Boomers retire idea of Freedom 55

Early retirement has fading appeal for many baby boomers, a Statistics Canada analyst said Wednesday, in response to the appointment of a federal panel examining the role of older Canadians in the workplace.

'The value that was placed on Freedom 55 is going away with the baby boom generation, and in this generation you have more people who want to stay connected,' said Statistics Canada researcher Leroy Stone.

Yesterday, Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg suggested baby boomers could ease a projected labour shortage if they delay their retirement plans.

'Our population is aging and we are facing labour shortages,' Solberg said in a release Tuesday. 'Now is the time to look at issues faced by older workers and make sure that they have the knowledge and tools they need to contribute to a strong Canadian workforce.'

-- be nice if they aligned themselves to the greening generation behind them too...