The Canadian Bar Association Pensions and Benefits Law Section supports updating pension plan funding guidelines to reflect new plan designs and legislative funding requirements across the country.

In its Fall Economic Statement the federal government introduced changes to the application of the GST/HST on e-commerce supplies. The Canadian Bar Association Commodity Tax, Customs and Trade Section has reviewed those proposed changes and is offering comments on their application.

The CBA Pensions and Benefits Law Section says, in a submission to Finance Canada, that the continuing impacts of COVID-19 represent the greatest potential challenges facing defined benefit (DB) pension plans in 2021.

Unclaimed pension entitlements are a problem both for the intended beneficiaries, who aren’t getting their money, and for plan administrators, who are burdened by regulatory requirements and extra administrative costs.

Society’s understanding of gender identity and expression has evolved since Correctional Service Canada changed its trans policy three years ago, but a draft Commissioners’ Directive on the matter appears to be taking a step back from that earlier policy.

Unclaimed pension entitlements are a problem both for the intended beneficiaries, who aren’t getting their money, and for plan administrators, who are burdened by regulatory requirements and extra administrative costs.

On Nov. 12, 2020, David Roberge appeared before the House Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in support of the CBA End-of-Life Working Group’s submission on Bill C-7. The bill had been reintroduced after dying on the order table when the House was prorogued in late summer. The following is David’s opening statement to the committee. (Check against delivery)

My right to express myself can’t trump your right not to be the target of hate speech, and vice versa. Finding the balance between the two is a delicate operation, and enacting it in legislation is trickier still.

Competitors compete – it’s the nature of business. So when they decide to collaborate, onlookers can be justified in suspecting collusion.

Pension plans exist to ensure that people have a pool of savings available in their retirement – and some retirement funds are “locked-in” until that time. Making these funds accessible to people before they retire would undermine the policy objective.