Retirement lost: More Canadians are cashing out RRSPs early

February 23, 2015 – Anna Mehler Paperny, Global News

Lianne Paul had to empty her RRSP in September.

Not because she’s retiring – far from it: The mother of three is in her 40s. And a year after crippling health issues, including PTSD, forced her out of her job, she’s still unemployed. Openings for the same administrative work she’d been doing for years require skills that didn’t exist during her original diploma program.

Before she could qualify for income assistance to help her get by while she looks for a job, Paul had to liquidate all her savings – including the retirement nest egg to which she contributed for a decade.

Continue reading

‘Canadian families are tapped out’: Tories out of touch with economy, opposition says

February 19, 2015 – Anna Mehler Paperny, Global News

Canadians are struggling in today’s economy far more than the federal Conservatives realize, NDP and Liberal opposition critics say.

They point to analysis in a Global News series on Canada’s financial instability trapas proof the post-recession recovery is, for many families, an unfulfilled promise.

Continue reading

What the feds had to say about Canadians’ labour instability trap

February 18, 2015 – Anna Mehler Paperny, Global News

Global News asked to speak with newly minted Employment and Social Development Minister Pierre Poilievre to get his thoughts on our investigation into the labour and financial struggles plaguing Canadians.

He declined: “The Minister is in briefings all day for the next few days,” we were told last week.

So we sent questions via e-mail, instead, and received an e-mailed statement from his office in response.

Continue reading