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Taxpayer-funded pensions brought into line with the private sector Native education one of the few areas to benefit from new spending Investment in business, science R&D likely to be streamlined MPs are likely to see the terms of their gold-plated pensions eroded Harper hunting for between $4-billion and $8-billion in annual cuts

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The federal budget will likely include plans to push back Old Age Security benefits until age 67, as the National Post first reported in December.

The move would be introduced a decade from now, and even then phased in over a number of years, meaning it will not affect anyone at, or close to, retirement age.

The Harper government is hunting for between $4-billion and $8-billion in annual cuts as part of its sweeping program review, with broad details to be released in the budget.

The impetus is an aging population that will mean the number of Canadians over the age of 65 will increase from 4.7-million to 9.3-million over the next 20 years, consequently increasing the cost of the OAS program from $36-billion to $108-billion.

The government has promised changes won’t affect current seniors or those nearing retirement.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will rise in the House of Commons around 4 p.m. to deliver the government’s financial blueprint for the 2012-13 fiscal year – the first true Harper majority government budget – ending months of speculation about the Conservatives’ road map for the country.