Our History

Commemorating BPG’s 20th Anniversary 

by Dan Braniff

On August 12, 1994 the global financial industry and policy holders were shocked by the  announcement that Confederation Life, a 150+ year old insurance company with a previous  AAA rating was to be liquidated. Bell employees and pensioners were stunned to realize that  their Supplementary Pension Plan was not guaranteed and their retirement nest eggs could get  scrambled. 

Frantic callers to Bell Canada Benefits Administration were told that Bell accepted no  responsibility, that they should contact the court- appointed Liquidator (Peat Marwick Thorne,  PMTI) now KPMG. Calls to the Liquidator, (CompCorp) renamed ASSURIS) and the  Superintendent of Financial Institutions were referred to Bell. This added to frustration, fear and  in some cases, panic when we realized our life-time savings were indefinitely frozen. 

As individuals, many of us wrote to Bell explaining our predicament. Bell’s responses were  consistently clear, “Bell accepts no responsibility” despite the fact that Bell chose the plan, the  administrator, the terms and conditions. We argued that Bell had every opportunity before  liquidation to advise plan members of the risks and options to withdraw or transfer funds. Bell  suggested that plan members could have acted on their own as Confed’s ailments were common  knowledge (Trac Services, an insurance industry rating agency warned 2 years before liquidation  that Confederation was in serious financial difficulties.) 

Who could Bell plan members turn to? There was no one! Almost immediately the issue  dominated discussions within the employee and pensioner social groups. Symbolic is the story of  retiree, Neil Burgees, London Ontario who learned via the retiree grapevine that the Bell Old timers-Owen Sound invited a guest speaker, Ian Leith, Nesbitt Burns to their monthly  luncheon. Leith had run a classified ad in the Toronto Star that was sympathetic to Confed  policy holders suggesting he might have a solution. Neil formed a London-Windsor car pool to  hear firsthand what Leith had to offer. Attendees in Owen Sound were dumbfounded in the  realization that their nest eggs were in serious jeopardy! 

On November 23rd, 1994, a headline appeared on Globe and Mail’s Business Section, “Bell  workers to sue over group contributions”. The story featured two London Bell retirees, Neil  Burgess and Harvey Hall rallying pensioners to stand up and fight. I and many others phoned 

Neil saying, “Count me in”. The clipping spread like wildfire. Organizational green shoots  sprung up in Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, London and Winsor. In December, after collaborating  with some of them I notified Bell Human Resources Administration that the Bell Pension  Recovery Group (BPRG) now BPG, wanted to meet to discuss mutual interests and ideas that  might be considered to address the crisis. We had a financial institution ready to take over the  Bell plan. They immediately turned us down. Bell would deal directly with plan members and  did not require our representation…while still insisting that Bell had no legal obligation to  guarantee plan members against any default by Confederation Life in Liquidation. 

At this time we had no official organization structure. There were no funds, no constitution, no  mandate, no liability insurance and no official plan. My oldest daughter, a lawyer who  specialized in insurance cases at the time, drew up a statement of claim and advised us (no fee)  with precautions to avoid being the target of litigation from Bell or our retiree  associates. Realizing personal vulnerability we cautioned all our compatriots suggesting that  given the stress factors, they may wish to personally back off. None resigned! These brave  volunteers accepted unknown personal risks, gave generously of their time and paid expenses out  their own pockets. Many had no personal stake in the recovery, having no exposure above the  CompCorp Guaranteed limits. It was a classic all-for-one, one-for-all, grassroots reaction. 

Bell would not meet or talk to us, not even answer phone calls and faxes. This was a major  hurdle as legal action was out of the question, no mandate, no funds. Most of us considered legal  action would be costly and drag out for years. It was a very last resort. Finally, in desperation,  late afternoon Christmas Eve, 1994, I cold-called Robert Sanderson, Peat Marwick Thorne  (PMTI later to become KPMG). Sanderson was appointed by the Supt of Financial Institutions  as President of Confederation Life in Liquidation. He immediately appreciated the urgency of  our situation and said yes, he would meet with us. He offered advice on a number of issues. Most  importantly, Bob encouraged our efforts to pressure Bell to assist recovery. Hearing that Bell  refused to meet with us, President Sanderson confided that Bell coincidently had also requested a  meeting with him. He offered a combined meeting (subsequently scheduled for May 17). To  prepare, Bob Wilson, Neil Burgess, Bill Tawse and I met with Robert Sanderson on Jan 4, 1996  to learn firsthand how Liquidation works and how BPRG might fit in. Edward Bossence, key  man for the Liquidation process was assigned to us for ongoing consultation. He would later  appear at subsequent BPRG chapter meetings to update and answer questions from members. 

The Meeting with PMTI, Bell and BPRG convened May 17, 1995. No progress on Bell top-up  but it established our credibility with the Liquidator, the Court, Bell and later with 52  politicians. It was a major milestone! 

Note: In retrospect it would have been irresponsible in 1994 for Bell to negotiate with a no name organization, with no official member mandate, no structure and no constitutional  ratification of purpose. I would have done the same! 

May 11, 1995: The organizational structure and mandate of BPRG was approved and confirmed  at Chapter meetings held May 31 – June 8, 1995.

Purpose and Structure of BPRG: 

The Organization represents the individual and collective interests of members during the  liquidation of Confederation Life assets to ensure the maximum recovery of members’  investments (objective l00% principal and interest). Membership was defined as those who  support the purpose and principles of BPG. Many were never employed by Bell or affiliates. 

Founding Organization: 

Chapter Chairs Elected: (Also serve as Corp Directors) 

• London, Neil Burgess  
• Montreal, Rheal Proulx  
• Ottawa, Bill Tawse 
• Quebec City, Gaston Perrault  
• Toronto, Ken Beach 

Corp Directors: 

• Ed Beaty VP  
• Jacqueline Boileaux Secretary  
• Bill Spratt 
• Bob McLachlan  
• Al Smith, Incorporation 
• Dan Braniff, President 

Our relationship with the Liquidator strengthened, we were now in the inner loop on a  continuous basis. Judge Lloyd Houlden started hearing from witnesses and stakeholders in  preparation for his judgement. The process was complicated because of its size, the legal  precedents and implications for so many Canadians. Subsequently, the Liquidator advised that  there were sufficient assets to pay all claimants for invested principal without interest. Because  the projected interest rates were at all-time highs, value was expected to compound to almost  double value over a liquidation period of 5-8 years. BPG’s firm position was that that our  members deserved full compounded value. The Court (Justice Lloyd Houlden) was to rule. As  BPG was the only organized entity, President Sanderson established us as de facto representation  of all Confederation policy holders. It was critical that we kept the demand for compounded  interest confidential. The unsecured creditors were not expected to embrace a ruling of this  kind. Only BPG executive and those who needed to know were informed. Justice Lloyd  Houlden set a legal precedent when he approved compounding interest as a part of legal  settlement. To our great astonishment, unsecured creditors failed to appear during these  proceedings. This was a monumental victory for BPG and millions of other policy holders  worldwide!

The projected recovery including compounding interest was initially estimated to be in the range  of 70-80%. The top up from Bell would be critical, but as policy holders BPG members were no  longer facing disaster. Our steadfast objective was to achieve full 100% recovery of principal  plus interest and expenses. Public support was imperative. We cooled the rhetoric and set  specific targets. A balanced plan was constructed using a three-legged strategic platform:  political, media and legal. 

Member fees would be matched to relative exposure. Those with no exposure above the level  insured by CompCorp would be exempt from expenses associated with lawsuits. Those who  risked net losses were assessed an additional surcharge on a sliding scale commensurate with  

individual exposure. A basic membership fee of $20 per year would cover general expenses. A  refundable surcharge was reserved for potential legal action but only if required. All expenses  were to be refunded as part of the Bell ultimate settlement. Hardship cases were exempted from  fees. Legal initiatives beyond general consultative advice would be subject to a motion approved  by a majority of members. 

Our volunteer legal expert (my daughter) established a model for hiring the best legal firm to  match our situation. The successful candidate must display a successful track record of winning  against a large corporation like Bell. There would be no conflict of interest, never having acted  for Bell or had any aspirations for representing Bell or any affiliates. On June 9, from the short  list of 12 finalists BPG’s Legal Committee chose Koskie Minsky, Toronto. 

BPG explored several options with Bell including a value-added proposition from McKenzie  Financial to inject a cash infusion if Bell would pay an administration fee. We suggested  employing a mediator to assist the negotiating process. All such attempts were rejected by Bell. 

Our political action plan called for contacting all Federal MPs, as well as, provincial MPPs and  MLAs, in Ontario and Quebec including Cabinet members, PM Chretien and Premier Mike  Harris. Ottawa Chapter coordinated providing guidelines, schedules, coaching and follow  up. All members were encouraged to participate, especially those who had political connections.  Bob Wilson, Ottawa Chapter conjured a system that fired off an email to every MP in Ontario  and Quebec alerting them to our dilemma asking for their assistance and support. Members  enduring significant hardships would communicate with local constituencies detailing their  individual predicaments. 

The political project was a monumental success thanks especially to the coordination by Ottawa  Chapter and overwhelming member participation. Hopefully the chapters will chronical  additional experiences from a ground-view perspective. The first volley of political support was  a blistering letter to Bell President McLennan from Mike Harris, Premier of Ontario, “The  situation is troublesome” said Harris. “People who have made sacrifices over the years to be self sustaining have become the victims of corporate bungling…What’s Bell going to do to make this  right?” 

Ovid Jackson, MP Owen Sound Grey was my MP. Initial contact was with Lyle Love, Jackson’s  Constituency Manager . Lyle was very resourceful and stick-handled a very comprehensive  action plan. Curly Wade and 7 local BPG members joined me. We made an indelible impression 

as each of us took a turn describing the personal impact on her/his family. Ovid interrupted the  meeting by setting up a conference call with Hon Doug Peters, Secretary of State for Financial  Institutions so we could share the emotional hardship firsthand with the federal Minister who  ordered the liquidation. Doug Peters was sympathetic but offered no solutions. 

Ovid suggested that we immediately prepare a petition to Parliament signed by our members and  by anyone who supported the BPG manifesto. Lyle provided the format and asked that we fill the  Parliamentary Gallery with supporters . Our members took over the House of Commons  Gallery. Their enthusiasm tested the limits of quiet parliamentary decorum when our Petition  was accepted by the House. A surprise followed when Ovid requested all our supporters to join  together in the Parliamentary Press Gallery to witness my presentation that he had arranged in  conjunction with the Petition. This was not on my agenda but the idea was compelling! Major  media across Canada carried our story in detail. I had to stop the car multiple times on the way  home to answer cellphone queries from reporters including the Canadian Press. Soon afterward,  Jean Chretien holding a copy of the Montreal Gazette visited Ovid Jackson’s Ottawa Office  praising his efforts as the kind of action that made Government proud! 

Ovid and Lyle shared their achievement with Caucus members, thereby opening many  constituency doors to our BPG ambassadors. Shortly afterwards, Ovid wrote Bell President, J  McLennan. The result was a Feb 8, 1996 meeting in Jackson’s Ottawa Office, Ed Beaty and  Jackie Boileaux for BPG. Harold Giles, VP Human Resources, and Brenda Brown, Director HR  represented Bell Canada. As Ed Beaty, BPG V P recalls, Ovid read Mr. Giles the riot act about  corporate responsibility. He informed Giles, “Our Liberal caucus wants to see a satisfactory  solution for pensioners.” 

Early February, 1996 Harold Giles proposed various cost sharing proposals to Ed Beaty and  me. We declined as our mandate demanded a minimum 100% top up. Mr. Giles expressed  concern about meeting with Ovid Jackson on Feb 8. Could we please call him off? Again we  thanked Ovid Jackson for the impressive impact he made! February 14, Valentine’s Day 1996  while on a family skiing sabbatical at Lake Tahoe, CA, I received an urgent phone call from  Harold Giles insisting we immediately begin serious negotiations toward a final settlement. He  asked me to abort my pre-paid vacation. His explanation was that the Bell Board ordered him to,  “Fix it”. 

March 4, 1996 Al Smith, BPG Board Member received Letter’s Patent making BPG a legal  corporation by order of Industry Canada. It took 14 months of constant follow up but BPG was  finally a legal entity, ready to sign an agreement. 

March 5-25, 1996: BPG VP Ed Beaty and I had numerous meetings and contacts with Harold  Giles and Brenda Brown to consider various scenarios. At the final face-to-face meeting with  numerous Bell officials attending progress stalled. Head legal counsel for Bell cautioned us  about our not having legal counsel present. We assured them that our Counsel, Murray Gold,  Koskie Minsky had been retained but we thought lawyers were a hindrance to good-faith  negotiations during this stage. Murray Gold would meet Bell legal representatives after we came  to a reasonable understanding. Bell huddled after which 5-6 legal-looking members of their team  departed. Progress accelerated and conditions that met or exceeded our mandate were mutually 

agreed to with very little rebuttal. We reached tentative satisfaction toward meeting the BPG  mandate. Monthly compounded interest would continue at the ongoing rate plus 0.25%. Bell  would retroactively compensate BPG and its members for all legitimate expenses back to  Liquidation date August 12, 1994. 

March 27, 1996, we signed the BELL ENHANCEMENT AGREEMENT jointly with Bell and  the Liquidator.Shortly afterwards Harold Giles phoned to express Bell’s satisfaction with the  Agreement and the outstanding professionalism of BPG. His only regret was that Bell took so  long. On a personal note he said if we ever needed anything I should contact him immediately,  provided it did not cost him money! All parties were completely satisfied with the outcome. 

There were no losers. In the final stage Bell and BPG were negotiating toward mutual goals.  Most importantly there was a sense of trust as progress gathered momentum. In that spirit we  joined forces afterwards to convince Revenue Canada to reverse its tax decision. Bell paid no  tax on top-up costs. 

Unanimously, the BPG Board decided that BPG would and should continue. The main reason  was to be ready and able to take remedial action before a crisis occurs. 

In his letter dated 1996/04/26 sent to all participants in the in the Bell Group, Harold Giles,  Group Vice President, Human Resources summarized the implications of the Enhancement  Agreement. Bell’s contributions would total $15,000,000 over five years – $3,000,000 each year  to reduce participant’s losses. 

The Confederation Life fiasco was unnecessary and could have been avoided through prudent  timely interventions. According to ASSURIS the successor to CompCorp all outstanding  obligations were recovered with exception of $5 million paid by ASSURIS. We understand that  Bell got its top-up costs refunded. Nov 12, 2002, Approved unsecured creditors received a 5th  interim distribution resulting in a cumulative dividend to date of 100 cents on the dollar. 

BPG’s 3-legged strategy: Political, Media* and Legal proved to be paramount, but without the  incredible teamwork the endeavour would have probably failed! It became the model for other  group RRSPs. 

Confederation could have survived with minimal discretionary assistance from ASSURIS along  with guarantees from government, much less than was needed to bail out the auto industry during  the 2008 recession. The greatest cost was that Canada lost more than an insurance  company. Confederation Life was a world-scale institution. What price did we pay in lost jobs  and related business? The disruptions to people’s lives, the anxiety of employees and policy  holders is immeasurable and will never be completely recovered. The enormous court and  liquidation administration costs alone would surpass a prudently executed, recoverable bail out.  It should never happen again, but what assurances are there that it won’t? 

A strong and prudent BPG is our best security. I urge you to give your voluntary Board  and Management the kind of support you provided your founding executive. Our strength  is a growing membership and ongoing vigilance.

 

Original 20th Anniversary Article

2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the Bell Pensioners’ Group! Many of our members are not  aware of the tumultuous events that gave rise to our founding or of the important milestones  we’ve reached in the intervening years. 

Original 20th Anniversary Article

2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the Bell Pensioners’ Group! Many of our members are not  aware of the tumultuous events that gave rise to our founding or of the important milestones  we’ve reached in the intervening years. 

We have come a long way from the small but determined founding group of Bell pensioners who  wanted nothing more than to safeguard the rights and benefits we earned during our careers.  While we are now a membership of over 10,000 strong, what hasn’t changed is our resolve to  continue advocating for your rights and to empower you with information concerning your  valued pensions. 

Here is a brief retrospective of our history, as documented by Dan Braniff, our first President,  and a tip of the hat to those who have shaped it in indelible ways: 

A Grassroots movement responds 

On August 12, 1994 the global financial industry and policy holders were rocked by the  announcement that Confederation Life, a 150+ year old insurance company with a previous  AAA rating, was to be liquidated. Bell employees and pensioners were stunned to realize that  their Supplementary Pension Plan was not guaranteed and their retirement nest eggs were in  jeopardy. Bell “accepted no responsibility” to protect plan members against any default by the  liquidation. 

In a Globe & Mail story covering the issue, two London, ON Bell retirees, Neil Burgess and  Harvey Hall, rallied pensioners to stand up and fight. They were soon contacted by many  equally-concerned Bell retirees and word spread. “These brave volunteers accepted unknown  personal risks, gave generously of their time and paid expenses out of their own pockets for our  effort. It was a classic ‘all-for-one, one-for-all’ grassroots reaction,” recalls Dan Braniff,  Founding President of the BPG. 

Organizational chapters soon sprung up in Montréal, Québec, Ottawa, London and Windsor.  BPG was officially formed in May 1995 with a structure and mandate to “represent the  individual and collective interests of members during the liquidation of Confederation Life assets  to ensure the maximum recovery of members’ investments (l00% principal and interest).” 

Members Bob Wilson, Neil Burgess, Bill Tawse and Dan Braniff arrange to meet with a  representative of the Liquidator to understand the complex process to come and BPG’s role in it. 

Thoughtful, Sustained Strategy 

BPG put forth several options to Bell to settle the situation, all of which were rejected. BPG then  set to work on a three-pronged strategic plan of attack that comprised political, media and legal  angles. They retained the best legal firm for their situation and launched a well-coordinated  campaign to engage all Federal MPs, provincial MPPs and MLAs, in Ontario and Québec in  their effort, including Cabinet members, former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and former  Ontario Premier Mike Harris. 

But it was the fervent interventions of Ovid Jackson, Member of Parliament for Owen Sound  Grey-Bruce that won BPG essential political and media support. Ovid was instrumental in  keeping our case on the radar of high-ranking politicians and whose successful idea it was to present a petition to Parliament signed by our members and supporters – which was accepted by  the House. Ovid also wrote to Bell President John McLennan and secured a meeting with  company representatives demanding action from Bell to settle the impasse. 

“The political lobbying was a monumental success thanks especially to the coordination by our  Ottawa Chapter and overwhelming member participation,” comments Dan. 

BPG kept up the pressure and the issue in the public eye; over 100 articles about their cause were  published in national newspapers during the struggle. Many meetings with Bell officials ensued,  concluding with the successful negotiation on March 27, 1996 of an Enhancement Agreement  with Bell, brokered with the help of Ed Beaty, that guaranteed appropriate financial  compensation upon liquidation of Confederation Life. 

Perhaps the most significant achievement of BPG was the Court’s precedent-setting ruling for  payment of interest to policy holders. Compounding value at double digit prevailing rates during  the settlement period meant that BPG members received about twice their invested dollar value.  Even those who were covered by CompCorp guaranties benefited by the windfall. The liquidator  indicated that it was BPG’s persistent convincing arguments that persuaded Judge Lloyd  Houlden to accept BPG as the de facto voice of all three million policy holders when he awarded  the entitlement of compounding interest. 

The hard-fought victory was to be a model for other Group RRSPs. “Our 3-pronged strategy  proved to be paramount but without the incredible teamwork the endeavour would have probably  failed,” affirms Dan. 

With trust between BPG and Bell restored, the two organizations joined forces to successfully  convince Revenue Canada to reverse a previous decision on tax implications of the settlement. 

A Legacy on which to Build

The BPG Board would later decide that BPG should continue to advocate on behalf of  pensioners’ rights, ready for pre-emptive action should another threat occur. Today, BPG  continues to advocate on many fronts, including intervention in legislative and policy issues with  both Federal and Provincial governments and other stakeholders in the pension area. 

Looking to the future, we believe there is more of a need than ever for a strong and unified voice representing Bell pensioners. We are committed to working with you to successfully protect our  pensions and benefits for the next 20 years – and beyond. 

Founding Organization 

Chapter Chairs Elected (also serve as Corporate Directors): 

• London: Neil Burgess 
• Montréal: Rhéal Proulx 
• Ottawa: Bill Tawse 
• Québec City: Gaston Perreault  
• Toronto: Ken Beach 

Corporate Directors: 

• Dan Braniff, President 
• Ed Beaty, Vice-President 
• Jacqueline Boileau, Secretary 
• Al Smith, Incorporation 
• Bob McLachlan 
• Bill Spratt 

Timeline of Key Events 

August 1994

Confederation Life collapses. Bell accepts no responsibility to protect pension plan members.

November 1994

Bell retirees Neil Burgess and Harvey Hall rally pensioners to “stand up and fight.” Groups assemble across Ontario and Québec.

Jan-May 1995

Bob Wilson, Neil Burgess, Bill Tawse and Dan Braniff meet with the Liquidator. They put forth several possible options to Bell to resolve the situation. None
is accepted.

In May, BPG officially forms.

1995-1996

BPG launches a sustained media, political and legal campaign to keep their issue centre stage.

March 1996

BPG and Bell sign an Enhancement Agreement guaranteeing appropriate compensation to policy holders.

Founding Members are Recognized on the Occasion of BPG`s 20th Anniversary

Former Presidents at the Ontario Central AGM on May 6, 2015 

L to R: Russ Donaldson, Carol Reid, Dan Braniff (Founding President), Jim McColl and Al  Bowcott

Ottawa Chapter Founding Members at the AGM on May 20, 2015 

L to R:John Elliot, Marilyn Easterbrook (Ottawa Chapter Chair), Claire Collis, Roy Coleman,  Dan McDonald (BPG President), Peter Wall

London (519) Chapter Founding Members at the SWO AGM on May 5, 2015 L to R: Dan McDonald (BPG President), Garth Lowther, Don Graham (SWO Chapter Chair),  Norm Walker, Don Williams, Gary Styan 

Quebec Chapter Founding Members at the AGM on June 3, 1995 

L to R: Dan McDonald (BPG President), Paul-Emile Gosselin, Jean Lamer (Quebec Chapter  Chair)

Some Members of the Montreal Chapter since 1995 at the AGM on June 4, 2015 L to R: Louis-Philippe Charbonneau, Denyse Fournier, Yves Sauve, Gladys Scully, Walter  Pearce, Murielle Laverdiere 

Consolidated Excerpts from National Presidents over 25 Years

BPG Twenty Five Years of Adcocacy, Innovation and Leadership! 

February 6, 2020 

Since the official founding of BPG on May 11th 1995 the organization has evolved led by  successive presidents and their respective boards. Each president faced unique challenges as the  pension and regulatory landscape changed along with our relationship with Bell. There were  many accomplishments some large and others incremental while building and fostering a strong  and positive working relationship with Bell. Among the greatest successes on the government  side was income splitting while on the Bell side we have helped to improve communication  between Bell and pensioners and the best evidence of this is the excellent and comprehensive  annual pension statement as well as helping to enhance communication channels to  pensioners. We were also instrumental in helping to create a strong alliance of similar 

organizations to more effectively lobby government at all levels across the country. Our  presidents from 1995 to 2020 have documented the key issues, events and challenges they faced  to help capture our story and so preserve the history of our initial 25 years: 

Dan Braniff (1995-1997) 

BPG founders recognized there was no model to fit our situation. We would have to create one  to achieve member’s financial recovery. We needed a road map that would give us the best  chance. We decided to employ a 3 pronged approach Political, Media and Legal and later we  added a 4th element working with the Liquidator. 

An ad hoc committee emerged. I was recruited to be founding President, Ed Beaty, Vice  President. And we assumed the role of BPG Negotiators. 

Legal: We invited 10 legal firms to bid for representation. BPG’s legal committee hired Murray  Gold, Koskie Minsky, Toronto. The BPG Board approved a sliding scale member fee that would  cover costs. The assessment fee was proportionally based on exposure risk. Most members  were satisfied that this was fair and reasonable under the circumstances. A provision for  hardship cases helped. 

Political: Early on, our local chapter contacted Ovid Jackson, Federal MP for Owen Sound  requesting guidance. Ovid offered a start-up plan that seemed almost perfect. BPG would  organize a Petition to the Parliament of Canada and gather as many signatures as possible from  the local community, including relatives, friends, “any person or group that supported BPG’s  endeavour”. Ovid made a formal presentation to the full House of Commons with BPG  members and friends attending in the Parliamentary Gallery, occasionally breaking the rules of  silence with slogans of support. 

Media: Ovid scheduled a media conference in the Parliamentary Press Room in conjunction with  our Petition. We were initially disappointed to see many empty chairs but were comforted by  Ovid’s explanation that media routinely participated from the hotel bar across the street through  a cable link! As a result, dozens of media carried our story. I received several media calls on my  cell phone on my drive home from Ottawa. Media coverage continued as news of our struggle  gathered momentum, nationally and locally, thanks to effective efforts of many members. We  had a great start! 

Liquidator: Initially Bell rejected our requests for a meeting, insisting we were on our  own. They accepted no responsibility! After several unsuccessful attempts to change their mind,  I contacted the Liquidator, Robert Sanderson, KPMG who was appointed President,  Confederation Life in Liquidation asking for his assistance. Robert immediately asked how he  could help us. He agreed to invite Bell and us to meet with him. Bell agreed to attend and  subsequent meetings followed whenever requested by either BPG or Bell. It was a very  successful series which paved the way to signing the Enhancement Agreement by Bell, BPG and  the Liquidator.

Our relationship with the Liquidator reached its pinnacle when Robert Sanderson, President of  Confederation Life in Liquidation asked if BPG would agree to represent all Confederation Life policy holders! This increased our members by hundreds adding incredible muscle to BPG  endeavours. Judge Holden, legal justice for liquidation subsequently ruled that current interest  rates could be claimed from industry insurance setting a legal precedent for future liquidations. 

Members deserve so much of the credit for our success. Their ingenuity and commitment set  new standards for volunteering. What a victory! And we achieved it along with long- term  relationships that could not be better! 

Not too surprising, many BPG members subsequently volunteered to assist in the very successful  struggle for Pension Income Splitting. Their accomplishments were equally outstanding as they  displayed incredible entrepreneurial resourcefulness. They persevered where many would have  given up. 

After the dust settled Harold Giles, Bell’s VP Human Resources called to thank us for the  professionalism and the outstanding interpersonal relations experience he and his team enjoyed  in our dealings. Mutual respect has continued to throughout the 25 years and continues with a  fully funded pension plan and an ongoing sound relationship with the Bell Human Resources  team. 

Don Beauchamp (1997-2001) 

When I became President, we had about 1400 members by May of 2001 we had grown to 5,300  members. Our main objective at that time was to shepherd the Confederation Life Liquidation  Agreement. This great victory for our members resulted in full recovery of their Capital, as well  as interest. Our Board made the decision that BPG needed to continue on, grow its membership  and become a lobby group for all Pensioner’s issues. 

Some of the other key milestones during my time as President were: 

Lobbying Bell against having Taxable Benefits charged on Group Life insurance premiums. 

• PIC Committee Endorsement. Have BPG members run for the PIC  Committee. 
• Bell Canada Dialogue. Opened the way for continued meetings between  BPG and Bell on regular basis. A major step forward. 
• New Bell Discount Plan. Worked with Bell to get the best arrangement  with Revenue Canada for a replacement for existing discount plan 

I am sure that my fellow Board members from this timeframe take great pride in how the BPG  has continued to grow and champion the rights of all pensioners.  

Linda Lumsden (2001-2005)

My experience working with BPG and all of its members was wonderful. Our membership  continued to grow as did our relationship with Bell. In the early years of my presidency. 

I focused on improving our dialogue with Bell. In the past it had been very contentious and my  goal was to let them know BPG wanted to work with them not against them. Our goal was to do  our due diligence in protecting our pension and benefits while being an advocate for the  company that funded that pension. 

Over my tenure our relationship improved to the point that Bell started to market BPG in the In  Touch newsletter to all retirees. During my tenure we also found that the federal government was  not moving in a direction to protect pension plans. We started to work with the legal firm of  Koskie Minsky to develop a group of companies with similar issues to lobby the  government. This group continues to lobby today on our behalf and has made strides in getting  our points across. 

I would like to thank all the BPG members who have supported this essential group and to say  how much I enjoyed meeting you in my visits to all the chapters. We must be our own advocates  and continue to do all we can to protect our pensions and benefits. 

Pam Went (2006-2008) 

Two things stand out for me from my tenure as BPG President. 

First, I was blessed with highly skilled Board members and pension advocates. When I read my  own archives from that time I am continuously impressed with the professionalism and  commitment of that great group. 

Secondly, it was like getting a crash course in Civics as the Board and the Pension Committee  navigated their way through various Federal Government ministries and agencies in BPG’s bid  to address the shortcomings of the Pension Benefits Standards Act (PBSA). Countless  submissions were made and meetings held, with key bureaucrats and politicians in Finance,  HRSDC and the Seniors’ Directorate. We engaged with the Office of the Superintendent of  Financial Institutions (OSFI) and the C.D. Howe Institute. BPG was called as a witness at the  2007 Federal Pre-Budget Consultation (PBC) and again at the Ontario Expert Commission on  Pensions. It was gratifying to see part of our submission, word for word in the 2007 PBC final  report. BPG was a founding member of the Canadian Federation of Pensioners and by 2008, it  was clear that our organization was gaining recognition as an advocate not only Bell pensioners  but also for pensioners across the country. 

Raymond Bertrand (2008-2010) 

During my term major activities were mostly related to the pension situation and our objective to  assure complete protection of our pensions. 

Our main concern was the solvency funding deficit. Funding hovered in the 80 %  range. Meetings and position papers submitted to Finance Minister, the Office of the 

Superintendant of Financial Institutions (OSFI) and concerns with the Pension Benefits  Standards Act (PBSA) and our recommendations. BPG was seen as a well organized and a  credible. 

In January 2009 Finance Canada issued a Pension Plan Consultation paper to which we  responded and met with government officials. In response a Consortium of 7 major sponsors  responded to the paper outlining proposed changes to the PBSA to resolve the solvency funding  problem. Analysis showed an approximate 25% solvency funding shortfall with the proposed  rules should the plan be terminated. Yet the plan would be considered fully funded. This was  discussed with the government people. 

Thinking back what foremost comes to mind is the dedication, professionalism and leadership  exerted by those involved in formulating and promoting our views and recommendations to  governmental and political arenas. 

In early 2008 the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund made a bid to purchase Bell. The potential  ownership change raised serious concerns about the future of our benefits and pensions. We  answered retirees questions and attempted to reassure with limited information. Bell confirmed  that our Benefits and Pensions would be maintained. The change was approved by the  CRTC and Industry Canada . However financial concerns were raised by some a court ruling  quashed on the sale 

A relief for had the changeover proceeded and our benefits-pension plans not maintained legal  actions would ensue and be very costly 

Bob Farmer (2010-1013) 

I was President during a time of change for pension plans. The impacts of the financial  downturn of 2008 were being felt, and Bell’s pension plans were not exempt. Deficits of 20%  and more persisted; a stark contrast to Bell’s history of years of full funding. I clearly recall the  particularly large turnouts at the chapter meetings, and the many question that were  asked. There’s nothing like a potential crisis to pique interest. 

Due at least in part to the widespread decline in pension plan funding, the federal government  asked pension plan stakeholders – including BPG – for their thoughts on whether and how  pension legislation should be changed. Our many suggestions had one objective in common:  greater security for pension plan members. And we delivered that message to Bell pensioners,  MPs, bureaucrats, and senators over many months. In this effort, BPG and Bell management  agreed to disagree on a number of points. However, we worked hard to keep the good  relationship that Bell and BPG enjoy. Ultimately, many – but not all – of BPG’s proposals were  adopted. 

BPG increased the power of its advocacy work by teaming up with other like-minded pension  plan organizations through the Canadian Federation of Pensioners (CFP). BPG strongly  influenced the advocacy initiatives of CFP and all its member organizations. In my last year as  BPG President, I was also the President of CFP.

Daniel McDonald (2013-2016) 

The government was seeking views on the approach and elements of a federal Target Benefit  Plan (TBP) framework that included the conversion of existing Defined Benefit (DB) and  Defined Contribution (DC) pension plans to TBPs, even in a non-windup situation, should Bell’s  DB plan be changed to a target benefit plan, our pension income could fluctuate year-to-year  depending on the financial performance of the pension fund and employees’ willingness to make  plan contributions. In our response to the consultation paper, BPG urged the government to  exclude the conversion of DB plans to TB plans from the proposal and to put in place a consent  process that would give each retiree the option to retain his/her current DB pension plan. With  BPG’s work associated with the CFP organization, the Government accepted a consent process. 

A BPG survey was proposed to all members, the main objective was to assess members’  satisfaction with the services and information provided by BPG and assess members’ satisfaction  with the services provided by the Bell Benefits and Manulife groups. The outcome of the survey  was: Members’ perception of BPG was highly positive with a high level of satisfaction regarding  the information provided by BPG through various means. 

BPG proposed to Télébec’s retirees the establishment of a new Chapter which would provide the  required expertise to answer requests associated to their DB Pension and Benefit plans,the  implementation was successful. 

Patte Seaton (2016-2019) 

The solvency ratio for the Bell Canada pension plan steadily increased from 93.8% as of  December 31, 2015, to 100% by December 31, 2018. (Notable interest: The Solvency ratio was  only 84% in 2012). Bell displayed their commitment to pensioners by fully funding the DB  pension plan. 

Sears Canada bankruptcy in October 2017, with an 20% shortfall in the funding for its defined  pension plan, became a call for action for BPG and many other pension groups across  Canada. Our Government regulations did not protect these pensioners! 

With solvency steadily improving and Bell’s continuing strong financial performance, BPG  directed our efforts to changing government bankruptcy regulations and opposing pension  legislation that weakened pensioners financial positions (but often supported Corporate  interests). 

As founding members (2005) of the Canadian Federation of Pensioners, BPG continues to  partner with them to advocate with governments, industry and private organizations for changes  to regulations and laws to enhance protections for pensions for all Canadians. Our joint meetings  with federal officials and MP’s have focussed on the need for legislative changes to better  protect pensioners from the harm caused to them when employers become bankrupt. 

In 2018 BPG welcomed a new Chapter – Aliant Atlantic – representing the 4 east coast provinces  (previously Bell Aliant) and headquartered in St. John’s, Newfoundland Labrador.

Membership during this period of time was around 10k – hitting 11k with the addition of our 7th Chapter.