Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced plans for a series of town-hall meetings and expert consultations aimed at reforming Canada's pension plan.
Ottawa wants Canadians' opinions on the state of the country's retirement income before a federal-provincial meeting of finance ministers in May.
Flaherty said the pension plan is a complex system and challenges facing it "do not lend themselves to one-size-fits-all solutions scribbled on the back of a napkin."
There are some key areas for which the government is seeking input, including: expanding the current Canadian Pension Plan, more private sector involvement, and a new voluntary CPP plan.
"All options are on the table," the finance minister told reporters Wednesday morning.
NDP leader Jack Layton said he thinks Canada needs pension reform but the government should be moving ahead instead of taking more time.
"We need action because of retirees and those thinking of retirement are very wary about their future now and what we get from the government is another consultation process with no sense of urgency," Layton told reporters in French Wednesday.
Canadians' concerns about their retirement incomes has risen lately, as savings took a major hit during the recession and fewer companies are offering defined-benefit plans.
The Liberal Party released a statement Wednesday afternoon in which it called the consultations "the latest Conservative delay tactic."
"The Harper Conservatives continue to drag their heels after four years of broken promises on pension reform," said Judy Sgro, Liberal critic for seniors and pensions. "Four years later, all Minister Flaherty can offer is more talk and no action, with one stall tactic after another and endless promises to consult with Canadians."
The Liberals reiterated pension-reform proposals they issued last December, including a voluntary Supplementary Canada Pension Plan and an agency to help employees of bankrupt companies continue to grow their pensions through the CPP.
During Question Period in the House of Commons Wednesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper pointed out that his government has introduced a number of "important measures for pensions" including enhancing protections for plan members, reducing volatility for defined benefit plans and making it easier for members to negotiate changes to their plans.
Harper also pointed to other measures that help seniors, such as the new guidelines for income splitting for seniors and the introduction of Tax-Free Savings Accounts.
"In terms of the Canada Pension Plan, as I mentioned earlier, discussions are ongoing with the provinces on options," Harper told the House. "The fact of the matter is the provinces are partners in the Canada Pension Plan and we have to have agreement between two levels of government to make major changes. That's why we're talking to them."
