Description: In Canada, there are three main sources of government-provided retirement income: 1. The Canada/Quebec Pension Plan [C/QPP], which have benefits and contributions based on earnings up to the Yearly Maximum Pensionable Earnings, 2. Old Age Security [OAS], which is a fixed amount for most but does include a 'clawback' of benefits for high-income individuals, and 3. The Guaranteed Income Supplement [GIS], which is designed to supplement those with extremely low income. The annual GIS benefit is reduced, or clawed back, by 50 cents for every dollar of annual income the person has in retirement, including C/QPP and income from Registered Retirement Savings Plans [RRSP] and other savings. OAS benefits are not included in determining the GIS clawback. The result of this is that low-income individuals who attempt to enhance their retirement replacement ratio actually see a decrease in government-provided support the more they save for retirement. In fact, savings in an RRSP can effectively be taxed at more than 100% through corresponding reductions in the GIS, social housing, home care, GAINS [Ontario's Guaranteed Annual Income Supplement], and other benefits which are based on one's personal retirement income. This paper explores a basic GIS exemption, a GIS clawback rate of lower than 50%, and various combinations of the two as alternative policies for the GIS. The goal is to improve the fairness of the GIS and reduce the disincentive to save for retirement, without increasing the overall cost of the program significantly.

Description: This presentation addresses the causes of cheating while encouraging student learning and growth.

Description: One major concern about the rapid move to online teaching is the increased potential for academic integrity violations. Instructors and institutions have proposed many solutions, but some can be expensive, unfair, easy for students to circumvent, and overly focused on punishing the symptom. This article focuses instead on addressing the causes of cheating, while encouraging student learning and growth.

Description: Some ideas for incorporating external forces, professionalism, and actuarial intuition into an introductory actuarial course. It's never too early to get students thinking about these ideas and prepare them to think like actuaries.

Description: This presentation looks at designing exams to test higher levels of learning.