Committee Reports

As printed in the 2022 RTAM AGM Booklet

PRESIDENT’S REPORT TO THE 2022 RTAM AGM

Bill Cann, RTAM President 2021-2022

The 2021-2022 RTAM year has been both challenging and rewarding in many regards. Thankfully, the cooperation and support of the Executive Committee, individual Directors and our exceptional two Office Staff Members have provided valuable assistance in successfully addressing emergent issues and helping to move our organization ahead. I have organized the past year’s highlights as a monthly overview.

June 2021:

• Began raising concern about the Succession problem with 9 Directors scheduled to retire from the Board in May 2022. • The Free 1st year membership initiative attracted 214 new retirees in 2021, an increase of 50 from the previous June. • Advertised the first Group Tour with Trip Merchant to Haida

Gwaii in June 2022 • The new Board met and set goals for the 2021-2022 year.

September 2021:

• Encouraged RTAM members to participate in ACER-

CART’s electronic letter writing campaign for the Federal

Election especially regarding Pharmacare and national standards for Long-Term Care facilities. • RTAM shifted to a more aggressive political advocacy stance, developing the Five Requests for Action document. • During the fifth RTAM/MTS bi-monthly liaison meeting, the

MTS offered to provide some professional staff guidance to facilitate RTAM planning and communications. • The RTAM Executive continued communications with the

Manitoba Liberal Party to draft a private member’s bill requesting an RTAM seat on the TRAF Board.

October 2021:

• RTAM developed plans to circulate the Five Requests for

Action document to the leaders of Manitoba’s three main political parties. • RTAM successfully negotiated with ACER-CART to use the New Mode software for a future electronic letter writing campaign to local MLAs. • The staff successfully completed a challenging move to and set up of our new office at 106-1780 Wellington Avenue. • On October 26, I made the first RTAM presentation to the

MTS Provincial Executive seeking their recognition that

RTAM as the official voice of retired teachers in Manitoba and a commitment to continue building the relationship between the two organizations. • RTAM hosted a pre-retirement seminar on October 30 with over 150 active teachers registered. Unfortunately, due to a problem activating the Zoom license, a number of people were unable to participate. A second seminar was immediately scheduled and held on November 20 for all those who missed the first seminar.

November 2021:

• On November 3, Dave Najduch and I made a presentation to the Group Benefits committee of the Winnipeg Teachers’

Association (WTA). With the collapse of Bill 64, we pivoted our approach to develop stronger ties with the WTA and promote the Prestige Travel insurance plan. • The Board decided that the RTAM President or designate will lay a wreath on behalf of retired teachers at the annual provincial Remembrance Day service starting in 2022. • On November 24, I flew to Calgary with Board financial support and brought greetings to our Calgary Chapter. I also recognized the accomplishments and active Zoom participation on our Political Advocacy committee by

Calgary Area Chapter President Dennis Kozak. I presented

Dennis with his Chapter Distinguished Service Award. • On November 26, Vice President JoAnne Hoyak and

I successfully negotiated a long overdue Benefits and

Pension package with the RTAM staff. We also informed the Executive Director that he had lost the confidence of the

Executive committee and that the Board would review his performance and contract in January.

December 2021:

• On December 2, a press release was sent to media outlets and to the leaders of all 3 provincial political parties supporting the Liberal Caucus Private member’s Bill (#208) recommending RTAM be given a seat on the TRAF Board. • On December 16, RTAM successfully conducted its first hybrid Board meeting using the OWL technology to provide simultaneous interaction of Directors both in-person and virtually. • Ideas were presented to the KIT Editorial committee to increase the number of digital/electronic KIT subscribers.

Currently only four hundred of our 10,000 members receive an electronic copy of KIT. The average mailing cost of paper copies is $6600 per issue or $26,400 annually.

January 2022:

• On January 14, a Special Board meeting passed a motion to immediately terminate the Employment Contract of the

Executive Director, Gordon Fardoe, and that he be given two weeks’ pay in lieu of notice according to his Employment

Contract. The Board also passed a second motion empowering the Executive Committee to conduct a search for and to hire a new Executive Director as soon as possible. • It was agreed that the RTAM President would assume the duties of Interim Executive Director as a volunteer.

The President recommended that the former Executive

Director’s salary be used to pay the fee of a professional head-hunter firm. • The January 20 Board meeting approved a new Employee

Benefits package providing that RTAM cost share 50% of

Single Coverage in the Johnson Core Extended Health and

Dental Plans as well as a 3% annual pension contribution for each staff member. • The RTAM Board also approved hiring professional lobby consultant, Michael Juce of Prairie Sky Strategy, for a three-month $15,000 contract (February - April) to advise

Directors on effective political advocacy strategies. • On January 22, RTAM sponsored a very successful inaugural Zoom meeting at which retired teachers employed as substitute teachers were able to share their concerns about working conditions with MTS President

James Bedford. • On January 25th a contract was signed with Pinnacle to conduct a professional search for a new Executive Director.

A flat fee of $14,000 was negotiated with a guaranteed placement clause.

February 2022:

• The Executive hosted a positive Zoom meeting on February 15 with MLA Nello Altomare, the Education Critic of the New

Democratic Party (NDP) and a retired teacher. Mr. Altomare is committed to having regular Spring and Fall meetings with the RTAM Executive. • At the February 17 Board meeting, the RTAM President successfully introduced a motion to immediately cease the printing and mailing of paper copies of KIT to public and independent schools. Digital copies will be made available. It is estimated that this will reduce the annual KIT operational costs by approximately $6,510 ($2.10 x 775 x 4) as well as helping the environment by reducing RTAM’s carbon footprint. • The RTAM President announced the successful conclusion of his eight-month recruitment campaign for the 2022-2023

Board of Directors. Six incumbent and nine new recruits have committed to let their names stand for Executive and/ or Director positions at the May 4 AGM.

March 2022:

• On March 2, RTAM was informed by TRAF that the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) grant effective July 1, 2022 will be 2.10%. This is the last year of the distribution of the

Restricted Surplus. Effective July 2023 the COLA grant is expected to be 0.9%. Former Premier Ed Schreyer described this as “a formula for incremental poverty”. The growing gap between the COLA grant and the Inflation rate must become an advocacy priority for RTAM • The Executive Committee in conjunction with Dan Labelle of Pinnacle, conducted interviews with short-listed candidates for the Executive Director position on March 16, 21 and 31. • On March 17, the RTAM President successfully introduced three motions to regularize Board and Committee meetings throughout 2022-2023. Except for September, monthly

Committee meetings will be virtual. Except for June and

December, Board meetings will be virtual. The in-person/ hybrid meetings are intended to promote team building and social interaction. Individual annual Committee meeting budgets were set at $2,000. • MTS President James Bedford announced that the MTS

Provincial Executive approved the agreement formalizing and improving relations and communications with RTAM. A formal signing ceremony with the two Presidents took place at McMaster House on March 18. • On March 25, the Executive hosted a very promising Zoom meeting with the Honorable Wayne Ewasko, minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning and Deputy

Minister Dana Rudy.

April 2022:

• The Executive approved the hiring of a new Executive

Director. • On April 14, the Board reviewed and updated the Dooley

Report (2016) and Strategic Plan (2017). • The Board completed an agreement with TRAF formalizing its relationship with RTAM. • The Board reviewed RTAM’s proactive 2023 Provincial

Election plan.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the significant service and contributions to RTAM of the nine retiring Directors. I wish the new Board of Directors and new Executive Director every success next year.

It has been a distinct honour and privilege to serve as the RTAM President for the past two years and as the Interim Executive Director for the past three months.

REPORTS OF THE RTAM STANDING & AD HOC COMMITTEES

ACER-CART Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM JoAnne Hoyak, Vice President, ACER-CART Director

ACER CART is the national organization for thirteen provincial retired teachers’ associations.

The vision to which we aspire is that of a national organization dedicated to providing leadership to its community of members and to forging relationships with like-minded groups to promote objectives on behalf of retired teachers and other seniors.

ACER CART acts as a national voice for retired teachers, responsive to the needs and concerns of its members and committed to excellence.

Therefore, it is active in politically advocating for issues concerning Health—pharmacare, a seniors’ health accord and strategy, “Aging in Place”, home care, and Long Term Care

reform. Communications, Pension protection, and Income Security are also topics of importance.

To these ends, ACER CART developed five priorities for the past two years—2020-2022. They are: 1. Advocate for the development and implementation of a National Seniors Strategy including the information from “A Declaration Concerning a National Health Care Strategy for Seniors”. 2. Monitor the federal government’s implementation of a national pharmacare, including the establishment of a

Canada Drug Agency and implementation of a national formulary.

3. Monitor the effects of COVID-19 on the Canada Health Act and on the Bilateral Health funding agreements with the provinces and territories. 4. Advocate for a health care system that prioritizes care in seniors’ own homes for as long as possible. 5. Advocate for regulations governing Retirement and Long Term Care Homes with emphasis on improving patient respect, working conditions, staff training and staff wages.

I would ask RTAM members to check the ACER CART website for further information in the fulfillment of these priorities--with a special suggestion to read President Tiede’s letter to the Ministers of Seniors and Health.

In addition, ACER-CART will monitor the impacts of the global pandemic on defined benefit pension plan assets and liabilities which could affect solvency funding obligations

ACER-CART will also seek to continue elevating the profile of our National Association in our provincial associations and at all levels of government and beyond.

In terms of RTAM’s relationship with our National group, we were pleased to be able to utilize the NEW MODE software, which we financially supported, in our promotion of our five objectives and the encouragement of member involvement in a letter writing campaign. NEW MODE, with the push of a button, allowed for the dispersal of a letter to members’ individual MLA’s asking for agreement with the private member’s bill for an RTAM seat on the TRAF Board, as the bill came to the floor of the Legislature.

I, as an ACER-CART Director, have been pleased to provide RTAM reports to ACER-CART executive meetings when requested. Also, the ACER- CART Annual General Meeting will be attended virtually or in person [yet to be determined} by the President and Director in June.

Lastly, it is important to appreciate our national organization and its connection to the Canadian Teachers Federation as well as the over one hundred partner stakeholders. The association with these exemplary groups make the voice of our members a formidable one.

AGM Committee Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Linda Scott, Chair

The 2022 AGM Committee members are Arlene Billeck, (RWTA), Joan Dawson, Allen Havard, Esmeralda Havard, Laurel McFarlane (RWTA), Pat Opalko (RWTA), Linda Scott (Chair), Emily Williamson (RWTA), Lynda Tunny (RWTA), Bill Cann (President, ex officio).

Due to the pandemic, the 2022 AGM was extremely difficult to plan. Would it be in person, virtual or hybrid. In February 2022 health regulations for in person were relaxed so it was decided the AGM would be a hybrid AGM held and broadcast from the Holiday Inn Airport West.

The RWTA agreed to host the AGM. Under the leadership of RWTA President, Pat Olpalko, their hard work, dedication, planning, and wonderful ideas were greatly appreciated.

Without the guidance and tireless efforts of RTAM President, Bill Cann, Independent Chair, Dorothy Young, past AGM Chair Joan Dawson, Denise Bellesia, RTAM Office Administrator, and Dianne Casar, RTAM Member Services Coordinator this AGM would not have taken place.

A special thank you goes out to our door prize sponsors: Jessica Simpson, Public Service Representative from Johnson Inc., RTAM, and Gina Sunderland, Food and Consumer Relations Specialist for the Manitoba Chicken Producers, for the door prizes.

RTAM is still looking for a Chapter to host the 2023 AGM.

Benefits Committee Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Dave Najduch, Chair

To date the committee has met 5 times and may meet one more time this year. The committee consisted of the following members, including guests: Dave Najduch, Chair; Pat Bowslaugh (Brandon); Shannon Culbertson (Brandon);Robert Daigneault (Winnipeg); Mel Montgomery (Carman);Joan Rink (Brookdale);Bill Cann (Winnipeg), RTAM President (Ex-officio);Jean-Marc Jones, Johnson;Jessica Simpson, Consultant – Johnson;Dianne Casar, Membership Services Coordinator Thank you to the committee members for their efforts over this last year and helping to determine the direction of the services RTAM members are able to access through our benefits plans. A special thankyou to Pat Bowsluagh for her guidance and sage advice as the previous chair. Another special thank you to Dianne Casar for hosting the meetings through ZOOM and taking the minutes.

1. RTAM Web Page / Member Benefits Benefits at a Glance: This document provides a comparison of the current Benefits which are available to RTAM members through our plans (Johnsons), the WTA plan (Manulife) and the MPSEBP (MTS) plan. The document has been updated with the most current information and provides summaries of the coverage available, eligibility and costs. It also shares contact information so that members are able to speak directly with the service providers. There continues to be very positive feedback about this document from both members and active teachers.

Benefits Plan Update 2022-2023: This was sent to all RTAM members who are in one or more of our benefit plans, published in the March 2022 KIT and on the RTAM website.

This letter provides a very quick overview of changes to coverage and fees for the 2020-2023 year.

2. Johnson Member Plans In the fall of 2021, the committee met to review plan usage and the rates charged to determine what was to occur for the 2022-2023 year. Based on the information provided and the discussions by the committee, the following were recommended to the Board and approved. • Extended Health Care (EHC) CORE Plan: 0% rate increase for 2022-2023 term. • Enhancements include prescription drug cover changed from $600 to $900 per year. • Ambulance coverage changes from $350 per occurrence to 100% coverage with no maximum. • Effective date for changes is April 1, 2022. • Extended Health Care (EHC) Enhanced Plan: (NEW) • The old plan will be discontinued and replaced with a new

Enhanced (EHC) plan. For details check the Benefits Plan

Update found on the web page. Generally, there has been a reduction in rates and an improvement in some of the benefits available. • Dental Care Plan / an increase of 3.9% for the 2022-2023 term effective April 1, 2022. • Prestige Travel Insurance / a 0% rate increase for 2022-2023

3. Johnson Insurance I would like to take this time to thank Jessica Simpson for her ongoing support of the committee, RTAM and the membership. The team at Johnsons through Jessica, have been timely, knowledgeable and supportive of the work we are doing. Jessica has attended all the committee meetings and brings new information and answers to questions asked. She has presented at the RTAM AGM and three RTAM retirement seminars. Jessica has also addressed numerous individual member concerns as they have arisen throughout the year. Johnsons also has provided funds to RTAM which help support the broader operation of the organization.

4. On the Horizon Accompany: RTAM has been involved with a new Manitoba company looking to provide members and their primary caregivers with support for medical appointments. The service would have a qualified nurse pick you up, attend the medical appointment and then return you home with a detailed written report of the visit for the member and primary caregiver. The company is in the “proof of concept” or pilot phase and we have been working with them through this process. RTAM has distributed the company’s request for 25 volunteers to city of Winnipeg Chapter Presidents.

WTA Health Plans: It came to our attention early in the new year, the WTA is considering the shutting down of its health plan. This has the potential of impacting 1400 plus retirees who are currently enrolled in that plan. We will monitor how this unfolds in the year to come and offer the RTAM plan to their retirees in the event they will need to shop for different coverage.

Bylaws and Policy Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Jack Fraser, Chair

Members: Charles Clifford (Portage la Prairie), Joan Dawson (Thompson); Peggy Prendergast (Winnipeg). Dorothy Young (Winnipeg) and Jack Fraser, Chair (Winnipeg).

Committee communication and collaboration throughout the year consisted of committee meetings, with e-mail and phone communication between meetings and amongst members.

The Bylaws and Policy Committee continues to monitor and review the RTAM Bylaws and Policy Documents according to the committee mandate. The Committee has dealt with recommendations, additions and updates of Bylaws and Policy that were referred for consideration by the Board of Directors, through the RTAM committee channels, or by the Executive Director. The Committee has made recommendations to the Board of Directors on policy changes and additions. To that end, no Bylaw changes were deemed necessary this year. Motions of interim policy already approved by the Board are being brought forward for affirmation by the membership at this 2022 AGM. There were no Bylaw changes for this year.

Thank you to the Board of Directors for their valuable input and their support of the Committee. Sincere appreciation is extended to the Bylaws and Policy Committee members for their hard work and efforts throughout the year. As well, appreciation is also extended to the office staff for their valued support and work.

KIT Editorial Committee Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Beth Smith, Chair

Members of the KIT Editorial Committee: Rosalie Bornn (Dauphin), Joan Dawson (Thompson), Joan Goble (Thompson), Doreen Sage (Neepawa) and Beth Smith (Dauphin).

KIT is published four times a year, in full colour. There is very limited amount of paid advertising as most classifieds are done free for members. KIT is limited to thirty-two pages per issue, so some material is not always printed in the current issue. Decisions must be made as to what will be printed and what must wait.

Chapters are encouraged to submit articles of interest for publishing in KIT. Write an article about your experiences as a teacher. Enter the Photo Contest, you could have your photos showcased throughout the magazine or on the front cover of KIT.

Thank you to committee members who have spent much time editing and making suggestions about the material received. Thank you to those who have sent in material. This is your magazine and it is your material, so do keep sending in material, especially chapter reports. Email your KIT material to kit@rtam.mb.ca

Membership and Chapters Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Beth Smith, Chair

Committee Members: Rosalie Bornn (Dauphin), Charles Clifford (Portage la Prairie), Joan Dawson (Thompson), Linda Scott (Winnipeg) and Beth Smith (Dauphin).

Most of the Membership and Chapters Committee correspondence occurs through e-mail and telephone conversations, but as the need arises, our meetings are held virtually via Zoom.

Three RTAM Pre-Retirement Seminars were held, via Zoom, this Board year. The last Seminar was held on March 5, 2022 and had 145 registrants. Pat Bowslaugh, Treasurer and Beth Smith, Membership & Chapters Chair met with Bill Cann, President to plan the Seminars.

The Pre-Retirement Program included the following: • Welcome message (Pat Bowslaugh, Treasurer, Bill Cann,

RTAM President and James Bedford, MTS President). • RTAM Benefit Plans by Jessica Simpson, Consultant,

Group Benefits, Johnson Inc. • Panel Discussion “Life After Teaching” (Shannon

Culbertson and Dave Najduch) • RTAM – “Who We Are!” PowerPoint Presentation (Beth

Smith) • Question and Answer session • Closing message The total number of RTAM members, as of March 31, 2022, is 10,314.

There were 6 Chapter Initiative Grants applied for this year. The Chapter Initiative Grant (CIG) is available to promote member engagement. Funding of up to $250.00 per each approved project is available per year. Reports from the previous year must be submitted before funding will be approved for the current year. Guidelines and application forms are available on the RTAM website.

Thank you to all the committee members for all their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

Pension Committee Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Alison Logan, Chair

Members: Joan Dawson (Thompson); JoAnne Hoyak (MacGregor); Julian Hoyak (MacGregor); Lynn Land (Winnipeg); Mel Montgomery (Carmen); Alison Logan (Chair) (Winnipeg);Bill Cann (Ex Officio) (Winnipeg)

Six Committee meetings were held via zoom during the 20212022 year.

Highlights of the Pension Committee endeavours this past year included: 1. Jeff Norton and Brad Prokop represented TRAF at the September and November Committee meetings. 2. Following the status of the joint agreement with MTS and accepted by the TRAF Board as to the dispersal of the restricted surplus. The dispersal has been in place since July 1, 2018 and will conclude this year. 3. As of July 1, 2022, COLA will be 2.10% 4. As of July 1, 2023, COLA is estimated to be .9% through to 2037. 5. Monitoring pension situations both in Manitoba and other jurisdictions in Canada. Ongoing communication with ACER-CART has been beneficial. 6. Focus has been on obtaining a designated seat for

RTAM at the TRAF table as well as efforts to secure an improved COLA. 7. In conjunction with Political Advocacy Committee the hiring of Prairie Sky, Government Relations Firm has taken place.

8. The continuation of meeting(s) with provincial representatives is strongly recommended.

9. The first reading in The Manitoba Legislature of a private members bill was given on December 2, 2021, by MLA

Cindy Lamoureux proposing that RTAM be given a seat on the TRAF Board.

10. The chair wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the committee members for their dedication, commitment, and diligent work.

Political Advocacy Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

John Sushelnitsky, Chair

Members serving on the PA Committee: Guy Hansen (Winnipeg/Thompson), Vicki Hooke (Portage la Prairie), JoAnne Hoyak (MacGregor), Julian Hoyak (MacGregor), Dennis Kozak (Calgary), John Sushelnitsky (Portage la Prairie) (Chair), Bill Cann (Winnipeg) RTAM President (Ex Officio).

The work of the PA Committee is set out in the Strategic Plan (2017-19) and the Policy Handbook. That work includes tasks that are given to the committee by the President and the Board. It also includes the task of being the “eyes and ears” of the organization tracking the issues in the wider Manitoban community and the world. Each month when there are emergent issues affecting the membership the committee must bring them to the attention of the Board. Some issues require further study and are put “on the back burner”, others are taken to the Board in the form of a Motion for Action.

In September, the committee was tasked with putting together questions based on short and long range RTAM goals for the three Progressive Conservative leadership candidates following the Premier’s resignation. These questions were sent by registered letter to the candidates. The national retired teachers’ organization, ACER-CART was asked to conduct a survey of all provincial organizations to gather information that could be used to further RTAM’s advocacy goals.

October 1 was the United Nations’ International Day of Older Persons. Each year RTAM encourages its Chapters to organize a local event to highlight the contribution that seniors make to our communities. For the first time, the City of Winnipeg responded to our request by putting the event on the public screen at The Forks. According to the U.N., life expectancy worldwide rose from 46 to 68 years between 1950 and 2010.

At the October 21 Board meeting, the PA committee presented the “Five Requests for Action”. Each Request was accompanied by a rationale. This document will become the foundation of future RTAM advocacy initiatives. PA moved a Motion to create an Ad Hoc committee to discuss how the Bursary for an Indigenous student could be embedded in RTAM practice. After discussion, a Motion was sent to the Board.

At the November meeting, a Motion was passed to meet with the new Premier to discuss the Five Requests for Action. The Executive Director was asked to seek guidance from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Manitoba Metis Federation, on how RTAM could address the revelation of the unmarked student graves at residential schools. This initiative continues RTAM’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call for Actions. The Executive Director was to contact the Winnipeg Indigenous Executive Circle, the Manitoba School Board Association, and the MTS to explore the issue of Equity in Education. Climate change was regarded as a possible topic for RTAM-MTS co-operation in sponsoring a student project initiative. Research was begun on that possibility.

In December, PA was informed that the Five Requests for Action would be in the winter edition of KIT. They would also be in the New Mode software letter that would go out to all RTAM members with an email address. We were informed that a Private Member’s Bill would be presented in the Manitoba Legislature to create a seat on the TRAF Board for a RTAM-nominated member. This is a long-standing request of RTAM and one of the Five Asks. PA began the search for a professional lobbyist to assist RTAM in achieving our advocacy goals. The Ad Hoc committee on the Bursary for Indigenous Student(s) took place on Dec.9th.

In the January meeting, eleven issues were discussed. A Motion was passed to the Board to send a letter of congratulations to former Senator Murray Sinclair on his appointment as a Companion to the Order of Canada. A second Motion to the Board would ensure continuous Bursary support for Indigenous students through the University College of the North. The committee examined a proposal from Michael Juce, a political strategist with Prairie Sky Strategy, and recommended it to the Executive and the Board. His advice would be sought in connection with the New Mode software letter writing campaign, the Five Requests for Action and the lead up to the next provincial election in 2023.

On Jan. 21, a letter of congratulation was sent to newly appointed Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, Wayne Ewasko. His almost immediate and cordial reply by phone to our President was “a ray of sunshine” and bode well for relations in the future. A zoom meeting with the Executive and the Minister on March 25 reinforced that optimism. The RTAM President sent congratulatory letters to the new Premier and to all new cabinet ministers.

In February, the PA committee reviewed four issues with provincial implications in the areas of health, education, and Indigenous relations. Two electronic subscriptions to the Free Press have been ordered with the capability of electronically sharing articles with committee members. The importance was stressed of getting RTAM’s presence felt in the community though more frequent input into the various media outlets through press releases, interviews and Op Eds. This led to a discussion of the Adam Dooley Report on Communications commissioned by RTAM in 2016. Copies of this Report were to be sent to all Directors and to Prairie Sky Strategy. The President asked PA and Public Relations to analyze the Report as to what has been done in the intervening six years and what remains to be done.

The March meeting focused on the task of evaluating what remains to be done in the Dooley Report (2016) and the Strategic Plan (2017&2019). The Bylaws and Policy Committee submitted the Indigenous Student Bursary for AGM approval. The Free Press electronic subscription was successfully used by this committee. The issue of support for the Ukraine in view of the Russian invasion necessitated a RTAM press release which was drafted by the Political Advocacy committee. As this RTAM year draws to a close, I wish to thank all my committee members for their work in what has been a very full and eventful year. It has been my privilege to serve this organization since 2006 and I am grateful for that opportunity.

Public Relations Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Guy Hansen, Chair

PR Committee was made up of: Guy Hansen, Winnipeg, Chair, John Sushelnitsky, Portage la Prairie, Ken Malcolm, Dauphin, Linda York, Dugald, Shannon Culbertson, Brandon, and Bob Davies, Thompson, currently Winnipeg.

Our mandate is to showcase the good deeds of RTAM, to leave everyone with a good feeling upon seeing/hearing the words Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba.

Perhaps our most important function is to promote the annual Night at the Leg, or as it is now known, our Meet and Greet. One evening with Manitoba’s MLA’s, beer, and a sandwich, mix and mingle. It is hard to schedule, COVID has made this impossible. It must not be forgotten, these MLAs govern our laws, we must be on the same page as them.

RTAM needed more focus. With that in mind, Public Relations, and Political Advocacy “sourced out” Michael Juce of Prairie Sky Strategies. Michael is helping us to “build a bridge”, giving forward guidance as we form results-oriented relations with our MLAs.

Further to this, Michael was recommended to us by Adam Dooley of Dooley Communications.

Adam had started us on this path in 2015-16 with his very effective Dooley Report. PA and PR have recently reevaluated Adam’s work and it is amazing to see how timeless his advice has been.

The birth of ACER-CART’s NEW MODE was PR, in Manitoba. The motion to fund was passed last year by our Board. This technology, for the first time, is being successfully used to communicate directly with our Manitoba MLAs.

PR presented a recent motion to increase the number of recipients of our First Nations bursary, through UCN, to four, including two for tradespeople.

We facilitated Manitoba news releases, although we did not write them, including RTAM’s recent statement about supporting the relief program in Ukraine.

PR kept alive the November 11 celebration with an

interesting family story and wreath-laying in Birtle. It bridged two KIT editions. (Suggestions please)

We initiated the using of the yellow/blue (our colours) WINNIPEG sign for the UNESCO World Teachers’ Day, October 5. This was done with co-operation from the office of the Mayor of Winnipeg.

PR submitted other articles to each KIT, some of which were to keep our long term goal of an anthology of Retired Teachers alive. (Please help us out by submitting…)

With a long look to the future, we continue to advocate for a “Thank a Teacher” day. We will have to dance around covid, of course, but PR is most effectively practiced at the level or your hometown, your community newspaper, your town council.

About your function, you 10,000. The work that you do locally is more important for PR than is the work of the RTAM board.

Student Award Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Peggy Prendergast, Chair

Committee Members: Joan Zaretsky, Winnipeg, Beth Smith, Dauphin, Linda Blair, Winnipeg, Connie Newman, Winnipeg, Peggy Prendergast, Winnipeg, chair.

The RTAM Endowment Fund was established with $50,000 at the Winnipeg Foundation in 2013 as a member benefit. Since then, over 400 RTAM members have sponsored the same number of Grade 12 graduate relatives: children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews. The first two years the fund was able to offer four $500 awards each year. The amount of the awards increased over the following years as the amount of money in the fund increased exponentially due to the investing expertise of the Foundation and donations made to the fund often as ‘In Memoriam’ donations. The last two years there have been four $1000 cheques awarded each year. The pictures of these deserving young people appear in the winter edition of KIT.

Sponsor your young relatives who are graduating from Grade 12 in June 2022 by encouraging them to fill out the Student Award application found online at www.rtam.mb.ca or in KIT or call the RTAM office at 204-889- 3660 or 1-888-3938082 for assistance.

In the past nine years the Student Award Program has supported thirty-eight young relatives of RTAM members with their post-Secondary education. You, the membership can help the fund increase by sending a donation to the RTAM Endowment Fund at the Winnipeg Foundation. These taxfree donations have added up to $7,000 over the past nine years.Each year we receive more applications from very deserving young relatives as you encourage them to apply. Let’s help increase the pot so we can increase the amount and the number of awards as the pot grows. It now exceeds $77,000 even with the number of awards distributed.

Student Success Portfolio Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Joan Zaretsky, Chair

Members: Linda Blair, Joan Dawson, Beth Smith

The Student Success Portfolio Ad Hoc Committee has had a busy year developing and promoting Student Success Portfolios as a result of receiving a New Horizons for Seniors Grant in March 2021. We applied for this grant out of a desire to offer support to the RTAM Student Award applicants in writing their applications. This grant was designed to promote intergenerational communication between the high school students receiving the Portfolios and the RTAM sponsors who serve as their mentors. With the Grant funds, we purchased the portfolios, designed our “RTAM Student Success Portfolio” logo to brand our printed materials and for stickers placed on the Portfolios as well as some promotional items from Botanical Paperworks. The funds also covered the fee for a researcher, Andrew Augustyn, to interview sponsors and their students to determine the effectiveness of our project and any challenges along the way.

Throughout the past year, we have introduced the project through many different venues in order to make our membership aware of the benefits of their involvement in this Project for their student relatives as well as themselves as mentors in supporting their students. We offered to present our project to Chapter Presidents and their membership at the local level, but COVID has limited the number of local chapter meetings. We plan to offer this again in the upcoming year once the locals become more active with the lifting of the restrictions.

We developed PowerPoint presentations which were shared with our Board of Directors, Chapter Presidents and sponsors who participated in a recent “Supporting Your Mentoring Role” Zoom meeting held in March 2022. These sponsors requested we hold bimonthly Zoom meetings to share what different sponsors were doing with their students along the portfolio journey.

We created our website and organized it for easy access of information under the headings of “General Information”, “Portfolios”, “Monthly Discussion Starters” and “The New Horizons Grant”. Each month, a new discussion starter was added to support sponsors in working with their student to continue the ongoing portfolio development. We had articles printed in each of our quarterly KIT magazines since the Summer 2021 edition to encourage interest in the project and offer some tips to sponsors. Check out our website www.rtam. mb.ca under Committees for our “Student Success Portfolio Ad Hoc Committee” and Media for the KIT magazines.

As outlined in our Grant received, we allocated funds to hire a researcher to determine what was working with our Project and any challenges or suggestions to improve the process. Andrew Augustyn was hired. As he is a full-time teacher, he will be completing his interviews during March Break and reporting his findings to our Committee.

A huge thank you goes to my Student Success Portfolio Committee members for their many contributions, their innovative ideas, and their support throughout this introductory year of our Project. Your dedication to our Project’s success was greatly appreciated!

Website Committee Report for the 2022 RTAM AGM

Paul Harland, Chair

Members: Linda Blair (Winnipeg) Joan Dawson (Thompson) Joan Goble (Thompson) Wayne Hughes (Winnipeg)