Seniors Vote 2016 Campaign - A Huge Success

John Sushelnitsky, Co-Chair, Political Advocacy

Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together! Back in October 2015, the Political Advocacy committee presented the Board with a series of “talking points” that could be used when talking to candidates in the April 2016 provincial election. The RTAM Board directed PA to confer with the Pension Committee to update the data. A series of four meetings in November, December and January expanded the focus of RTAM to include a coalition with other senior groups. With a document of facts and questions written by Peggy Prendergast and Connie Newman , the coalition touched on six pillars of concern. Their document was abridged for KIT but was given in its entirety to all major political parties with their responses to be printed in KIT.

In addition, the coalition grew to five members and used the professional expertise of Adam Dooley who arranged for three press conferences in Winnipeg and several others outside of the city. He also provided press releases to radio, television and newspaper media. According to the tracking data, our message was given to the public thirtyfive times between February and April. To say that we got good coverage is a great understatement! The hub around which all the spokes were attached was a dynamo named Connie Newman. She knew all the players in the organizations, now grown to seven, and her almost daily emails and phone calls kept every organization in the loop. Connie is a no nonsense lady, having been a teacher and the president of the St.James Retirement Chapter-RTAM, and she was a brilliant confrere with Adam to keep the Seniors Vote 2016 wheel rolling.

When Premier Brian Pallister announced his reduced Cabinet, it is with great satisfaction that

Continued on page 8

Protecting Your Assets - Power of Attorney

Lydia Heshka, Wellness Committee Member

The RTAM boardroom was filled to capacity on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 16, to hear Sharon Tod enlighten us on POAs, Wills and Health Care Directives. Sharon is a partner at St. Mary’s Law on St. Mary’s Rd. She can be reached at 204 947 6801 or stod@stmaryslaw.com.

We appreciated all her informative anecdotes. They certainly made believers out of us. We will be very careful whom we choose as our Powers of Attorney. As she said, “It’s a crappy job.” You must trust completely the person you choose as your POA. As you are still around, your POA can/will make decisions which can/will affect your well being directly.

Your executor’s job begins after your death, with no direct consequences re: your well-being.

We learned that there are various types of POAs, some better than others, and that there are different approaches to preparing a will: kits, holograph wills, and/or lawyer assisted. Formal requirements for a non-holographic will were addressed. Money saved by doing your own will, POA, etc. can become very costly if not done accurately for legal purposes.

Probate exists, and costs 7% per $1000, which is not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Formal requirements for a will were addressed. A couple of requirements: Two witnesses must be present when the will is signed. Witnesses cannot be beneficiaries or the spouse or commonlaw partner of a beneficiary.

For your peace of mind and for your wellbeing, it was recommended that you consult a lawyer when naming a POA and preparing a will. Planning for your future now will ensure your wishes are followed, and will save your family extra expense and aggravation in the long term. ¡

Money Matters and Mindfulness

Lydia Heshka, Wellness Committee Member

RTAM’s Wellness Committee has tapped into BALANCE, an MTS program dedicated to providing wellness resources to MTS members. (www.mbteach.org/balance). Our first collaborative RTAM – MTS workshop was held on April 26, 2016, at McMaster House on Harcourt Street at Portage Avenue.

Brian Denysuik of Creditaid (bdenysuik@ creditaid.ca) was our morning presenter. According to him, too many Canadians are financially stressed. It doesn’t help that almost everything is done electronically: direct deposit, direct withdrawal, debit cards, credit cards, lines of credit. Gone is the day of the cheque and the transaction page, where you kept a record of every financial transaction. You could see your balance each and every time a transaction occurred. To see your balances today, it’s all about passwords. To prevent identity theft, you should use different passwords for everything! Brian uses ‘Data Vault’, an app which will store your passwords. (I, Lydia, use paper!)

There was discussion about how many credit cards you need: Two will do. Number of bank accounts? Personal choice, but don’t spread them out all over the place. According to Brian, virtual banks such as Tangerine can work for certain people. Most people prefer “bricks and mortar” banks and credit unions.

We were given a handout, which included tips for good banking practices, shopping tips and a six-point plan for more successful money management.

After an excellent hot lunch, where we met new retirees and were reacquainted with others, we returned for a presentation by Keith Macpherson (www.keithmacpherson.ca).

The afternoon topic was MINDFULNESS: Dealing With Stress – Making Sense of Mindfulness. Keith began the workshop with his song “Mindfulness.” We then went through the five stages required to achieve BALANCE of the mind, body and spirit. 1. “What’s your dream?” Everything begins with an inner dream. We’re always dreaming.

Thoughts become things/actions. 2. “Expose the saboteur” – the self-doubts, excuses, worry, negativity, tension. They all wear you down. Name the saboteur – out loud! 3. “Open your mind.” Dr Wayne Dyer suggests, “We all have a mind that’s open to everything and attached to nothing.”

We practised the Hawaiian ‘HA’ breathing technique. 4. “Be Mind–Fully Aware.” We use the 10% of our mind that is our conscious mind all the time. It makes decisions – What do I want?

What do I do next? The 90% of our mind that is our unconscious mind holds all our memories; it is the ultimate hard drive. Within the unconscious mind is the higher self, the creativity, the synchronicity, the oneness. It’s the experience part of your mind. 5. “I AM.” We were asked to answer these halfsentences: Work is... Money is..., The world is..., Love is ..., Life is..., My kids are ..., I am... ¡

Seniors Vote . . . (Continued from page 7) we saw there was indeed a Minister of Health, Seniors and Healthy Living . . . all three concerns embodied in our campaign.

The seven organizations met after the election, on April 29, to debrief and consider whether they should continue to educate and advocate for seniors in the post-election era. The unanimous consensus was affirmative and each organization, including RTAM, will have to get authority to continue the effort to approach the new Minister and cultivate a good relationship so that positive legislation will benefit all seniors in Manitoba. ¡

Respectfully submitted by Marvin G. Krawec

Before I go any further, I should like to acknowledge the Board Members and their committees for the invaluable contribution to the success of RTAM. Success comes when there is a co-operative effort on the part of everyone.

The business of RTAM is on the increase. As a result, there is an ongoing re-organization of office protocol. The executive director has been hired to spearhead all aspects of the office work. There are now three parttime employees.

The RTAM boardroom has received some technological updating. A sound system, that is supportive of the hearing impaired, has been installed. A smart board and a projector (Bright Link Pro) have also been installed. It is a state of the art piece of equipment. You can draw on the smart board with pen or finger and you can import content from a connected device directly to the smart board. There are multiple other procedures that could be carried out using the smart board. The equipment has certainly improved efficiencies and has alleviated a lot of frustration.

I want to acknowledge Johnson Inc. for their substantial contribution to the purchase of the smart board and projector equipment.

The RTAM website has received a makeover and is now more user friendly and informative.

An amicable relationship has been re-established with MTS. It was initiated last year. Members of RTAM have met with the MTS President and some of the executive members on four different occasions. The discussion centered on pensions and the restricted surplus, as well as other common issues. We have agreed to form a joint committee for the purpose of resolving the restricted surplus.

RTAM was invited, and attended, the MTS Presidents’ Council meeting in January. RTAM has been invited to participate in planning the 100th anniversary of MTS. Three members of RTAM met with the Minister of Education and Advanced Learning to review the Sale report recommendations. Suffice it to say, that, four of the eight recommendations have not been implemented. As in other years, the Minister took our discourse under advisement.

RTAM, along with six other seniors groups, formed a coalition for common cause issues. We sought the advice of Adam Dooley, Communications Consultant, to draft a Communication Strategy and to promote the goals of our mission, values and principles, as well as suggest procedures for the development of a higher profile. You will have seen some of the press conferences on television, or, you may have read about the issues in the press.

As in previous years, two members from RTAM, the president and vice-president, will be attending the ACER-CART AGM in Ottawa the first week of June. Since this is the last issue of KIT until the fall, I want to take this opportunity to wish all of our members a pleasurable summer. Happy Gardening!

ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES ENSEIGNANTES ET DES ENSEIGNANTS RETRAITÉS CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED TEACHERS (ACER-CART)

Respectfully submitted by Rosalie Bornn, ACER-CART Director

The Annual General Meeting of ACER-CART will be held from June 2 - June 4, 2016 in Ottawa, ON. This year, the RTAM reps registered to attend, as per RTAM policy, are: Rosalie Bornn, ACER-CART Director (RTAM Vice-President) and Marvin Krawec, Observer (RTAM President).

Wayne Hughes (RTAM Past-President) will also attend on behalf of the ACER-CART organization as their Western Regional Representative. Wayne has been nominated by Marvin Krawec for re-election to the Western Regional Rep. position for the 20162017 ACER-CART year.

ACER-CART has undertaken a Strategic Planning initiative for their organization and in the process has sought input and feedback from its retired teacher organization stakeholders, including RTAM.

ACER-CART has collaborated with 50 other groups to plan a celebration of the October 1, 2016 United Nations International Day of Older Persons. As an affiliate group of ACER-CART, RTAM has been requested to offer continued collaborative support of this planning initiative which goes under the name, Seniors Voice.

The Seniors Vote pre-federal election initiative of ACER-CART was used as a model for RTAM’s SENIORS VOTE Coalition Pre-Election Strategy for the recent April 2016 Manitoba Provincial Election. Advance polling had strongly predicted that Manitobans were seeking change, and change overwhelmingly happened. RTAM can now continue to use the pre-election document as a report card to evaluate how the incoming government, going forward, responds to the concerns of the RTAM coalition.

REPORTS OF THE RTAM STANDING COMMITTEES

AGM AND ELECTIONS

Respectfully submitted by Wayne Hughes, Chair (Winnipeg)

Member: Barbara McDole (Winnipeg)

Our year began with the selection of the Norwood Hotel for our Annual General Meeting. Throughout the year, we have worked closely with the Norwood staff finalizing the many details related to holding the event in a new venue. As Committee Chair, I was very appreciative of the continued involvement of Barb McDole as the previous chair and Carol Gillis our former Executive Assistant. Our new Executive Director Mary-Anne Slegers has also been unbelievable for her foresight and attention to detail and creative suggestions. Thank you to all. We put out a call to rural chapters to host the AGM in 2017. We were very pleased to receive two offers from Swan River and Brandon chapters. Thank you to both chapters for the offer. While the final responsibility of selecting the site for next year is one of the first tasks of the new Board, we are recommending that Swan River be the site for AGM 2017. Stay tuned for confirmation

BENEFITS

Respectfully submitted by Judy Olmstead, Chair (Brandon)

Members: Wayne Hughes (Winnipeg), Brian Paterson (Brandon), Doreen Sage (Neepawa)

The purpose of the RTAM Benefits Committee is to provide RTAM members with the best possible coverage for each plan at competitive rates. Each year the Committee strives to do this. Our efforts are concentrated on the Voluntary Retiree Extended Health Care, Dental and Premier Travel group insurance plans. RTAM also offers Medoc Travel, Home, Life, and Long Term Care insurance for RTAM members.

As Chair of the Benefits Committee this year, I learned that the work begins long before the first Committee meeting in September. This spring, our Plan Administrator, Johnson Inc., is conducting a Voluntary Benefit Plan survey of RTAM members to determine in which areas members would like improvements in coverage. The results are tabulated during the summer to aid in decision making on future Plan design changes. Johnson also reviews the plan experience. Initial meetings between Johnson Inc. and our Extended Health Care insurance carrier, Desjardins, have taken place before the Committee meets in September.

In the fall, the Benefits Committee reviews the survey results, and uses relative value analysis data to determine how our benefit plans compare to other benefit plans available to retired teachers. With Committee input over the next few months, Johnson

Inc. continues negotiations with the insurance carrier until a renewal position is achieved for each plan. With Johnson negotiating with the Plan carrier on behalf of RTAM, final premium increases are much lower than initial proposals from the insurers, and in some cases, enhancements are made to the plan with no increase in premium. The Benefits Committee strives to keep premiums as low as possible and maximize coverage improvements, for the long term stability of the plans.

During the winter, members of the Benefits committee present information about our plans at “Pre-retirement Seminars” in Brandon and Winnipeg to teachers considering retirement. Any Chapter may request a seminar for their area, and materials are available for presenting the benefit plan information. A committee member may be available to assist with the presentation.

Throughout the year, RTAM receives calls or letters from members, who have experienced problems with their claims, requesting assistance. Their concerns are referred to Johnson Inc. who are able to work toward a resolution with the insurance carrier.

Also this year, the committee developed a Protocol

for Groups Seeking Sponsorship from Corporations

and /or Local Businesses for events. 1. Chairperson and committee member names are to be sent to RTAM. 2. Participants must be RTAM members or Associate members, or partners of members. 3. All requests to Johnson Inc. for donations or sponsorship must be approved by the RTAM office. 4. A write-up and photos of event, including names of sponsors, are to be forwarded to editor of KIT. 5. The organizing committee is to send a letter/card of thanks to any sponsors of the event. Credits to the sponsors should also be given at the presentation of prizes or wind-up of the event.

We would like to express our appreciation to Johnson Inc. for their willingness to listen and respond to our concerns and suggestions. Their contribution to the new Epson BrightLink Collaborative Whiteboard/ Projector for the RTAM Board Room is much appreciated.

Feedback from Plan members, both positive and negative, is important to the committee as it helps to build better plans for the membership. I have enjoyed my work on the Benefits Committee serving RTAM members.

BYLAWS AND POLICY

Respectfully submitted by Joan Dawson, Chair (Thompson)

Members: Ralph Cibula (Gladstone) Ray Sitter (Brandon) Committee communication and collaboration throughout the year occurred mainly online by e-mail and a few times by phone. No Bylaw or Policy amendments are being brought to AGM 2016

The committee dealt with issues concerning the Privacy of Information Act. RTAM has policy in place (see below) that addresses the issue of the members’ privacy of information pursuant to the Privacy Act and has as its Privacy Officer, our President. RTAM understands the importance of its members’ privacy and the sensitivity of personal information. The committee is aware that there are many issues that need to be explored further to ensure that member information is secure.

The committee has researched several bylaws and policy manuals to find good examples of privacy of information policies including most provincial retired teacher associations’ manuals. The issue of an inclusive privacy of information policy is huge. Issues include proper security for the storage of information, where it will be stored, how long we keep the information, what information is gathered, who will have access to the information, how the information will be used, a statement of our policy for the website, KIT and for use on any documents generated such as membership application forms, and whether or not we should have a privacy pledge such as the one that the YWCA uses.

Some of these issues may be more appropriate for an

operating manual but we do need a lot more work on this complex issue. What we have has been working for us and is simple to interpret. Additional policy would ensure that we are doing everything possible to safeguard member information and should include policy that covers our employees as well. More work in this area should include input from the President, the Vice-President, the chairs of the communications committees, the Executive Director, and the Administrative Assistant.

The Bylaws and Policy Committee look forward to a very busy year next year as it explores the Privacy Act issues and prepares motions to upgrade our existing policy, incorporates the job description of the new Executive Director into the Policy Manual and completes the 5 year review of the Bylaws and Policies manuals.

Thank you to the Board of Directors for their valuable input and support of the work of the Bylaws and Policy Committee. Thank you to the committee members for their hard work and efforts throughout the year. Their mentorship has been extremely helpful and made the year proceed smoothly. Working with you has been a pleasure.

POLICY MANUAL 2015

SECTION 3 – MEMBERSHIP 3.01 Security of the Membership List Pursuant to the requirements of the Privacy Act: a) The membership list shall be used only in the pursuit of the interests, aims and objectives of RTAM and shall remain confidential to the President. b) Under the direction of the President, the Administrative Assistant shall manage the membership list. c) When, in the discretion of the Board of Directors of RTAM, it is consistent with the interests, aims and objectives of RTAM to cooperate with an external or commercial venture in distributing information to RTAM members then, where practical and with all costs being borne by the requesting group, such information may be distributed through 1) RTAM print and electronic media or 2) a bonded mailer to which RTAM will provide a single-use mailing list. 7.01 President (2014) The President shall:…. f) Be the Corporation’s Privacy Officer.

COMMUNICATIONS

(COMPRISED OF THREE SUB-COMMITTEES)

Keep In Touch (KIT)

Respectfully submitted by Doreen Sage, Chair and Editor (Neepawa)

Members: Rosalie Bornn (Dauphin), Joan Dawson (Thompson), Joan Goble (Thompson), Beth Smith (Dauphin), William Taylor (Brandon), Vaughn Wadelius (The Pas)

KIT, the newsletter/magazine of the Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba, is published four times a year and in full colour. Material is emailed to the Editor by RTAM Committee Chairs and by RTAM members. Since the website has been upgraded, KIT is now available to all mobile devices, anywhere, any time.

With the idea of engaging more RTAM members, KIT held a Photo Contest this past year. Entries will be printed in KIT. This also gives us more material to use throughout the year, instead of buying material.

KIT mailing: RTAM & non TRAF members, 9,346; Less deletions (duplicates removed), 430; Local Teachers’ Associations, 41; Complimentary, 46; Manitoba Public Schools, 730; Funded Independent Schools, 69.

All communication among committee members is done by email. Thank you to committee members for comments, suggestions and proofreading skills.

Thank you to committee chairs and RTAM members for your excellent submissions. These are what make KIT an interesting read.

Public Relations

Respectfully submitted by Guy Hansen (Winnipeg) and John Sushelnitsky (Portage la Prairie), Co-Chairs Members: Karen Boughton (Winnipeg), Pat Bowslaugh (Brandon), Bill Cann (Winnipeg), Ralph Cibula (Gladstone)

Activities: Our overall goal was the implementation of the Adam Dooley Report. Adam had been hired last year to provide an outline to direct RTAM Public Relations. Our goal was to better relate to: 1. Politicians, 2. MTS, 3. Our members 4. The Media 5. The Public. One ongoing event, the Senior’s Vote 2016 campaign, accomplished all five objectives. Guided by, and cooperating with RTAM Political Advocacy Committee, as well as other Manitoba Senior organizations, we have had a stellar year. Politicians and voters of Manitoba have all watched our SENIOR’S VOTE 2016 campaign unfold. As this report is being written a letter has gone to each party asking that a Minister, with STAND ALONE PORTFOLIO, be appointed for SENIORS affairs. Replies have been requested.

Apart from this, our committee also moved somewhat closer to MTS, put in place a Thank a Teacher Day format, to be implemented this spring and continued to lobby for beautification planters in local communities. The planters have proven very successful, with accolades coming in.

We purchased PR bags for AGM and similar events, also a portable pull-up RTAM banner for any further events/press releases.

We maintained direct contact with individuals from each of the three larger political parties of Manitoba.

Website

Respectfully submitted by Jack Fraser, Chair (Winnipeg)

Members: Carol Pelton (Winnipeg), Wayne Hughes (Winnipeg) The website has transitioned to a new server platform. The webmaster remains Gayl Punzalan, from Blue Ink Media. The new look of the site is now more professional, modern, and fresh. There are some growing pains, but we continue to work out the kinks.

The new website platform provides us with additional capabilities. We now support the reading of KIT on mobile devices. We also now can support the chapters who wish to use their “chapter” site as their own mini-website. They can use the site as a bulletin board to showcase their upcoming events or post pictures and announcements. We now can do mass emailing’s to our membership as well. In order for the website to be appealing, effective, and current, the website needs to be maintained almost daily. People stop coming to stale websites. In the spirit of this, we are asking committee chairs and chapter presidents to submit accurate, brief, pertinent and proofread information in a timely fashion.

More professional assistance and training for office staff and committee member will be required to move forward and provide up-to-date maintenance. Our website no longer deals with RTAM information exclusively. We are gradually partnering with other organizations. The new website has been an interesting and pertinent place to come: It has provided information on numerous workshops on a wide variety of topics: health, wills, estate planning, winter driving, active living, downsizing and housing issues, and using homecare- to name a few. The workshops are pertinent to all seniors’ not just retired teachers.

The “Events” section features workshops, information of interest from outside bodies, opportunities for senior employment, volunteer opportunities, reunions…

Front page banners have featured interesting, timely and important information for members and seniors in general. “Seniors Vote” is an example. It linked the responses from political parties in the last provincial election to RTAM’s questions on issues affecting retired teachers and seniors. This was primarily in partnership with MASC (The Manitoba Association of Seniors’ Centres.) Another banner featured information on optimal aging in conjunction with McMaster University. A third featured volunteerism and an RTAM member’s contribution.

The website continues to expand with input from many different people and organizations. We need

YOU to help us move forward. I want to thank my committee for their hard work and to thank all those who have contributed to the website this year- directly or behind the scenes.

EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY

Respectfully submitted by Peggy Prendergast, Chair (Winnipeg) Members: Rosalie Bornn (Dauphin), Lorraine Forrest (Winnipeg), Connie Newman (Winnipeg), Wally Stoyko (Winnipeg)

The Educational Advocacy Committee held 6 meetings this year. Much of the on-going communication and work was shared and carried on by electronic means.

Student Awards

In collaboration with The Winnipeg Foundation, a $50,000 endowment fund was established in October 2013 to fund an ongoing award program. As part of its mandate, the Educational Advocacy Committee, with The Winnipeg Foundation, will continue to have responsibility for the annual administration of the RTAM Student Award Program. At this time, four awards of $500 each are available to four students who are relatives of RTAM members. Any RTAM member may sponsor a student who is a relative and graduating from Grade 12.

The committee started work on September 5 to select the winners of the 2015 RTAM Student Award Project from the 43 submitted applications. Four winners received RTAM awards of $500 each using the manual detailing the process involved for the administering of these awards.

Senior Advocacy

Modeled on seminars previously offered in Thompson, Dauphin and Portage la Prairie, the committee organized two outreach information sessions. The retired teachers of St. James hosted a “Seniors’ Advocacy Forum” at the St. James Civic Centre for ALL seniors in the west end of Winnipeg. There is another such event planned and supported by the Louis Riel Chapter for all seniors in the southeast end of the city for April 27, 2016 at the Dakota Community Centre. Based on positive feedback from the participants’ session evaluations, the Educational Advocacy Committee recommends extending this project to other host communities/ chapters next year using the program format established. An integral part of the success of these events is the much appreciated work, commitment, support and cooperation of: the chapters involved, the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres (MASC) and the Healthy Aging and Senior Secretariat who also value the “Seniors’ Advocacy Forum”.

The more RTAM works with the other helping organizations in the community and provides the education to the community of what services are available for the community to provide “healthy aging” for all, the less our health care will cost.

MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTERS

Respectfully submitted by Beth Smith, Chair (Dauphin)

Members: Rosalie Bornn (Dauphin), Pat Bowslaugh (Brandon), Joan Dawson (Thompson), Ray Sitter (Brandon) and John Sushelnitsky (Portage la Prairie)

The committee met primarily on the afternoon before the board meeting. Communications also occurred through email and telephone discussions. Each chapter president was sent an email in September 2015 to inform them that they can contact the committee for any help they may need over the year. Two articles were also sent with the email: “Why Join RTAM?” and “Chapter Meeting Ideas” (66 ideas for chapters to implement throughout the year, if they so wish). These articles were also placed on the RTAM website.

Membership in RTAM over the past year, April 2015 to March 2016, has increased by 299 members. Six Chapter Initiative Grants have been approved over the last year.

Vice-President, Rosalie Bornn; Membership and Chapters Chair, Beth Smith; and President of Dauphin

Area Retired Teachers’ Association, Charlene Purdon travelled to Swan River on September 18, 2015 to help Swan River celebrate their 25th Anniversary at a delicious luncheon at the Westwood Inn. Advertisements were placed in the Manitoba Teacher, December and January/February editions, to inform active teachers of Pre-Retirement Seminars in Brandon and Winnipeg. Ads were also placed on the RTAM website and in our KIT magazine, as it is distributed to every school in Manitoba.

Three Pre-Retirement Seminars were held for active teachers: • Brandon hosted the first Pre-Retirement Seminar with 19 attendees from Brandon and surrounding area. • Winnipeg hosted the second Pre-Retirement

Seminar with 70 attendees from Winnipeg and surrounding area. • Thompson hosted the third Pre-Retirement

Seminar with 15 attendees from Thompson and surrounding area. All three seminars had three common information sessions: “Pension and Financial Issues”, “An overview of RTAM’s Voluntary Group Benefit Plans” and “More than Money – About Planning for a LIFE in Retirement”.

Some comments generated from these sessions: “Great mix of practical and spiritual/emotional – lifestyle choices and advice.” “Hold these for younger teachers, as well”. “Best session – common sense.” “They have provided more applicable information in 3 hours than I learned from anyone else.”

Committee members contacted all chapter presidents by telephone to check in with them and inform them of the upcoming AGM in May 2016, to remind them to apply for a Chapter Initiative Grant, and advise them to check their chapter information on the website to make sure it is up to date.

PENSION

Respectfully submitted by Rosalie Bornn (Dauphin) and JoAnne Hoyak (MacGregor), CoChairs

Members: Julian Hoyak (MacGregor), Ken Malcolm (Dauphin), Peggy Prendergast (Winnipeg), Ray Sitter (Brandon) Special Advisor: Wayne Hughes (Winnipeg)

Due to extenuating circumstances, the Pension Committee was not activated until later into the operating year. The committee held five physical meetings and carried on additional dialogue/work by electronic means.

Once again, RTAM was fortunate to receive solid support from the TRAF organization. In February, CEO, Jeff Norton and plan actuary, Tim McGorman attended a meeting of all interested and available RTAM Directors to share information enclosed in the 2015 Actuarial Valuation of the Pension Adjustment Account Report. It was noted that as a result of positive investment returns and a low inflation rate, for the fourth time in the history of the Bill 45 directive, surplus funds were available to add to the accumulated Restricted Surplus Fund. The presenters also outlined four possible options for dealing with the eventual dispersal of the accumulated restricted surplus. The RTAM organization will use the information to move forward with developing an RTAM official stakeholder response on behalf of retired teachers to the eventual dispersal of the Restricted Surplus Fund after the 10-year Bill 45 directive ends. An additional restricted surplus in the amount of $9,072,000 has been added to the PAA bringing the current total Restricted Surplus amount to $20,477,000.

RTAM has made a commitment to meeting collegially with the Manitoba Teachers’ Society to work towards a mutually acceptable solution to the eventual dispersal of the Restricted Surplus Fund. The restricted surplus may be used only for determining COLA after 2017 in accordance with the regulations made for such purpose.

The 2015 PAA Valuation Report also indicates that the December over December 2015 CPI for Canada increased by 1.61% allowing a maximum 2/3 COLA of 1.07% to TRAF

The Pension Committee recommends continuation of close monitoring of the results of the Bill 45 directive until the conclusion of the 10-year mandate.

Thank you to the members of the committee for their support, along with sincere appreciation to special advisor, Wayne Hughes for generously sharing his expertise with Pension matters.

POLITICAL ADVOCACY

Respectfully submitted by Ralph Cibula (Gladstone) and John Sushelnitsky (Portage la Prairie), Co-Chairs Members: Conrad Artibise (Winnipeg), Pat Bowslaugh (Brandon), Guy Hansen (Winnipeg), JoAnne Hoyak (MacGregor), Julian Hoyak (MacGregor), Ken Malcolm (Dauphin)

The Political Advocacy Committee met ten times this year. With the addition of two new Board members to the committee, the year began with a review of the mandate given to it in the RTAM by-laws and Policy Handbook. The monitoring responsibilities were assigned to Committee members and reports were made, where necessary, at each meeting.

The Meet and Greet event was a priority with committee members as we believe that a face to face social gathering with our provincial politicians remains important to continue an effective advocacy role with those who make our laws. Advocating for improvements with items of governance and the declining purchasing power since 2000 are constant goals of RTAM. Unfortunately, there were several conflicts of timetables and the Meet and Greet event will have to be held over to the next year. With a new slate of MLAs at the Legislature, the Meet and Greet will be even more important and we are working towards having it in November.

TRAVEL

Respectfully submitted by Carol Pelton, Chair (Winnipeg) Member: Sharon Pekrul The travel committee followed up the volunteer study survey by asking members if they combined travel with volunteer opportunities. Members were also requested to send in their “bucket list” ideas.

Articles were placed in KIT and on the web site and further articles will be submitted. RTAM travelers are being requested to send in their travel stories to KIT. Keeping the policy of sharing the benefits with all participants from an RTAM sponsored trip in mind, the investigation of how this can be put in place and what group trips would be of interest to members has continued.

Travel displays are being set up at the AGM in Winnipeg.

A travel fair, organized for October during SAGE, is being recommended, in addition to, having travel displays at the AGM.

WELLNESS

Respectfully submitted: Peggy Prendergast, Chair (Winnipeg)

Members: Joan Dawson (Thompson), Lydia Heshka (Winnipeg), Judy Olmstead (Brandon), Maureen Recksiedler (Stonewall)

Meetings

Two committee meetings were held during the 2015/2016 year using conference calls to access the out-of-town members. Much of the committee work was done through the extensive use of emails.

The Wellness Committee believes that older adults experience a higher quality of life by becoming personally responsible for their personal wellness. By providing a number of activities that deal with the following six recognized dimensions of wellness – emotional, intellectual, physical, social, spiritual and vocational health, it is our hope to promote development in those key areas and thus integrate wellness into the daily lives of our members.

Seminars

Two seminars were held from 9:30am to 2:30pm on: Wednesday October 14, 2015 More Magic of Herbs

at Assiniboine Park

Herbal essential oils and their benefits Photography of flowers Planting and using herbs Tuesday April 26, 2016

Money Matters and Mindfulness

Hints on Emptying “This Full House” Foot Care at its Finest – Canadian Diabetes Society

The Wellness Committee had their first Seminar at the beautiful classroom at Assiniboine Park on a lovely fall day. This was our second visit for a seminar in the Park. Not only were the classes informative and hands on learning but the walk in the English Gardens was a beautiful addition to lunchtime. The ongoing changes in the Park were also part of a photography lesson on flowers.

The second seminar to be held this year on April 26 is entitled “Money Matters and Mindfulness.” The presenters are part of the MTS Balance Program. We are very pleased to be included in this program this year. We are grateful to MTS for sponsoring these excellent speakers.

Three Mini Seminars were held this year in the new RTAM office Board Room. The first one entitled “Extreme Winter Driving Conditions” was held on January 22 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Twenty five people attended this workshop presented by Bill Ward. “Wills and Power of Attorney” was held March 16 from1:300 pm to 3:30 pm and the second, entitled “Real Estate Downsizing” was held March 30 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. These workshops were presented by Sharon Tod, a well-known Winnipeg lawyer. There was a waiting list of 18 for the last seminar. Sharon Tod, a lawyer, does these presentations as her community service. The committee strongly recommends continuing this practice. The Wellness Committee continued the responsibility of having lunch brought in at RTAM Board meetings. We tried to establish an atmosphere at lunch that encouraged a relaxing social atmosphere so members could converse easily and get to know one another so the business of the Board could run smoothly. A variety of healthy menus within the budget line was provided. As Chair, I want to recognize the work of this committee. Lydia Heshka looked after the registration for the three mini seminars and did the write-ups for the seminars that you read in KIT. Maureen Recksiedler looked after the registrations for the seminars held at McMaster House. We use conference calls for our meetings so as to include Joan from Thompson and Judy from Brandon. We are all involved in the planning and delivery of the seminars and would like to expand to assisting any chapter who would like to get involved, either with monetary assistance or with help in planning for your own area.

Ad Hoc-Executive Director Marvin Krawec, President

A motion approving the hiring of a half-time Executive Director was passed at the 2015 AGM. With this approval, the officers met in November to set procedures and a timeline for hiring. The position was advertised in the Winnipeg Free Press and on the RTAM web-site. The applications for the position were reviewed by the officers and interviews were held in February 2016.

Mary-Anne Slegers was hired as the Executive Director effective March 1, 2016. ¡

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

Is your chapter interested in RETIRED TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA facilitating a pre-retirement seminar for active teachers in your area?

Would you like help preparing your presentation? If so, contact the following three people who have already run such seminars and are willing to share their experiences and materials.

Ray Sitter - rsitter@mts.net Joan Dawson - joanldawson@gmail.com Beth Smith - bxssmith@mts.net

The Great Gathering of Manitoba’s French Speaking Communities:

“États généraux de la francophonie manitobaine”

Le Grand rassemblement des États généraux de la francophonie manitobaine

The Société franco-manitobaine (SFM) had received, at its AGM of 2014, the mandate to consult the French-speaking communities on the state of the French language in Manitoba.

From December 2014 to September 2015, the Francophone and Francophile populations of Manitoba were extensively consulted in small and large groups across the province. The primary aim of the “Citizens’ cafés” was to gain a better understanding of identity paths, values, challenges and aspirations of the province’s highly diverse French-speaking population in order to better support its development. In all, 146 citizens’ cafés and 42 online surveys generated 1,533 mostly oral testimonials from persons of all ages, areas and walks of life. Participation was: 32% under age 20; 22% between ages 20-39; 20% between ages 4054; 26% aged over 55; 45% were from rural areas and 55% from Winnipeg; and 62% of participants were women.

RTAM’s French chapter, the Éducatrices et Éducateurs manitobains à la retraite (ÉMR), held their own Citizen’s café / ÉMR at the Canad’Inn in Windsor Park on Wednesday June 3, 2015. The evening was filled with lively discussion in an ambiance of good humour and commitment. The 17 participants shared with eloquence, and sometimes with emotion, their pride, their personal concerns, their optimism and their dreams for the future of Manitoba’s Francophonie.

A team of researchers from the Université de Saint-Boniface then transcribed, classified and summarized the testimonials, and gave its written report to the SFM.

On Saturday April 23, 2016, 357 persons gathered at the Centre scolaire Léo-Rémillard to receive and further discuss this report. The L a Société franco-manitobaine (SFM), lors de l’AGA de 2014, avait reçu le mandat de consulter les membres de la communauté francophone au sujet de l’état de la langue française au Manitoba.

Entre décembre 2014 et septembre 2015, les populations francophones et francophiles du Manitoba furent grandement consultées en petits et larges groupes à travers la province. L’objectif principal des «Cafés citoyens» était de mieux comprendre les parcours, les valeurs, les défis et les aspirations de la francophonie manitobaine dans toute sa diversité afin de mieux soutenir son développement. En tout, 146 cafés-citoyens et 42 sondages en ligne ont généré 1,533 témoignages, dont la plupart était à l’oral. La participation était divisée ainsi: 32% de moins de 20 ans; 22% entre 20 et 39 ans; 20% entre 40 et 54 ans; et 26% de 55 ans et plus; 45% étaient des régions rurales et 55% de la ville de Winnipeg; et 62% étaient des femmes.

Les Éducatrices et Éducateurs manitobains à la retraite (ÉMR), qui forment la section française de la RTAM, ont tenu leur propre Café citoyen / ÉMR au Canad’Inn du parc Windsor le mercredi 3 juin 2015. La rencontre s’est déroulée dans une ambiance de bonne humeur, d’entrain et d’engagement. Les 17 participantes et participants ont partagé avec éloquence, et parfois avec émotion, leur fierté, leurs préoccupations personnelles, leur optimisme et leurs rêves pour l’avenir de la francophonie au Manitoba.

Une équipe de chercheurs de l’Université de Saint-Boniface a transcrit, classifié et fait une synthèse des propos recueillis, puis a donné son rapport à la SFM.

Le samedi 23 avril 2016, 357 personnes se sont

Real Estate Transitions

Lydia Heshka, Wellness Committee Member

Sharon Tod drew another capacity crowd to the RTAM boardroom on Wednesday, March 30. The topic was Real Estate Transitions. A wide range of subjects was covered. Buying and selling a home has changed somewhat since most of us bought our homes. A disclosure statement by the vendor is now required. ‘Have you had water in your basement?’ ‘Has the roof leaked?’ Home Inspectors are a good idea BUT Home Inspectors are not licensed in Manitoba.

Buying and selling a condominium is similar to buying and selling a home, except for the reams of documents required under the Condominium Act and the seven days allowed a buyer to examine the documents. Selling real estate, be it a house, a condo or a cottage, can have tax implications. There is an exemption from capital gains tax on your primary residence. We are allowed one principal residence be it a house, a condo or a cottage. Trying to avoid capital gains taxes requires knowledge of the taxation system. Consult with professionals before considering joint ownership. There are many potential pitfalls. Sharon’s anecdotes about ‘normal but dysfunctional families’ had us all examining our own ‘normal but dysfunctional families’! Any change in ownership incurs a land transfer fee. Fees are $1737 including the basic transfer fee of $87 on a $200,000 property and 2% on anything above that. Your million-dollar lake-front cottage will cost $17,737 in transfer fees. Do not act in haste. Consider life insurance specific for capital gains tax, land transfer fees, and probate fees. As Sharon said, “There is no right answer for when or if to sell, or to transfer titles because we don’t know when we’re going to die.” A couple of other options to consider in later years are renting or Life Lease. Leases are legal documents. Life Lease is a complex rent/own living space agreement. There are complicated legal documents, a cooling off period, a down payment and rent payments. In many instances there are more disadvantages than advantages. Do get expert advice before deciding. Rental insurance for your contents and for liability should not be forgotten. Another relatively new topic in real estate is the reverse mortgage. As seen on TV, Home Equity Bank will give you money now and collect later when you sell or die. This does not come free. Again there is lots of paperwork and a requirement by law to get independent legal advice. Rates charged are higher than at regular banks or credit unions. There are many fees to acquire your reverse mortgage. At best, reverse mortgages should be used for home repairs or travel. They are not a good vehicle to give money to your children because of too many pitfalls. Instead of a reverse mortgage, consider a second mortgage, a loan or a line of credit. Lastly, we discussed ‘not real banks’. They exist, but they aren’t bricks and mortar institutions. Sharon’s recommendation was to use ‘real banks’ or credit unions. This is a brief summary of a very complicated topic. As there was a waiting list for this seminar, we will have Sharon do another one in the fall. If this topic is of interest to you, please remember to sign up ASAP. ¡

Past Presidents of RTAM in attendance Terry Clifford, Peggy Prendergast, Phyllis Hunter (Moore), Pat Bowslaugh, Wayne Hughes

Mary-Anne Slegers, new Executive Director, being introduced to RTAM members Former Thompson teachers reconnect at AGM. Back row, L-R: Judy Olmstead, Albert Vermette, Gary Davis. Middle: Bea Shantz, Guy Hansen, Carol Pelton. Front: Linda Davis, Joan Goble, Joan Dawson, Sue McCartney, Fay Hansen

Lana Rinn ( talking to Connor)

Mr. Bill Kristjanson, the teacher who inspired Connor, and Connor Derraugh The New Board of Directors, 2016-2017