DAVIS-CLAYDON: Why Alberta should leave the CPP — even an 'idiot' can see the numbers

James Davis-Claydon is a High River writer who arrived at his views on Alberta politics the hard way: by trying to make life work and discovering every pothole along the road. Apparently, I’m an ‘idiot.’ That’s not me being self-deprecating — that’s just what people tell me. Online, in person, sometimes before I’ve even finished a sentence. And technically, they’re right: I’ve got a brain injury. I’m slower than most folks. I take my time to think things through.But here’s the funny part — taking your time actually helps you notice when something doesn’t add up. Like, say, a pension system that takes billions from Alberta and gives back pocket change.So yeah, call me an ‘idiot.’ I’ll be the ‘idiot’ who reads the numbers instead of the slogans.My Mom’s Retirement: The “Golden Years” That Aren’tMy mom’s in her eighties. No mortgage. No debt. She worked hard, saved responsibly, and even built up an RRSP that was supposed to make her retirement comfortable. Then the pandemic hit, the markets tanked, and her “golden years” turned into “still working the cash register because groceries don’t pay for themselves.”Her CPP cheque barely covers the basics. Every month she’s juggling bills like a circus act, except the applause never comes.And that’s when I started wondering — if Alberta pays more into CPP than it gets back, why are people like my mom still scraping by?.Alberta: The Generous Donor Nobody ThanksHere’s the math, straight from the logic-based analysis: Alberta has more workers, higher incomes, and fewer retirees. Translation? We’re the friend who always picks up the tab and never gets invited to the next dinner.Even using conservative estimates, Alberta’s share of CPP assets would be around $120 billion if we left — and that’s the low estimate.So when people say, “Don’t rock the boat,” I can’t help but ask: whose boat are we talking about? Because it sure isn’t Alberta’s.An Alberta Pension Plan: The Crazy Idea That Actually WorksThe Alberta panel found that an APP could run safely with about $20 billion in starting assets. Even the lowball $120 billion estimate gives us six times that.So the debate over whether Alberta gets $120 billion or $334 billion isn’t about whether the plan works — it’s about how much extra cushion we get.And if you’ve ever watched your mom count coins to buy milk, you know cushion matters..Lower Contributions, Higher Benefits — Math Even an Idiot Can DoUnder conservative assumptions, the CPP contribution rate is 9.9%, while the potential APP rate is approximately 7%. The CPP replacement rate is 25%, and the potential APP replacement rate is around 35%.So Alberta could pay less and get more. Even I can follow that math — and I’ve been called “slow.”A Pension System That Doesn’t Punish SaversRight now, the federal system (CPP + OAS + GIS) basically says: “Congrats on saving! Now we’ll claw back your benefits.”An Alberta model proposes a solution with three components: an APP (earnings-based pension), the Alberta Seniors Benefit to replace the OAS, and the Alberta Guaranteed Income to replace the GIS.Under this setup, no senior falls below $2,000/month, and savers aren’t treated like suckers.My mom would finally get rewarded for doing everything right — instead of being penalized for it..Real Numbers, Real PeopleUsing a conservative 20-year contribution model, low-income workers contribute $2,000 per month, middle-income workers also contribute $2,000 per month, and high-income workers contribute $2,000 or more per month.Compare that to the federal system, where many seniors — including my mom — end up barely above the poverty line after a lifetime of work.But sure, let’s keep pretending the CPP is “fair.”Keeping Politics Out — Yes, It’s PossiblePeople are concerned about politicians interfering, which is understandable. However, an application could be organized similarly to the CPP Investment Board. It would be independent, professional, and transparent, with no political influence permitted. The board would have staggered terms, and any major changes would necessitate a referendum.If we can trust Ottawa to run CPP without interference, surely Alberta can manage the same — maybe even better, since we’d actually have skin in the game..So Why Should Alberta Leave the CPP?Because I’m tired of watching my mom — and thousands like her — work through their retirement while Ottawa thanks us for our “contributions.”Because Alberta pays more, gets less, and could easily design a system that’s fairer, leaner, and built for the people who actually fund it.And because even an idiot like me can see the math doesn’t lie.So go ahead — call me slow. Call me simple. But if being an ‘idiot’ means noticing that Alberta’s pension math doesn’t add up, then maybe we need more idiots.James Davis-Claydon is a High River writer who arrived at his views on Alberta politics the hard way: by trying to make life work and discovering every pothole along the road.

DAVIS-CLAYDON: Why Alberta should leave the CPP — even an 'idiot' can see the numbers

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