With A Budget that May Not be Enacted - Blow to the Move to Eliminate Mandatory Retirement Age

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's proposals, in the 'phony budget', as Globe and Mail Editorial calls it ( March 23, 2011), 'now highly unlikely ever to be enacted' had, in part, proposed elimination of the mandatory retirement age.

Bill C-481 passed Committee review and amendment on March 8, and was referred by the Committee back to Parliament for Third Reading and passage into law.

With the possibility of a call for an election, as the opposition is not likely to support the Budget, the proposal in the Budget to eliminate mandatory retirement age will not go further.

The Bill, which would have gone for Third Reading, would die with the termination of the entire session of Parliament.

Raymonde Folco, Liberal MP, who had introduced the Bill, had clarified this in February 2011, in her remarks to this project's co-ordinator. She hoped that the "Third Reading debate and passage will be completed before there (is) an election or Parliament is prorogued for any other reason.  As you observed, if this occurs, the Bill, along with any other legislation being discussed in Parliament will no longer exist."

There is need to continue mobilising support for ending the mandatory retirement age not only after the new government takes over in the next Parliament, but also during the campaign to emphasise to the candidates that they must support this measure when the Bill is re-introduced or the Budget is introduced.