Why the CPP expansion will not solve the problems advocates claim

In my most recent column for the Globe’s Report on Business, I took to task the advocates of an expanded CPP for their failure to explain exactly what the problem is their proposal is intended to solve. Can’t be to help low-income seniors, because the CPP isn’t aimed at them. That’s what OAS/GIS is for. Can’t be to solve a generalised problem of low savings rates by the middle class, because there is no evidence it exists. In fact the data show that Canada’ retirement system works quite well. If there is a problem, it is a narrow one involving a small subset of the middle class, so why is a universal expansion of the CPP the right course to follow. This column caused quite a stir in the Twittersphere before the fed-prov talks broke up with no agreement on CPP expansion.