The world is being acquired, reorganized, privatized, and transformed through processes described by many scholars and analysts as “financialization.” However, one of the largest and most influential actors in these processes, pension funds, has been largely overlooked by most analysts, as well as by many campaigners and political activists. Canadian pension funds, in particular, have played a notably predatory role in these developments, capitalizing on opportunities to privatize public infrastructure and services wherever profitability and minimized risks allow.

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Simultaneously, workers—often portrayed as the beneficiaries of both the profit-driven activities of their own pension funds and the investment strategies of other workers’ pension funds—have been experiencing setbacks, with pension coverage declining in numerous regions.

This hybrid event provides an opportunity for an in-depth exploration of this troubling phenomenon and the significant political questions it raises. The discussion will examine the role of trade unions in this context, the potential to curb governmental efforts toward widespread privatization, and whether popular movements can secure retirement benefits without contributing to predatory financial practices.

Attendees are invited to participate in this hybrid event, where these and related topics will be examined in detail by an international panel of experts. The event will also serve as the official launch of the Resisting Pension Fund Capitalism project, hostedby the Financialization Research Lab at Carleton University’s Institute of Political Economy.

Panel speakers:

• Jason Ward (CICTAR) - Will speak on the recently-released report on the Orpéa scandal, involving a care company co-owned by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board that recently collapsed

• Livi Gerbase (CICTAR) - Will speak on several examples of ‘pension fund capitalism’ in Latin America, including the role of Brookfield and CPPIB in Colombia and Brazil

• Marco Kremerman (Fundación Sol) - Will speak on the No Más AFP campaign, and Chile’s popular movement for pension reform

Panel Moderator:

• Lauren O’Reilly - Lauren is a Masters student at Carleton University’s Institute of Political Economy, and is a member of the team supporting the work of the Financialization Research Lab.

Sponsoring organizations:

• Financialization Research Lab, Carleton University

• Institute of Political Economy, Carleton University

• GRAIN

• Public Services International

Date:  Wednesday, March 26, 2:30pm-4:00pm (ET)

Location:  Room 1524, Dunton Tower, Carleton University - Ottawa

Interpretation to English & Spanish will be available

To register on zoom: https://world-psi.zoom.us/meeting/register/JNmmRK3-Ql-bSLRocqOHLg#/registration