CITIZENS CENTRE NEWS NEWSRELEASE October 20, 2003 CAMPAIGN BEGINS TO OPT ALBERTA OUT OF THE CANADA PENSION PLAN EDMONTON - A province-wide radio campaign began today, urging Alberta to opt out of the Canada Pension Plan and set up its own replacement. Sponsored by two provincial rights groups, the Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy and the Alberta Residents League, the three-week campaign is aimed at informing Albertans that they would be better off under an Alberta Pension Plan than under the CPP. "Albertans pay over $1 billion more in CPP premiums than they receive in benefits," said Link Byfield, Chairman of the Citizens Centre. "If Alberta opted out of the CPP and established its own plan, premiums could be cut by $500 a year for the average working family." The Citizens Centre and Alberta Residents League are working to advance what is now called the Alberta Agenda, which would see Alberta regain control of areas which fall under provincial jurisdiction but have been given up to Ottawa. These include a provincial police force to replace the RCMP, provincial personal income tax collection and a provincial pension plan. "We want to initiate a province-wide discussion on this important issue," Byfield explained. "In addition to our radio campaign, we are holding public meetings across the province* and encouraging the public to take a close look at the issue." The Citizens Centre has produced an eight-page policy report on an Alberta Pension Plan, which is being distributed across the province and is available free-of-charge on the Citizens Centre's website (www.citizenscentre.com). The report explains that Alberta can legally opt out of the CPP on three years' notice to the federal government. Byfield noted that the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta has set aside most of its annual policy convention in Edmonton on November 14-15 to discuss the Alberta Agenda, and encouraged Albertans to let their MLAs know they support an Alberta Pension Plan. - 30 - For more information:  Link Byfield - 866-666-6768 or 780-908-2202. *Public meetings will be held at 7:30 pm at the following locations: October 21 - Grande Prairie, Elks Lodge; October 23 - Lethbridge, Travelodge and Convention Centre; October 28 - Red Deer, Black Knight Inn; October 30 - Calgary, Days Inn (Old Highlander Hotel); November 4 - Lloydminster, Tropical Inn; November 6 - Edmonton, Coast Terrace Inn. Radio AD 2 (click to play - MP3 format) Policy Report on the Alberta Pension Plan (pdf format 118k) Brochure on the Alberta Pension Plan (pdf format 50k) Radio AD 1 (click to play - MP3 format) Radio AD 2 (click to play - MP3 format) Radio AD 3 (click to play - MP3 format) Alberta Pension Plan POLICY REPORT (pdf format 118k) Alberta Pension Plan BROCHURE (pdf format 50k)

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