Follow your money throughout the time lines. Who are the players that get a piece out of your savings. The banks who often lend to those so that they can contribute money to the RRSP's, which the banks hold on to for decades, the bank's "advisors" selling eligible  investment products (with embedded fees), withdrawal charges, insurance companies selling segregated funds, and finally the government gets at least 30% upon withdrawal and 50% upon your death. The value of the initial tax deferral seems to disappear. 

My own experience with the TFSA has been very rewarding. My Self-Directed TFSA holds the very same stocks as my RRSP, the big difference for me is that the gains (from the fabulous tax deferral) aren't eaten away at the end of the day. RRSP's aren't as good as TFSA's even when it comes to saving for retirement. No flexibility, very little control and lots of final taxes.