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Alberta Panel Calls for Referendums on Pension Exit, Immigration Powers and Constitutional Changes

The UCP caucus is reviewing the seven recommendations with no government decisions yet.

Overview

  • Before any vote on leaving the Canada Pension Plan, the panel says Albertans should receive a full Alberta Pension Plan proposal covering benefits, governance, contribution rates and implementation, with a referendum only if payouts and premiums meet or exceed CPP levels.
  • The report recommends continuing work to create an Alberta Police Service and planning a transition of community policing from the RCMP, noting the current federal policing contract runs to 2032.
  • The panel urges a referendum on expanding provincial control over immigration and a separate vote on targeted constitutional changes, including provincial appointment of appellate judges and abolishing the federal Senate.
  • It calls for Alberta to lead efforts to reform equalization and fiscal federalism, and to complete a detailed cost–benefit analysis of collecting provincial personal income tax without scheduling a referendum on that issue.
  • The report follows 10 town halls and extensive online engagement, and the opposition NDP criticized the initiative and potential referendums as costly distractions from core services.