text: It sounds like flippant sarcasm, Mcgravitas, but you speak truth. 
  
  "blame individuals..."  I do. Although, not as often or as vehemently as I once did.  The turning point: when I put myself and my family into an interactive income graph based on Stats-Can published in the G&M recently. Stunned: 68% of Canadian households are now earning LESS than my household did in 1986. Wow. Cost of living increases over 30 years make "saving more" an incredible challenge. Can be done, but NOT living the way people see "just folks" living on TV shows...
  
  "Praise the system": I do. Quite simply, it makes our new retirement very comfortable. And wife recently found a way to actually INCREASE CPP recently. Nice.  (and also legal, I am quick to add!) Without CPP, OAP, we'd be living on Mean Street instead of Main Street.