ACER-CART Report 37th Annual General Meeting November 12th, 2026
RTAM continues to be a member of ACER-CART, the national voice for retired teachers and a strong advocate for Canadian seniors. Most meetings are held by Zoom, but every second year national and regional conferences are held in-person. In June 2026, the in-person AGM was held in Vancouver, with our RTAM Vice-President and Executive Director in attendance. Highlights of the ACER-CART AGM: 1. Adopted resolutions: a. BE IT RESOLVED THAT ACER-CART urge both provincial and federal governments to continue to provide all benefits including OAS, GIS, CPP and Seniors’ Drug Plans that are currently in place for Canadian seniors. b. BE IT RESOLVED THAT ACER-CART develop a response, directed to the federal political parties of Canada, resisting the “Generation Squeeze” attempts to reduce Federal OAS benefits. 2. Guest Speaker Zema Semces – “Aging with Dignity” - The rights and needs of seniors include health care, housing, support services, education and community. - Isolation and loneliness have serious health consequences for seniors. More seniors are living alone and are at risk. Social isolation can be as detrimental to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. - We must all resist common assumptions about aging (“I’m too old to do that.”, “He / She is too old for that.”) which lead to discrimination and exclusion. - Other countries such as the U.S. and Australia have national strategies to reduce loneliness. Doctors there can prescribe non-medical solutions to help relieve symptoms – walking X hours/day, for example. Many different senior support models exist across Canada, but there is no consistency, underlining the need for a national seniors’ health strategy. - Call to Action: Everyone can help by emailing and calling and emailing your Member of Parliament to voice your concern for the well-being of seniors. 3. Guest Speaker Chris Galloway of Friends of Medicare (AB chapter) - All provinces continue to experience problems with access to health care, hiring and retention of health care workers, long wait times for health services.
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Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta, continues to restructure the health care system, creating a chaotic environment for health care workers, public frustration and opening the door to privatization. New AB legislation opens the door to privatization – private clinics, hospitals, pay-for-use – and is a boon for insurance companies who are eager to add these to their offerings. The new legislation contradicts the Canada Health Act which guarantees free, universal health care to all Canadians. Call to Action: Everyone in every province should voice support for the Canada Health Act to MPs.
Priorities for 2026-2027 ACER-CART will continue to raise the profile and strengthen the voice of our national association among provincial associations and all levels of government through ongoing advocacy, engagement, and relationship-building efforts to advance our priorities. 1. Advocate for the protection and full implementation of the Canada Health Act, ensuring equitable access to publicly funded health care for all Canadians. 2. Advocate for dedicated federal and provincial Ministers responsible for Seniors and Aging, ensuring focused leadership, accountability, and coordination of policies affecting older adults. 3. Support the development and implementation of a comprehensive Aging in Place Strategy for all Canadians, enabling individuals to live safely, independently, and with dignity in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Announcements 1. RTAM President, Jayesh Maniar, was appointed a Western Region representative for ACER-CART. 2. RTAM will host the Western Region meeting of provincial associations in May 2027. 3. The next in-person ACER-CART AGM 2028 will be held in Newfoundland.
Respectfully submitted, Trent Tuttosi, RTAM Vice-President ACER-CART Representative