Denise Schmidt
Message from the President
WRITTEN BY: SUE AMUNDRUD
TO BEGIN, I want to acknowledge the recent passing of a member who had a major impact on our professional organizations and on me personally. I first met Fred Herron more than 50 years ago - he was a principal in southwest Saskatchewan and I was the school secretary. Already involved with the STF, he convinced me to speak as part of a panel exploring expansion of STF membership to include non-teaching members of a school staff. Due to Fred’s example and influence as well as that experience, it was natural that when I finally began my own teaching career, I became involved in the organizations – STF, LEADS, then the Ministry and now the STS. Fred will be remembered for his professional and personal contributions as shared in the special tribute to Fred Herron in this issue.
The major focus of this issue is financial security of older adults. While we are fortunate to have guaranteed pension plans that include costof-living adjustments, we should also be aware that COLA is never 100% - which means that purchasing power is eroded over time. In addition, many of our members can anticipate being retired for at least as long as
Outreach
ISSN 2817-1721 (Print) ISSN 2817-173X (Digital)
All articles in Outreach represent the information and opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the STS.
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Content Curator
Kevin Schmidt
Executive Director Murray Wall www.sts.sk.ca
they taught and perhaps well beyond. Additional costs may be incurred as health and/or physical ability declines. We know from Statistics Canada that only about 5% of our aging population uses long-term care homes during their lifetime, but that additional supports will likely be needed for the other 95% to manage in their home and community of choice. How do we plan for those individually, and how can we work together to encourage our local communities and our province to put needed supports in place? These are important questions to consider.
I hope you find this issue of Outreach both interesting and helpful to you personally. ●
BELOW IS A selection of photos by members of the STS. Do you have a photograph, idea or a topic you would like us to include? Email us at sts@sts.sk.ca
Please note that if you'd like your photos to be considered for the cover of Outreach , they must meet the following requirements: a minimum resolution of 3000 x 3000 pixels and a file size greater than 10 MB. For all other photos, we recommend they meet at least 1000 x 1000 pixels and be larger than 1 MB in size.
Helga Zbeetneff
Beverley Magel
Margaret Symon-Lungal
Lori McNaughton
Angela Dogniez
The following is part 2 of a 3-part series of articles reviewing data from the 2023 survey from the National Institute on Ageing.
Seeking Financial Security
WRITTEN BY: JANE MACLEOD
"Financial security is not just about the dollars in your bank account; it’s about the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are prepared for any challenges that may come your way." — Unknown
The above quote aptly summarizes findings from NIA’s 2023 survey, Perspectives on Growing Older in Canada, regarding older Canadians perceptions around financial security.
The National Institute on Ageing, acknowledging that issues surrounding market uncertainty and higher interest rates created difficulties for older Canadians in 2023, advocates the importance of ensuring financial security of Canada’s ageing population. Indeed, survey findings underscore this stance.
The 2023 NIA survey explored three key aspects of ageing Canadian’s perception around financial security:
1. Financial well-being
2. Retirement readiness
3. Future financial concerns
As was the case with the previous section on social well-being, findings are not startling: older Canadians are acutely aware of the fact that they are living longer, and maintaining a decent standard of living is more expensive than it used to be.
Survey findings indicate that one in four do not intend to retire and many reported that they were rethinking their original retirement plans and timelines.
Consequently, NIA’s discussion of the 2023 survey findings reflects the perceived impact of these realities on Canada’s ageing population.
1. When it comes to financial well-being , the majority of older Canadians perceive that their income is adequate. However, 39 percent reported that their income does not “provide enough funds to fully cover their living expenses and unexpected costs, nor enable them to sustain their pre-retirement standard of living as they age” (p.48). In other words, their income is only sufficient to cover household expenses and priorities.
The finding that one in four older Canadians report that their income is inadequate, that they are feeling stretched and having a hard time, is of concern as worries about financial vulnerability negatively affect the quality of life for anyone, let alone those who are ageing.
2. The indicator on retirement readiness explores the extent to which Canadians 50 years and older feel they are in the financial position to afford to retire. Survey findings indicate that one in four do not intend to retire, and many reported that they were rethinking their original retirement plans and timelines. Again, ageing in the throes of economic insecurity seems to be weighing heavily on the retirement plans of many older Canadians today. In addition, NIA reports that half of Canadians over 80 who are still working do not believe they can afford to retire, suggesting that many who stay in the labour force into very old age are doing so out of necessity rather than choice (p. 53).
3. NIA’s survey introduced a new feature in 2023, asking respondents to identify issues of financial concern. Selecting from a list of nine, older Canadians identified the following four issues as their biggest financial concerns when thinking about the future:
a. The impact of inflation and subsequent increase in the cost of living
b. Fear of outliving their savings and running out of money
c. A reduction in pension or other defined benefits; a situation over which they have no control
d. The inability to afford unforeseen and unfortunate medical long-term care expenses
In conclusion, three findings stand out regarding the perceptions of Canadians 50 years and older:
• Ageing Canadians are generally doing well when it comes to social well-being and financial security.
• Older Canadians who are in poor health or who do not have an adequate income are most vulnerable.
• Maintaining good health and having an adequate income are key determinants for ageing well in Canada.
NIA’s study of the financial well-being and concerns of older Canadians is welcome in that survey findings shed light on issues confronting ageing Canadians today. For Saskatchewan’s retired teachers, two additional issues emerge from the findings. One, access to ongoing health and pension benefits contributes to our quality of life and well-being, and two, as an organization, we must remain vigilant in advocating and supporting the financial security of our retired colleagues to their well-being and peace of mind.
Jane has experience as a teacher and educational leader in Saskatoon as well as in Papua New Guinea and Abu Dhabi. Upon her return to Canada in 2016, Jane worked at the STF as Senior Manager of Research and Records. Today, as an active superannuate, Jane continues to enjoy researching and writing about educational issues from both a local and global perspective. ●
The Adventure of Generative Aging
WRITTEN BY: DON ROBERTSON
CThe following is part 2 of a 3-part series of articles exploring Generative Aging.
HANGE HAPPENS. IT is relentless. Change means something has come to an end. We older people know a lot about endings. A sudden twinge in the knee, the driving test failed at 82, or a marriage partner dying. Endings introduce us to a space between ‘what was and the not yet’ or between ‘the known and the unknown’. This space goes by the name ‘liminal’, meaning threshold. An ending that is experienced, not as a dead end, but as a threshold, can turn a roadblock into a road ahead.
A requirement for a generative crossing over this threshold is the need to let go of some aspects of our lives. To let go is not easily done. Our natural instinct is to hold on. We might survive by holding on tight, but with such holding on, we will be more inclined to ‘get old’ rather than to ‘grow older’. Growing older is letting go of tiresome routines, old habits that lock us into the past, and mindsets that are unrelated to what is truth. “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so that we can have the life that is waiting for us.”
In letting go, we will soon realize that we are landing in a ‘between space’ that is an empty space. Think for a moment about an ending you have experienced in these elder years and the empty feeling that often follows. It is not a comfortable space in which to land. Grieving a
loss is one such space. It is a waiting space and who likes waiting? I can hear myself mumbling, “Waiting is such a waste of time!” However, rather than closing the space down and moving on, we need to work to keep the space open and tarry long enough for intimations of a fresh slice of life to be glimpsed. If we are prepared to keep the space open, we will find that this liminal space may be profoundly generative, as it can, in the words of Richard Rohr, “shake us out of our habitual lives, draw us out of what we have known, but in that crossing over space, not allow us to know what is coming next.” Astrophysicist Jedidah Isler refers to this threshold as an “untapped genius” stating that, “there’s freedom in [the] in-between, freedom to create from the indefiniteness of not-quite-here, not-quite-there, a new self-definition.”
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so that we can have the life that is waiting for us.”
Endings come in various guises, and speaking of aging, there is a time or times when one stage of life has come to an end with another yet to begin. We can so easily drift into old age without intentionally noticing a ‘crossing over space’ or ‘threshold’. We need to create space, so that we can explore just what meaning or what purpose these aging years may have hidden. Over the last century, we have in the Western World, 30 years added to our life. What’s the point of those 30 years? It was columnist Alan Gopnik who wrote, “Aging is the infuriating absence of a point.” What is the point of aging? In the next 10 years, we will see a rapid increase in the post 65-year-old population, and more so in the post 85-year-old demographic. What purpose, or purposes, can be imagined for this never-before-seen population explosion?
As we age, can we feel a rhythm of endings/between space/new beginnings? I have kept a newspaper article from some time back in which a daughter speaks of this rhythm as being her mother’s legacy. She wrote, “My mother’s legacy is knitting, but her major life lesson from knitting is that there is a patient step by step process of building, tearing down and rebuilding. It requires patience and a belief that stitches cast off can always find their way back on.” Generative aging is to dance to this rhythm!
Here’s to our generative aging adventure!
Don Robertson, a resident of Vancouver, is a retired Minister of the United of Church Canada which he served for 36 years. In his retirement he volunteered in Vancouver’s inner city, and he is currently leading a variety of study groups on aging. Don recently wrote a widely used resource to facilitate the discussion on aging. The resource is available, without charge, at: Generative Aging: Let Go and Begin Anew ●
t ribute Spring 2025 • Volume 47
A Tribute to Fred Herron
Hello Friends,
The family of the late Fred Herron wishes to thank everyone for their kindness and caring when Fred passed away on October 24. Your donations, cards, flowers and kind words of caring are greatly appreciated. Fred loved teachers, students and teaching. Our family loved him dearly and he loved us. We have many great memories to share remembering his life as a teacher and administrator. You will have many memories too. We have lost a great friend, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and husband whose love of life will live on in all of us. Thank you.
Joan and family
WRITTEN
BY:
KEVIN SCHMIDT
WE PAY TRIBUTE to the life and work of Fred Herron, former Executive Director of the STS, who passed on October 24, 2024.
Fred graduated from high school in Shaunavon at the age of 16 and attended the University of Saskatchewan for one year before entering Teacher’s College in Regina. He started his teaching career as a teacher/principal in Cadillac School and that would be the pattern of his educational career where he continually accepted positions of leadership interspersed with periods of study and training. When acting as teacher/
principal, Fred served as President of the Shaunavon Educational Association and Southeast Teachers’ Convention. He then became an STF Councillor and STF Executive member. He served the STF in positions on the Advisory Committee on Communications, Advisory Committee on Teacher Welfare, Ad Hoc Committee on the Role of Principals and Vice-Principals, and Ad Hoc Committee on Part-Time Teachers.
“Fred was a BIG DREAMER! But Fred didn’t just dream, he always strategized about how to bring dreams to reality.”
While fulfilling the role of Director of Education for the Eastend School Division, Fred served three terms on the Executive of LEADS and was then seconded to the Department of Education to act as the Coordinator of Rural Education. As the opportunity arose, Fred joined the staff of the STF as an Executive Assistant in Teacher Welfare which allowed him to gain substantial knowledge, skills and training in provincial collective bargaining. The next step was assuming the role of General Secretary (Executive Director) of the STF in 1987, a role he retained until 1998.
Derwyn Crozier-Smith, retired General Secretary of the STF, shared his memories in Fred’s eulogy, “You have heard the stories of Fred, the family man. We know that for Fred, family was first. That is exactly how he wanted to be known. Now, let me also tell you about the immense impact my friend, Fred, has had on public education, and on the status of the teaching profession. Fred was a dreamer. Fred was a BIG DREAMER! But Fred didn’t just dream, he always strategized about how to bring dreams to reality.”
Fred was concerned about the unfunded liability that created a serious risk for the Teachers’ Superannuation Plan (TSP) and thus, a serious risk to the future financial security of teachers.
Heather Vermeesch, 2006 Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation President, offered the following, “Fred provided the leadership, inspiration and support necessary for the establishment of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Retirement Plan.” After taking legal action against the government, the STF requested and received responsibility for managing teacher pension funds, and the STRP became a reality for teachers who started their careers after 1980.
Glen
and
Secretary Fred Herron confer in preparation for the current province-wide round of teacher meetings on stalled bargaining."
Saskatchewan delegates at the CTF iannual general meeting 1976.
Derwyn stated, “In 1987, when the investment management of pension funds was largely entrusted to big firms in eastern Canada, Fred challenged that outlook… His leadership in encouraging teacher pension funds in Saskatchewan to be among the founding shareholders and clients was a catalyst that encouraged others to join in the creation of Greystone Managed Investments Corporation. This very successful investment management firm, of which Fred was once Chair of the Board of Directors, was eventually sold to one of Canada’s big five banks.”
Derwyn continued, “He knew that the best professional development occurs when teachers share their experiences. So, he conceived the idea of an endowment to financially support
President
King left,
General
teachers doing their own research and sharing it with colleagues – The McDowell Foundation for Research in Teaching, named after one of Fred’s mentors, Dr. Stirling McDowell. More than 250 research projects involving close to 1,000 teachers from across the province have received over $1.25 million in funding from the Foundation.
“Teachers in India came looking for a successful teacher organization to help them build their own capacity for professional development and support for their members. Fred stepped right up and led a creative partnership between the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the All India Primary Teachers’ Federation. This partnership was based on the very sound principle that we did not bring expertise to our Indian colleagues, but rather experience that could be shared among professionals and adapted for a different cultural environment,” claims Derwyn.
Teachers locally, nationally and internationally, as well as superannuates have benefitted, and will long benefit, from Fred’s leadership and contributions as an educator and educator advocate. Heather Vermeersch stated in a nomination letter, “Fred Herron has the gift of fearless commitment… We cannot begin to articulate adequately the magnitude of this individual.”
After superannuating, Fred joined the Executive of the STS, and in 2001 moved into the role of Executive Director of the STS. The question about support remained a priority to Fred, so he sought to further enhance the financial security of superannuated teachers. Working with the STS Executive, Fred was able to negotiate a robust
Group Benefits Plan that superannuates could access without the need for a physical exam which meant there were no exceptions for pre-existing conditions. Superannuates continue to access the Group Benefits Plan and its increased benefits, as Fred continued to negotiate for plan enhancements until he retired from the STS in 2020.
Fred would acknowledge that he was not solely responsible for creating these critical elements of teacher professionalism and financial security, but he was part of a team who all contributed. Derwyn says, “Fred would be annoyed that we are talking about these huge endeavours and giving him as much credit as he deserves. He was a very humble man and was always looking for allies to come along on these journeys with him.”
STS Newsletter, March-April 2023
As superannuates, we are grateful for the passion and commitment of Fred Herron. His contributions will be valued by many for years to come. ●
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award Image from
Fred Herron with his family.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award 2023.
The Rule of 30
WRITTEN BY: MAGI MCFADDEN
FREDERICK VETTESE, AUTHOR of the bestselling book, Retirement Income for Life: A Better Way to Save for Retirement, offers yet another book with new ideas and timeless wisdom for retirement saving, The Rule of 30.
Vettese seeks to find the universal percentage of pre-tax income recommended by experts for retirement savings and discovers that the real holy grail is a process for savings which he describes as “The Rule of 30.”
The Rule of 30 is a flexible framework that adjusts to each life stage. Dispensing with old myths, Vettese details an action-oriented approach to saving when it is most convenient to your situation. He outlines seven elements:
• Save based on The Rule of 30 within ten years of retirement.
• Adjust your saving percentage according to your life stage and situation.
• Pay off your mortgage early.
• Invest in stocks and bonds instead of real estate.
• Use a target-date-approach to set your asset mix.
• Pick the right retirement saving vehicle.
• Don’t borrow money to save for retirement unless you participate in a workplace pension with employee-employer matched contributions.
In most cases this mindset means saving less early on when mortgage payments and childcare costs loom and saving more later in life. Vettese cautions that one of the most dangerous things we can do when it comes to saving for retirement is to assume that what has worked in the past will work in the future. The Rule of 30 considers the current macro-economic environment and provides new ways to approach asset allocation. It is a valuable tool in helping to change the perception of retirement saving. With empowering ways to approach the challenge and build a solution, Vettese’s advice and insights on saving provides a blueprint to a well-planned and secure retirement. ●
Magi McFadden is a member of the Regina Chapter of the STS. A retired K-12 special needs teacher, Magi is a member of the STF professional growth network, LEARN, and has served at the provincial level and local council level of LEARN as president, vice president, and editor of their archived publication “Query”.
Borrow this Book from the ESRC
This book is available at the Emma Stewart Resources Centre (ESRC). It, or any others in the ESCR collection, can be mailed directly to you by calling the ESRC at 1-800-667-7762 or by emailing esrc@stf.sk.ca
At All Costs: How to Protect Yourself from Scams, Identity Theft and Fraud
WRITTEN BY: KARLIE MCGEOUGH
IN TODAY’S DIGITAL era, identity theft and fraud are more prevalent than ever. Intelligent and convincing criminals spend their days victimizing anyone they can, gaining access to personal information, draining bank accounts, and creating havoc for those they target.
The Regina Police Service Financial Crimes unit is responsible for investigating these crimes including all elements of fraud, scams, and significant money loss. Sergeant (Sgt.) Melissa Fleece is one of the officers involved in investigating these cases and she says it is more important than ever to protect your information.
“We are extremely busy in our unit,” notes Fleece. “From January 1, 2024, to November 30, 2024, our unit investigated over 700 reported fraud cases.”
“One in particular has been on the rise and that is the Emergency Scam, otherwise known as a Grandparent Scam.”
This type of scam preys on the fear of a loved one being hurt or in trouble. Scammers claim to be someone you know and tell you they need money immediately.
Fleece says there are some common themes when it comes to these cases.
“It’s usually somebody posing as a grandson or granddaughter who is in trouble and has been arrested by police and needs money for bail.” she says. “Oftentimes, a second caller then calls and poses as a bail bondsman or a lawyer, saying you need to pay a certain amount of money to have your grandchild released on bond.”
Within the last year, these cases have now escalated to the fraudsters coming to victims’ houses, impersonating a courier to pick up the money.
While scammers are constantly finding new ways to defraud victims, Sgt. Fleece says identity theft is still a major issue. One of the main reasons for this is the information people unknowingly share about themselves online.
“… we have to educate people in hopes they can protect themselves”
“We put a lot of information about ourselves online without really realizing it” Sgt. Fleece says. “Facebook is a great thing, it keeps us in touch with people, but it also can be to our detriment.”
Fleece points out that if you have an open or public Facebook profile without security features, scammers can mine a lot of your personal data like your birthday and maybe your address from a picture taken in front of your house. A ‘Friends’ list that is public provides scammers the opportunity to access names and the age range of ‘Friends’ and scammers can expand their list of potential victims.
IF
YOU BELIEVE YOUR INFORMATION HAS BEEN USED FRAUDULENTLY, HERE ARE THE FIRST STEPS TO TAKE:
• Immediately report the suspected fraud to your local police service.
• Notify your banks that you suspect you’ve been a victim of fraud.
• Lock down your accounts.
• Change your passwords.
• Contact TransUnion and Equifax to put flags on your accounts to monitor requests for credit cards or loans taken out in your name.
When it comes to prevention, Fleece believes education is the best defense in protecting people from becoming victims.
“These criminals are good at what they do and are extremely convincing, so we have to educate people in hopes they can protect themselves,” says Sgt. Fleece.
“Once a scam has occurred, once you’ve sent that money, handed over that money to the person at the door, sent it in the mail or sent crypto currency, it’s gone and it’s very difficult for police to get your money back.”
It can seem like a daunting task to protect your information from these criminals. Here are a few tips to get you started:
ONLINE:
• Make your social media accounts private.
• Limit what you share online.
AT YOUR HOME:
• Ask friends, family, or neighbours to pick up your mail if you are going away.
• Shred documents with personal information before disposing of them.
Being suspicious is encouraged when it comes to your personal information.
“If you’re receiving a phone call and you’re not expecting it or you haven’t initiated that call, be suspicious and don’t give out personal information,” Sgt. Fleece says.
She also urges that if you receive a call from an agency and you have doubts, hang up and call them back at the number found on their website to check if the call is legitimate.
While fraud and scams can affect anyone, older adults are becoming increasingly targeted.
“Older adults are from a generation where they trusted everybody and saw the good in everyone. We’re in a day and age now where you just can’t trust people the same way,” says Fleece.
Out of all Sgt. Fleece’s advice, her final piece is simple: “Double check anything that seems off, encourage your family and friends to do the same, and protect your information at all costs.” ●
Karlie McGeough is the Social Media Officer, Public Information & Strategic Communication for the Regina Police Service.
This Is NOT Fake News!
WRITTEN BY: KEVIN SCHMIDT
What is news? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “News is the report or account of recent (esp. important or interesting) events or occurrences.” It is up to the reader to determine if the news is fact, misinformation, disinformation or malinformation. Since 2017, when then President-elect Donald Trump accused mainstream news agencies of being “fake news”, I have felt the need to understand the concept of fake news. I have chosen to explore Nolan Higdon’s The Anatomy of Fake News: A Critical News Literacy Education for research and guidance to increase awareness of the pervasiveness of fake news.
Higdon’s book “offers the first comprehensive study of fake news. It employs a critical-historical media ecosystems approach, dissecting fake news to identify and analyze the structure of its contents and illuminating how it is used, by whom, and why.” (p. 7) His research findings caught my attention and compelled me to keep on reading when he stated, “Although scholars disagree on a definition of fake news, they tend to agree that fake news poses an existential threat to democracy. Citizens’ agency in a democracy is dependent upon accurate information; ultimately, media manipulation prevents meaningful participation. Furthermore, the ubiquitous consumption of fake news not only weakens democracies but promotes totalitarian regimes.” (p. 7)
Those words sent a chill down my spine necessitating that I learn more so that I could share his important findings. It was evident that events that had caused me concern in the past posed a legitimate threat to progressive society at large. In the not-so-distant past there were numerous news outlets across North America, but deregulation in the late twentieth century has resulted in the centralization of news gathering, allowing the creation of media monopolies to be owned by a few corporations. The closure or downsizing of many newsrooms and the drastic reduction in the number of journalists has been justified as the need to remain competitive, but it has resulted in the reduction of investigative journalism.
Fake news [...] has been used throughout history to undermine, marginalize and attack others by utilizing rumours, gossip, false assumptions, propaganda, satire, and fabricated content.
According to Higdon, “Journalism goes beneath the reporting, providing investigative analysis and thoughtful commentary that contextualizes the reported event. The threat journalists pose to those in power is illustrated by the response they receive from authoritarian regimes. Autocrats tend to rely on imprisonment and murder as means to prevent journalism. In fact, from 1992 to 2018, 1,285 journalists around the world were killed while doing their jobs. Many of them were murdered in response to stories they had published exposing abuses of power.” (p. 24)
“When done properly, journalism equips citizens with the knowledge to control their system of
Additional Resources
Interested in learning about “fake news”? The Emma Stewart Resource Center has this and many more resources. Call 1-800-667-7762 and the staff will send it out to you at no charge with a prepaid return mail sticker.
government. When done poorly, journalism results in fake news content that is so divisive, hateful, and inflammatory that it engenders fear, anxiety, moral panic, and war.” (p.48)
Higdon shares historical events where fake news was used to build an audience and to stoke racism or nationalism. In 2008, fake news was effective at diverting the anger of the public towards immigrants rather than on the greedy actions of wealthy individuals who were responsible for the stock market crash and eventual recession. Higdon elaborates, “In order to responsibly consume news content, citizens must be aware of the vested interests of the news media producers.” (p.49)
Fake news in not new. It has been used throughout history to undermine, marginalize and attack others by utilizing rumours, gossip, false assumptions, propaganda, satire, and fabricated content. Generating fake news caused individuals to be branded as witches and neighbours to be considered enemies. Higdon’s research shows, “It serves to engender moral panic and outrage; radicalize supporters; marginalize the press; sow division; manipulate democracy; and implement an authoritarian regime.” (p.10)
Higdon states, “As a weaponized phrase, fake news pretends to expose lies but actually serves to normalize them while discrediting factual statements.” (p. 49) Such a compelling narrative caught my attention, made me more alert and sharpened my critical thinking skills, so that I now more carefully examine news stories to the best of my ability using deeper analysis. I encourage everyone to seek resources to build your critical thinking skills to ensure you are not falling for the seductive power of fake news. The strength of our democracy is incumbent upon its citizenry to be informed and aware of the validity of the news being consumed, and to challenge, confront and correct when it is inaccurate. ●
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