-- CTF Blasts Jim Hart for Vicious Verbal Assault, Challenges Bill Gilmour to Tell the Truth --

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today blasted two Reform MPs who have publicly declared their intentions to opt back into the gold-plated MP Pension Plan. "It is clear that when Mssrs. Hart and Gilmour opted out of the pension plan in 1995, it was nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt," said Walter Robinson, CTF federal director. "The goodwill and trust they built with voters in their constituencies was merely a means to get re-elected in 1997 and they are now slurping at the pension trough in 1998."

The CTF also demanded an apology and retraction of remarks made by Reform MP (Okanagan-Coquihalla) Jim Hart on Wednesday during an appearance on CBC's (B.C.) radio program, Almanac. During the program, Mr. Hart lambasted his pension critics, including the CTF, as a "brown shirts."

In a letter to Mr. Hart today, the CTF's National Communications Director, Troy Lanigan, has demanded an immediate retraction.

"I was shocked and dismayed to learn of your characterization yesterday of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation as 'brownshirts' -," Lanigan writes. "I am asking for an immediate and full public retraction of your statement. Your characterization is vicious, uncalled for, and potentially actionable."

In other developments, Reform MP (Nanaimo-Alberni) Bill Gilmour informed his constituents through an open letter that he plans to opt back into the MP pension plan. "Mr. Gilmour's letter is factually inaccurate and extremely misleading," fumed Robinson.

In the one page letter Mr. Gilmour states:

When I first ran in 1993, I was very vocal about the richness of the pension plan then in place. Subsequently, 61 MPs from three different parties opted out of this rich plan. This forced the Liberals to change the legislation, substantially reducing both the benefits and contribution rate taxpayers had to fork out.

"This is historical revisionism at its finest", stated Robinson. "Gilmour's got it all wrong. The plan was way to rich so it was changed by the passage of Bill C-85 in 1995. After these changes were brought in, then the 61 MPs opted out because the changes didn't go far enough. That's how it really happenned."

Robinson reminded Gilmour of his words from 1995. Gilmour said, "This plan is hardly any better or different from the old plan - Members with any conscience will think twice before gorging into this tax trough and opt out."

"It's a shame that these men who have abdicated their so-called principles have to resort to name calling and half-truths to deflect attention away from a betrayal of their constituents, their party and Canadian taxpayers," concluded Robinson.