President’s Message

Joan Dawson

RTAM President 2018-2019

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

As I sit at my desk working on my report for KIT, the sun is shining brightly but it is still -28 Celsius here. It has been an exceptionally cold winter so far. Hopefully, spring is around the corner and we won’t have too long to wait for the snow to go and be replaced with green grass and spring foliage. In December, I was in COSTCO with my sister and we sat down with a retired teacher and his wife while waiting for my brother-in-law to pick us up. We had a great conversation with him about his teaching career and the fact that he was an RTAM member. He told me that he really enjoyed the KIT magazine and read it from cover to cover. I often hear this said about our magazine. It never gets old.

This edition of KIT contains important information about the 2019 RTAM AGM on May 7 and 8 in Brandon, Manitoba. Please read carefully and think about the many ways that you can participate in the AGM and with RTAM throughout the year. As well as attending the AGM, you could nominate someone for a Distinguished Service Award, nominate someone to run for the Board of Directors or put your own name forward. All positions on the RTAM Board from the Directors to the President are one year terms that need to be filled annually. New members bring fresh enthusiasm and new ideas. Please consider also volunteering to serve on a committee. This year saw several new people sitting on committees but there is room for more every year as members come and go, making room for new people. Please be mindful of the deadlines for registration for the AGM as well as the deadlines for both nominations for the Distinguished Service Awards and Directors.

We welcome the attendance of as many of the RTAM members as possible at the 2019 AGM in Brandon. Hope to see you there.

By the time KIT arrives in your mailbox, a meeting will have taken place with the Minister if Education, Kelvin Goertzen, and representatives

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from his office and our RTAM representatives at the request of the RTAM Pension Committee, to share our thoughts on matters of concern to all RTAM members. Dialogues with the New Democratic Party and the Liberal Party are being planned as well.

An Adhoc committee prepared a submission in response to the public invitation from Government for input into the 2019 Provincial Budget. The committee did an excellent job preparing this submission in the short period of time allowed. The submission included comments on the effects of inflation on older persons on fixed incomes, support for defined benefits pensions, economic impact of volunteer work by RTAM members, recognition of the increase in funding for various initiatives that help improve citizens cope with life changes and encouragement for continued investment in areas such as joint replacement, cataract surgeries, seniors housing, transportation and Pharmacare. Concern was also expressed that with the repeal of The Manitoba Council on Aging Act, Government has eliminated the advisory body on matters related to the aging process and the needs and interests of older Manitobans, leading to the conclusion that seniors are becoming invisible to Government.

TRAF representatives, Jeff Norton, President & CEO, Chief Investment Officer and Brad Prokop, Vice President, Pensions, presented the TRAF 2018 Annual Briefing Session at our December Board Meeting. The two hour presentation inspired many questions and resulted in a proposed article based on the theme of common questions and misconceptions about TRAF and our pensions for inclusion in KIT.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society. RTAM has had representation on the celebratory planning committee and looks forward in anticipation to the formal acknowledgment of this significant event.

The RTAM Board had accepted, with regret, the resignation of our Executive Director, MaryAnne Slegers, after three years of service. We thank Mary-Anne for her service and wish her well in the future. 

RTAM Photography

CONTEST

KIT Editorial Committee Winter 2019 Photo Contest

The two categories are: • Looks Delicious: Food too pretty to eat? Take a picture and enjoy! • My Favourite Vehicle: a car, a bike, a truck, a skateboard, etc. Entry Form > https://rtam.mb.ca/index.php/rtam-kit/photo-contest-entry-form Rules > https://rtam.mb.ca/index.php/rtam-kit/photo-contest-rules Or use the forms in the winter 2018 edition of KIT All entries to be sent by mail, email, fax or delivered to RTAM no later than 3:00 p.m. April 5, 2019.