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© Copyright 2000 Rogers Media. The following article first appeared in the March 2000 edition of
BENEFITS CANADA magazine.
Letters
Prepaid dental
Re: "Union and Benefits at the Millennium,"
By Tony Wohlfarth, Insights section,
December 1999
In the item "Union and Benefits at the Millennium" by Tony Wohlfarth, he states that: "Dental plans became
pervasive in the late 1970s when former prime minister Pierre Trudeau introduced wage controls and new
benefits were exempt."
CU&C Health Services Society (which merged with MSA to become Pacific Blue Cross) established the first
prepaid dental plan in Canada in 1966 for a union/multi-employer plan in the construction industry. And
many other dental plans were underwritten by both CU&C and MSA before the wage controls of the '70s.
Myrna Hudson, Group Sales Representative,
Pacific Blue Cross, Burnaby, B.C.
In defence of boomers
Re: "The age of absence,"
By Andrea Davis, February 2000
I read your article and was amazed that the boomers are a problem yet again. I am tired of reading and
hearing what a drain on everything from healthcare to the pension plan this group of individuals poses.
Yes, I am a boomer, so I take exception to all the negative comments we receive.
In our company, as with many others, the boomers are not so much the problem as far as absenteeism and
short- and long-term disability as the younger people. If our younger staff aren't away on maternity leave,
then they are absent with migraines, backaches or due to "stress." I grew up with the work ethic that you
don't stay home from work unless you yourself are near death!
Esther Edwards, Executive Assistant
Canadian Western Bank, Edmonton, Alta.
DC debate continues
Re: "Letters," February 2000
The CAP Commitee, a group of Vancouver pension professionals currently studying the capital accumulation
plan (CAP) marketplace, favours the term capital accumulation plan over either money purchase plan or
defined contribution plan.
I first came across the term in a Brendan Woods survey. We believe that it is the best catch-all phrase
available, as it can encompass defined contribution or money purchase pension plans, group RRSPs, deferred
profit sharing plans, employee stock ownership plans or indeed any other savings arrangement employers
might offer to employees.
Greg Hurst, Chair, The CAP Committee, Vancouver
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