Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 13/99) - There is good news and bad news with the recent appointments of two Northern senators, according to a Northern union leader.

Though the North will have more representation, PSAC regional executive vice-president Jean-Francois Des Laurier said the senators were appointed to help the federal Liberals pass a bill to "steal" $30 million from their employees' pension plan.

The senate was set to vote on the bill late last week, Des Laurier said.

"The appointments were too much of a coincidence to not be something done deliberately," Des Laurier said during a break at the weekend Union of Northern Workers' convention in Yellowknife.

Des Laurier is referring to Bill C-78, which is a bill that will take back the government's employer contribution to employee pension plans.

"This affects about 10,000 workers in the North who either work for the government or who are in unions."

The bill has received loud criticism from unions since it was introduced.

On June 17, 1999, the Senate voted to delay the third and final reading of the bill after the standing committee on banking, trade and commerce raised several concerns.

The senate motion of deferral also instructed the senate banking committee to oversee further consultations between the government and the union.

Despite efforts from PSAC no such meetings have taken place, according to a press release from PSAC.

"If Bill C-78 passes, the federal government will shift to the GNWT the amount of money to pay for the pensions," Des Laurier said.

"Where is that money going to come from? Health care? Education? Or will it be from the pay cheques of employees?"

Des Laurier said if the federal government is allowed to shift the burden of employers' contribution to employee pensions to the GNWT, the result will be $16 million "sucked out of the North."

"On behalf of members of PSAC and retired employees, I am asking that the two newly appointed senators of the North, Ionne Christensen from Yukon and Nick Sibbeston from the NWT as well as the senator for Nunavut, Willie Adams, vote against this bill."