"Money Consumption": $ 300,000 advertising campaign CPP causes outrage

A US $ 300,000 advertising campaign prepared by the Canadian Retirement Plan brought some examples of time blocks on Canadian television, and critics estimated this as a waste of taxpayers' money.

The two-month campaign is aimed at promoting the work of the Canadian Board for Investing in the Retirement Plan, using slogans such as "Investing Today for Your Tomorrow" as a cover for the "plain day" of the Great Sea in the background. The points appeared during breaks in the NFL finals and during the IIHF World Youth Hockey Tournament.

Canadians must contribute to CPP by law, which critics call into question the need for advertising in which they are forced to participate.

"I think this is a waste of money," said Aaron Wudrick, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation, Kevin Gallagher. "Canadians pay their CPP premiums because they want to return when they retire. They do not pay for showing ads between football games. "

In the new year, the federal government increased the amount of CPP paid from payment cards to 5.1 percent, which is part of an increase of one percent to be introduced over the next five years.

The Investment Committee insists that the government is an independent organization and that the ad campain has nothing to do with the growing CPP deduction or future federal elections.

Instead, they say that the organization's public perception needs to be changed, as internal surveys show that 41 percent of Canadians think they will not have any money when they retire.

"Our efforts to raise public awareness are simply aimed at achieving record results," said Michel Leduc, senior executive director of the CPPIB.

Nevertheless, some advertising professionals believe that the campaign could have reverse effects.

"It has great productive values, but it can not convince me that CPPIB is smart enough," said Jonathan Rose, a government advertising expert at Queen's University.