, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, faced significant public backlash when the federal Liberals tabled it in October 2016.

Groups like the Canadian Union of Public Employees () and the have advocated against the bill, which has stalled at second reading for the last three years.

In a nutshell, the bill would allow Crown corporations and federally regulated employers like banks and airlines to establish target benefit pension plans in place of defined benefit pension plans.

The key difference is that in a defined benefit plan, pension promises an employer makes to a worker become legally-binding, whereas a target benefit plan sets a 'target' it hopes to hit with pre-determined contributions.

Jack Bourassa, regional executive vice president for the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) North said that distinction is significant, especially in the event of an economic downturn.

SA国际影视传媒淭heir wanting to do this is a means by which for them to ensure that there was no responsibility in the part of the employer to cover off those years when maybe investments didnSA国际影视传媒檛 turn the profit they were hoping for,SA国际影视传媒� said Bourassa.

The amendment would absolve the employers of that risk, placing it on employees and retirees, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚f youSA国际影视传媒檙e (told you're) going to get $100 a month when you retire, youSA国际影视传媒檇 like to know that youSA国际影视传媒檙e still getting that hundred dollars a month,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat is predictable is the amount youSA国际影视传媒檙e going to pay for your rent and your groceries and insurance and all the other fixed costs that we deal with on a monthly basis.SA国际影视传媒�

A defined pension plan that guarantees a certain amount of money every month gives people stability so they can plan comfortably plan for retirement, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou know that after three months youSA国际影视传媒檝e probably got enough gas if you wanted to do a trip from here to Edmonton and back, youSA国际影视传媒檙e good to go.SA国际影视传媒�

This change in pension plans would be particularly detrimental for people in the Northwest Territories, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲ell it wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be good at all anywhere, but particularly in the North,SA国际影视传媒� said Bourassa. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e already having our struggles here in the NWT with costs of living.SA国际影视传媒�

When similar pension reforms were proposed by the last Conservative government, Liberal leaders vocally opposed them and even included the promise of a SA国际影视传媒渟trong and stable pension programSA国际影视传媒� in their .

The fact they changed their position after being elected is not shocking to Bourassa.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not something thatSA国际影视传媒檚 terribly surprising because itSA国际影视传媒檚 something that has been a tennis match since the beginning of Confederation in this country,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲hoever gets elected, they do so because the other party pissed off the general population. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 unfortunate weSA国际影视传媒檝e been playing that kind of game because we the working people are a bunch of mice and here in mouse land, weSA国际影视传媒檝e been voting in cats.SA国际影视传媒�

But it looks like Bill C-27 isn't something Northerners or other Canadians should have to worry about for some time, he said.

With the SNC-Lavalin scandal growing by the day, it's unlikely the Liberals will risk introducing such a contentious item right before the federal election in October.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檒l probably try to move as quietly as they can into their summer break and try and let everything simmer down, they donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to create any new issues,SA国际影视传媒� said Bourassa.

Once they return from the summer break, they'll drop the writ and the bill won't see the light of day during this term, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 mean they wonSA国际影视传媒檛 reintroduce it a later date, because they still see it as a means by which to alleviate their responsibilities.SA国际影视传媒�