CPP’s surplus, emphasizing the impact on local neighborhoods.

• If you are any other Canadian: Share this information with your friends, family, and associates. Many would want to know, will thank you, and take action themselves.

• If you are complicit: Rather than endorsing this cover-up, contemplate raising objections to it before it becomes universally known. Failing to do so may lead to your inclusion in the forthcoming book's rogues' gallery, which will name all complicit individuals and organizations.

Much like the majority of public sector employees, I currently enjoy a significant professor's pension, equating to 70% of my final pay and indexed to match inflation. Moreover, in 2000, I received a $20,000 surplus payment from the Ryerson University Pension Plan. It's important to note that all Canadians contributed to half of these generous public sector pensions. As a concerned Canadian, I cannot, in good conscience, stand idly by. Less than 1% of our population is discreetly increasing their substantial wealth, at the expense of millions of struggling, abused Canadians who could solve many of their challenges and problems with appropriate CPP legislation.

On behalf of these millions of struggling Canadians, we sincerely hope that you will join this David/Goliath battle. David needs assistance.

I welcome and appreciate any comments and criticisms.

Sincerely,

Ross Macnaughton

Professor emeritus

Ryerson University aka TMU

www.fixthecpp.ca

Our CPP fund will continue to mushroom in size. In January 2019, The Economist wrote,

“The CPP fund’s portfolio size has more than tripled over the past decade and is going to become only more gigantic.”

And since this article was published, our CPP fund has increased by another $176 billion to $536 billion in 2023.

However, the evidence is overwhelming that three powerful industries have colluded to keep 99% of Canadians in the dark regarding the CPP’s gigantic surplus. The Actuarial industry, the Finance industry and the Media industry could lose billions of dollars if politicians legislated appropriate CPP reform, which 99% of Canadians would endorse. This means millions of Canadians and Canada are being deprived of billions of dollars of deserved benefits.

Based on standard pension protocol, the CPP should safely distribute $170 billion of its $224 billion surplus. This would probably inject $100 billion into our sputtering economy, thereby:

• giving $10,000, on average, to each of 17 million Canadians,

• increasing our GDP by 4%,

• creating 150,000 jobs,

• increasing business profits by 20%,

• reducing poverty,

• increasing charitable donations this year by an estimated 10%.

Moreover, a $170 billion CPP surplus distribution would decrease our deficit by roughly $50 billion through increased income tax, increased HST and decreased spending on social programs.

Also, the CPP could easily help solve mushrooming income inequality, if we invested every contributor’s first $2,000 in annual contributions directly with CPP Investments. Every working Canadian would then enjoy a likely 11% annual return on these contributions, instead of what the CPP now gives them, a 4.4% return.

With this policy, almost all 25-year-olds, for example, would have $1.2 million more in their personal CPP account by age 65. They could retire with a $60,000 pension increase, in 2023 dollars. This is 20 times what the CPP now promises them for their first $2,000 in contributions.

Young Canadians are told by the financial industry to invest 15% of their earnings for retirement. Many other young Canadians are scrimping and saving for a down payment on a home. In a recent poll, “three in ten (28%) currently working Canadians say they never expect to retire.” Knowing they would be $1.2 million wealthier at age 65, many might stop saving for both retirement and a home. This means their anxiety level would decrease and their lifestyle would increase with 10% more income available for day-to-day expenses.

However, such legislation would cost the financial industry many billions of dollars in lost investment fee revenue and mortgage revenue. This potential loss provides the financial considerable motivation to conceal the CPP’s surplus and potential.

Two million of six million seniors now live near the poverty line of $21,000 per year. With this policy, this tragedy could be mostly eliminated in 40 years.

Not just 25-year-old Canadians would benefit with this policy. Older Canadians would also benefit. For example, almost all 45-year-olds would have $100,000 more in their personal CPP account by age 65.

Almost all Canadians businesses would also benefit from a $170 billion CPP surplus distribution. If, for example, Canadian consumers spent $100 billion of their $170 billion windfall gain, business profits would increase by an estimated 20% . This is because initial revenue pays fixed expenses. After fixed expenses have been paid, the gross margin of all additional revenue is pure profit.

There would be near-zero risk with a surplus distribution. Firstly, a $54 billion surplus would remain in the fund. Secondly, because CPP Investments is probably the best pension fund investor in the world, this gigantic surplus will keep mushrooming. For example, CPP Investments’ private equity investments, 1/3 of their entire portfolio, recently had an unheard-of 33.2% return for one year.

Looking forward, consider 2023. Our Chief Actuary specified he needs a $20 billion return from CPP Investments for fund stability. Based on past results, the actual return will likely be $59 billion, adding another $39 billion to the $224 billion surplus.

In the history of Canada, has there ever been a policy that could bring so many huge benefits to Canadians and Canada? Curiously, no politician, journalist, economist, or actuary has provided one reason to NOT distribute the CPP’s surplus. Hundreds have been consulted.

Why? It is probably because our capitalist system is, under-the-radar, rigged to favour the super-rich. Below, you will find several statements from respected authorities who claim our capitalist system is seriously flawed such that low-income Canadians are being unfairly abused. For example, Chrystia Freeland, in her book, PLUTOCRATS, states:

“In an age of super-wealth, we need to be constantly alerted to efforts by the elite to get rich by using their political muscle to increase their share of the pre-existing pie, rather than by adding value to the economy and thus increasing the size of the pie overall.”

Mark Carney, at one time Governor of the Bank of Canada, in his book, VALUES states citizens are victims of:

“Twisted economics, an accompanying amoral culture, and degraded institutions whose lack of accountability and integrity accelerate the system’s dysfunction.”

For example, in the 1960’s, the top marginal tax rate was 81% for the wealthy, Now it is roughly 53%. Were politicians illegally paid by the wealthy to lower it, resulting in poorer Canadians paying more taxes?

David Meslin is arguably Canada’s foremost expert on democracy. In his book, TEARDOWN, he states:

“To put it more bluntly, our political system has evolved into a sophisticated enabler of mass institutionalized bribery.”

Duff Conacher, on his website, Democracywatch.ca, states:

“Canada’s biggest corporations spend $25 billion annually on their lobbying and promotion efforts.”

Jane Philpott, after viewing a half hour presentation on the CPP’s surplus, stated:

“This failure to legislate CPP reform for both Canadians and Canada is caused by disgraceful lobbyists.”

Pierre Poilievre, likely Canada’s next prime minister, has stated:

“Our system is broken.”

“Defund the CBC.”

“Fire the gatekeepers.”

Two of the gatekeepers that Mr. Poilievre is likely alluding to are:

1. Our deceptive Chief Actuary who has misled Canadians on the true status of the CPP to protect his at-risk actuarial industry.

2. Catherine Tait, President of the CBC, who refuses to tell Canadians about the CPP’s irrefutable $224 billion surplus, probably based on direction from Mr. Trudeau and/or the financial industry.

The email below shows that Mr. Poilievre is aware of the CPP’s surplus and may soon propose CPP legislation to bring these huge benefits to Canadians and Canada.

In 2000, when the Ryerson University Pension Plan had a mere 18% surplus, the CRA ordered a surplus distribution. Professors, including me, received as much as $20,000 each. The graph below shows how much bigger the CPP’s surplus is, compared to Ryerson’s surplus, on a percentage basis.

Pension experts recommend forecasting using the most likely prediction of return on investment. Because CPP Investments has averaged an 11% return since 2010, the CPP’s surplus is mathematically 400% today if we forecast using an 11% return.

When a pension fund has a mere 25% surplus, standard pension protocol demands a surplus distribution. Please compare 25% to 400%.

How and why three greedy industries have likely colluded to keep these benefits from deserving Canadians

The actuarial industry

The ten top actuaries who I have consulted have mysteriously denied the CPP’s obvious surplus with vacuous arguments. This is likely because, if CPP Investments continues investing so successfully, a 25-year-old could have a $100,000 CPP pension, in 2023 dollars. If this became known, the need for other pension funds, and hence actuaries, would plummet.

However, one actuary, with a conscience, briefly let down his guard, and stated,

“Our Chief Actuary has done what pension actuaries frequently do - invent measures that are easily manipulated so that actuaries can control the narrative and hide things at will…I must remain anonymous because I am not allowed to criticize my fellow actuaries.”

After researching the CPP for six years as a professor emeritus, I wholeheartedly agree with this disappointing assessment of our Chief Actuary.

Most Canadians will contribute 10% of their lifetime earnings to the CPP. However, our Chief Actuary, the guardian of our trillions of dollars of CPP contributions, receives zero scrutiny. This is because:

• Other actuaries selfishly refuse to dispute his analysis,

• His reporting is not audited by our Auditor General,

• The CRA has no jurisdiction over his analysis,  

• Unlike all reputable pension funds, he does not answer to a Board of Governors, which should be mostly composed of contributors and pensioners, like you and me. A CPP Board of Governors would have declared a surplus distribution years ago.

To summarize, our Chief Actuary has free rein to “control the narrative and hide things at will” as he reports on trillions of dollars of Canadians’ CPP contributions. He has deceived us so that he can protect his at-risk actuarial industry.

Recall the scrutiny we receive when we submit our tax returns. If, for example, we mistakenly omit T4 information or intentionally evade our taxes, we will usually be harassed and even punished. Meanwhile, our Chief Actuary oversees 500,000 times a typical tax return and receives zero scrutiny and zero punishment, even though his reporting has deprived millions of Canadians of billions of deserved dollars.

Alone, Canada’s Chief Actuary could likely not accomplish this insidious cover-up. However, two other industries are colluding to help him.

The complicit media industry

The evidence is strong that the entire Canadian media, owned by a few companies, has been paid handsomely to never publish a story about the CPP’s surplus. What story, for example, is more newsworthy to millions of struggling Canadians than the following story?

The CPP has such a large surplus that it should give 17 million Canadians $10,000 each, on average. Moreover, this action would lead to a huge improvement in business profits, GDP, unemployment, deficit, poverty and income inequality. The following explains why.

Yet, despite several submissions from me to our media, a search will find that nothing has ever been published by the Canadian media related to the CPP’s surplus and potential to solve many of Canada’s problems. Only the respected international publication, The Economist, has written about the CPP’s surplus, calling it “gigantic”.

Several disgusted Canadian media experts claim journalistic integrity has been replaced with a quest for profit. Chrystia Freeland, at one time a top international journalist, believes

“the super-rich have bankrolled a network of conservative think tanks, elite journals and mass media outlets to dominate the debate over economic policy.”

Award-winning John Millar was a Professor of Journalism, Chair of Ryerson University’s School of Journalism and Managing Editor of The Toronto Star. He feels the current Canadian media is:

“cannibalistic...They’re chewing away bone marrow of their own properties in order to make them a profit, so the whole public service aspect of journalism has sort of taken a back seat…the overall quality of journalism has been lost.”

Marc Edge is a Canadian journalist, academic and author. He feels

“Media are being financialized and bought up largely by hedge funds, which are only interested in making a profit. They don’t really care too much about journalism. It’s just a means to an end, and that end, of course, is making money. As a result, journalism is being squeezed for every possible dollar of profit.”

Globe and Mail journalist, Lawrence Martin, recently wrote,

“Mainstream media, while demanding transparency everywhere else, rarely applies this standard to itself. Despite its exponential growth in importance, the media industry gets only a small fraction of the scrutiny that other powerful institutions do…Big issues go largely unexamined in Canadian media.”

One mainstream journalist, when it was suggested the wealthiest 1% are preventing news that would benefit the 99% from reaching Canadians, responded,

“I do not disagree with you at all. It was challenging working within the confines of mainstream media, and I tried to push as hard as I could to cover stories that are important to 99% of Canadians (and not the wealthy 1%) but parochial, short-term thinking and market-driven journalism often thwarted my attempts.”

This failure of the media to deliver true journalism explains why Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has only minimally talked to the Canadian media since September 2022. He feels they are highly biased and only selectively cover those topics that selfish media owners want covered.

What about the CBC? Why are they not covering the CPP’s surplus? We pay their salaries and logically expect full coverage of all topics, especially those selfishly not covered by the private sector media. Their president/gatekeeper has probably been convinced by Prime Minister Trudeau and/or the financial industry to never cover the CPP’s surplus. That helps explain why Mr. Poilievre wants to “Fire the Gatekeepers” and “Defund the CBC”.

The complicit financial industry

The financial industry earns a massive 47% of all Canadian corporate profits, $125 billion per year. However, they only contribute 7.5% to Canada’s GDP. Many millionaires in the financial industry would lose if the news of the CPP’s surplus became known. In the US, the financial industry only earns 14.8% of all corporate profits.

There are 40,000 Certified Financial Analysts (CFAs) and Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) in Canada. I personally know two who are probably now worth $100 million.

Why? In 2011, Finance Minister Flaherty investigated the possibility of voluntary contributions to CPP Investments. By voluntarily investing with CPP Investments, investors like you and I could probably earn three times the profit over ten years, at much lower risk. If voluntary contributions were allowed, millions of profit-seeking Canadians would quickly transfer billions of investment dollars from the financial industry to CPP Investments. Lucrative investment fee revenue for the financial industry would then plummet.

The industry’s representative, Janet Ecker stated that her industry is worried that revised CPP policy could

“undermine a lot of successful, legitimate (retirement savings) products in the investment industry”.

Who should be undermined? Should it be millions of struggling Canadians, or the already obscenely profitable financial industry?

Are the media and our politicians focussed on the wrong issue?

Grocery store prices have recently risen substantially, laregly because of COVID. In early 2023, the media covered this increase thoroughly with a tone alleging gouging by grocery store executives. In March 2023, politicians, hearing of Canadians struggling with increased food prices, decided to grill grocery store executives. The executives defended themselves adequately, claiming they were simply passing on increased prices from suppliers.

As the graph below shows, the financial industry earns over 12 times the profit of the grocery industry, roughly $125 billion per year versus $10 billion per year. Why has the Canadian media never published one word regarding an industry that corners almost half of all corporate profit in Canada?

The blue bars on the graph show each industry’s contribution to our GDP, which is now anemic compared to other OECD countries. A reasonable guideline suggests, if an industry contributes X% to our GDP, it should enjoy X% of total Canadian profits. The graph shows that the financial industry has defied this guideline by a factor of 6.4, leaving little profit for all other industries.

For perspective, the graph also shows that the financial industry in the US only earns 14.8% of all corporate profits in the US.

Summary:

• Any party could likely win a majority by promising to give 17 million Canadians $10,000 each, and much more. Only a substantial all-party bribe would keep all three parties silent.

• One expert on democracy in Canada claims “our political system has evolved into a sophisticated enabler of mass institutionalized bribery.” Another claims $25 billion per year is spent on lobbying and promotion.

• Just 0.1% of the financial industry’s $125 Billion annual profit is $125 Million. This is roughly double what all three political parties, combined, receive per year from legal contributions. A $125 million “incentive” would be very attractive if the only condition was “Never discuss the CPP’s surplus and potential”. Knowing that the actuarial industry and the media industry are complicit makes the bribe even more attractive and more undetectable.

• Political parties need money. The lucrative pay-per-vote subsidy was eliminated in 2015. It gave the three parties $25 million each, on average, per election. It is difficult to comprehend how political parties have survived, based on the funding they receive legally.

• Media experts maintain our Canadian media has sacrificed journalistic integrity for profit. For example, a second $125 million “donation” from the financial industry to never cover the CPP’s surplus would cost a mere 0.1% of their annual profit. Meanwhile, said $125 million would be very convincing if the only condition was “Do not cover certain topics, including the CPP’s surplus.”

• Companies typically spend well over 10% of their profit on marketing and promotion. For the financial industry, investing a mere 0.2% of profit to bribe politicians and the media to remain silent regarding the CPP’s surplus is an excellent investment – spend $250 million to preserve a profit that is 500 times that much.

• There is little danger of being detected. The bribes are probably well hidden. There is probably no written documentation that summarizes the bribe agreement. (Complicit think tank C. D. Howe Institute’s website boasts 90 clandestine meetings a year that are “off-the-record”.)  And no evidence would ever lead to the executives of the big Canadian banks. They oversee 70% of the $10 trillion financial industry and have the power and influence to stop this CPP surplus cover-up.

  Only a full-scale inquiry, with subpoenas demanding honest testimony or jail, might bring truth. And, because all three parties are complicit, which party would call for such an inquiry?

• Democracy in Canada is being denied. Probably 99% of Canadians would vote for the CPP reform and benefits described above. Meanwhile, in an ideal democracy, the wishes of 51% of the population become legislation. This denial is increasing the wealth of the super-rich while depriving the less fortunate of billions of deserved dollars.

• There are thousands of well-paid, secretive lobbyists in Canada. Why would politicians listen to lobbyists? Aside from cash, lobbyists have little power to sway politicians. Most politicians would reasonably respond, “If I do as you suggest to help your industry, I would be helping 1% of Canadians but hurting the other 99%. I would lose votes in the next election. Have you got anything more convincing than just suggestions?”

• What politician would blow the whistle? Ethical Cabinet Ministers Jane Philpott and Jodie Wilson-Raybould refused to “play the game” and endorse the Liberal Party’s unethical shortcomings. Their influence in Canadian politics has now plummeted to near-zero.

How can Canadians combat this cover-up?

If enough Canadians participate, we can make the perpetrators yield and bring the above benefits to Canadians and Canada. The following actions will help you gather further proof that a cover-up is ongoing. First, it will give all the culprits an opportunity to explain their actions. Then, if no explanation is forthcoming, we can soundly punish the participants with our collective actions.

For example, we can;

• Email our MP, asking him to explain why his party has not proposed a CPP surplus distribution. When none is supplied (as I have experienced several times), tell him you will vote for any party but his in the next election. Party leaders will take note. For a party to win an election, almost all incumbents must get re-elected.

• Email all six bank presidents, asking for an explanation of why they are not lobbying for a CPP surplus distribution. If none is supplied, tell your bank or all banks that you will be switching to a credit union.

• Email Rogers and Bell who control much of the Canadian media. Ask them for an explanation of why their media outlets are not covering the CPP’s surplus. If none is supplied, tell them you will be switching to Telus for your cellphone service.

• Email the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, asking them why they are not lobbying for CPP reform. It would give all their business members, except the financial industry, a 20% increase in profit. Remind them that their inaction is also costing you, an employee, $10,000. Copy your employer and suggest he cancel his membership to the Chamber.

• Email The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, and any other publication, asking why they are not covering the CPP’s surplus. Notify them that, if no explanation is forthcoming, you will cancel your subscription.

• Ask our Chief Actuary why he has denied a CPP surplus, thereby selfishly depriving Canadians of a deserved $170 billion. Also, ask why he is not governed by a Board of Governors. Without an explanation, tell him you will vote for Mr. Poilievre who wants to “Fire the gatekeepers.”

For your convenience, Demand Action contains all email addresses and sample emails for you to copy and paste into your email product. There is no danger. You are simply a citizen exercising your right to freedom of speech who is reasonably asking for an explanation. Then you are exercising your right to use the services of any politician or company that you feel is concerned about your welfare, not ignoring it.