I can only say that I was shocked when, after 20 years of working (starting at age 28, when I finished my professional degree and had debts to pay) and paying double contributions because I was self-employed, I did not reach the maximum CPP benefit when I developed a major illness and had to go on disability.  While I appreciate that we have these programs, I wonder why we have programs that sew divisions between "classes."  No system is perfect but we needn't make things deliberately unfair!