Retirement a top concern at 'thinkers' conference

From the CBC website - an edited article on the same subject:
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Canadians are looking at a future of working beyond the traditional retirement age and stashing away more savings in order to maintain their standard of living, the former Bank of Canada governor said in a speech Saturday.

David Dodge was speaking to federal Liberals who have gathered in Montreal for a three-day public policy conference, featuring what the party says are 53 "leading thinkers and doers."

"Middle- and upper-income Canadians now in their prime earning years are both going to have to save more and expect to retire later in life than they'd hoped to do," Dodge said.

Baby boomers could be a burden
Demographics and labour expert Rick Miner predicted a shortage of skilled labour and a heavier burden on the health-care system.

"The time for action is now. Without change, this is our future. It's not going to be a pleasant one: millions of people without jobs and millions of jobs without people."

Miner said by 2017, retired baby boomers will leave society with higher health-care costs and a smaller tax base. At the same time, he said Canada's workforce will not be trained for a new knowledge economy.

Among his proposals, Miner said university students should attend classes through the summer in order to graduate sooner, and Canadians should do a better job of integrating immigrants, people with disabilities and aboriginal people into the workforce.

Party seeking fresh ideas
This is the third conference of its kind in the last 50 years. On opening day of the Canada at 150 conference, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Canada needs to invest in education and training, even as it tries to tame a record $54-billion deficit.