But it is not really a red herring, this is at the very root of the discussion. Trudeau and Morneau are saying that business owners and self employed professionals (who have to fund pensions entirely on their own) should only be able to save with after tax dollars and then should have to pay tax on any earnings on those savings. Public sector pensions are made with before tax dollars, are contributed to by the employer (and let's be clear, the government as an entity does not have money unless it takes money from taxpayers), and are tax sheltered while they grow.