Is RTO/ERO Up to the Challenge?

Transcription

1 District 4 THE RETIRED TEACHERS OF ONTARIO LES ENSEIGNANTES ET ENSEIGNANTS RETRAITÉS DE L ONTARIO winter/hiver Executive Board/Conseil exécutif Ronald Robert President/Président Carmaine Hall 1st Vice-president/1ère Vice-présidente Roland Muzzatti 2nd Vice-president/2e Vice-président Dave Hodge Treasurer/Trésorier Diane Bradley Secretary/Secrétaire Terry Martyn Past President/Président sortant Pierrette Nadeau Social Peter Niro Political Action/Action politique Gen Waszczylo Goodwill/Bienfaisance Ronald Robert Health-Insurance/Santé-assurance Terry Martyn Membership/Adhésion Jenny Ross Pensions Francine Hurtubise Newsletter Editor/Éditrice Juliette Lavoie-Gaboury Travel/Voyages Gloria Packard Media/Médias Debbie Lambert Unit 1 Representative/ Représentante Unité 1 Diane Bradley Webmaster/Webmestre Is RTO/ERO Up to the Challenge? Best wishes for a Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful time with family and friends during the Christmas holidays. In my last three newsletter articles I have tried to highlight the challenges that RTO/ERO faces in light of the Provincial negotiations between the Government of Ontario and the four Teacher Affiliates (AEFO, ETFO, OECTA and OSSTF). Each of the affiliates has negotiated a province-wide health plan for active teachers. These plans will be run by each Affiliate and the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) will be the administrator. It is understandable why OTIP has been chosen. After all, OTIP is a creation that belongs to the four teacher affiliates. Therefore, why would they turn to a private company, like AON, Johnson or any other private company, to run their health plans? The affiliates own OTIP. Their Board of Governors has two representatives from each affiliate and it is set up as a not for profit company. As active teachers here in Sudbury, OTIP provided our long term disability (LTD) and life insurance coverage. You may be asking What is the impact for RTO/ERO? The four affiliates have made it quite clear - their intent is to make the transition for teachers to OTIP s retirement teachers plan known as Retired Teachers Insurance Plan (RTIP) seamless. Stop and think for a moment; when you retired, had it been possible to maintain your school board s plan, this would probably have been your preference. You knew the plan, what to expect and you did not have to fill out exhaustive paper work. This is exactly what the four affiliates want to do: assure a quick and easy transition from the active teacher s health plan to the retired teachers insurance plan (RTIP). Now you see the scope of the challenges. Here are a few observations: Firstly, for the Spring Senate of 2015, District 20 (Frontenac, Lennox and Addington) has developed a series of recommendations which, if passed, could have strategically positioned RTO/ERO to deal with these challenges. Unfortunately, the Directorship of RTO/ERO chose to maintain the status quo instead of confronting the issue head on. Secondly, it is also a known (continued on p.2) Inside/À l intérieur From the President s Desk...p.1 Dates to Remember...p.2 Reader s Corner/Le coin du livre...p.2 Mot du président...p.3 Membership...p.4 Goodwill/Bienfaisance...p.5 In Memoriam...p.6 Financial Report...p.8 North Shore/Manitoulin Newsbeat...p.9 Foundation Report...p.10 Awards...p.11 Merit Travel...p.12 Travel/Voyages... p.13 Senate Report...p.15 Collage of October Meeting Collage de la rencontre d octobre...p.18 Collage of Christmas Meeting Collage de la rencontre de Noël...p.19

2 From the President s Desk (continued) fact that OTIP/RAEO s present and past Executive Directors have corresponded and set up meetings with RTO/ ERO in order to find ways of collaborating to establish one health plan for retired teachers and other educational personnel. Thirdly, OTIP s health plan for retired teachers is now very similar to RTO/ERO s plan on the health benefit level. Fourthly, one of RTO/ERO s efficient recruiting tools, the Retirement Planning Workshop (RPW), is getting more and more difficult to organize since we are no longer receiving the assistance from the local affiliates. Because RTO/ERO has not dealt with these matters objectively and openly, I worry about our future. In my view, this is not leadership, nor does it embody the sunny ways that our newly elected Prime Minister, has so often repeated since his election. I will conclude this article with the following. When I worked for the Ontario Teachers Federation as an Executive Assistant, I attended a number of Pension Forums with my colleagues from across Canada. Ontario was the envy of everyone for two reasons: 1) our pension plan partnership with the Government 2) the fact that we had established our own teacher insurance company Is it not time for RTO/ERO to work with our teacher colleagues, the four Affiliates and OTIP to build the best possible health plan for retired teachers at the best possible rate? I believe the overwhelming answer is yes! Ron Robert SOCIAL COMMITTEE Dates to include in your calendar: Executive Board Meetings are held at the Howard Johnson Plaza, on Brady Street, at 9:30 am. Tuesday, January 26, 2016 Thursday, April 21, 2016 General Meetings are held at the Howard Johnson Plaza, on Brady Street. - Spring Luncheon & Annual Meeting Thursday, May 12, 2016 Retirement Workshop (for active teachers) Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 5:00 pm Volunteer Luncheon June 2016 (date to be determined) Automated phone call to members: Week of January 18, 2016 Pierrette Nadeau Reader s Corner a few delightful reading selections 1. Corrie Ten Boom The Hiding Place 2. Anthony Doerr All the Light We Cannot See 3. Donna Tartt The Goldfinch 4. Abraham Verghese Cutting for Stone Le coin du livre quelques suggestions pour agrémenter votre lecture 1. L Amour au temps d une guerre (tome 1) de Louise Tremblay D essiambre 2. La Marie-Louise de Daniel Lessard 3. Petite mort à Venise de Francine Ruel 4. La Traversée du malheur de Michel Tremblay Francine Hurtubise A Message from Your Local RTO/ERO Executive Board Because the mid January newsletter is only available online, we have employed a robo-calling service to remind you to go to to access it. Thus, during the week of January 18 you should have received a short automated telephone message from the RTO/ERO Executive Board. 2

3 Mot du président Est-ce que RTO/ERO peut relever le défi? Meilleurs vœux pour une bonne et heureuse année 2016! J espère que vous avez joui du temps des Fêtes avec votre famille et vos amis. Dans mes trois derniers articles, j ai voulu signaler les défis qu ERO/RTO aura à confronter dans le futur, suite aux négociations entre le gouvernement de l Ontario, la FEO et ses quatre Filiales (AEFO, ETFO, OECTA and OSSTF). Chaque Filiale a négocié un plan de santé provincial pour ses enseignants actifs. Ces plans seront gérés par chacune des Filliales et administrés par OTIP/RAEO (Régime d assurance des enseignantes et enseignants de l Ontario). C est compréhensible car OTIP/RAEO est un organisme créé et appartenu par les quatre Filiales d enseignants. Pourquoi se tourneraient-elles vers une compagnie privée telle qu AON, Johnson ou autre pour administrer ses plans de santé? Son Bureau des Gouverneurs comprend deux représentants de chaque filiale et c est une compagnie à but non lucratif. Lorsque nous étions des enseignants actifs pour les conseils scolaires de Sudbury, OTIP était le fournisseur de notre plan d invalidité de longue durée (ILD) et de la couverture de notre assurance-vie. Vous vous demandez Quel sera l impact de cette entente sur ERO/RTO? Les quatre Filiales ont clairement affirmé leur intention de faciliter la transition des enseignants prenant leur retraite aux plans de santé de RTIP/RAER (Retired Teachers Insurance Plan). Prenons quelques moments pour réfléchir: lorsque nous avons pris notre retraite, s il avait été possible de maintenir le plan de santé du conseil scolaire, nous l aurions probablement fait. Nous connaissions le plan de santé et ses bénéfices, nous évitant ainsi de remplir de nombreux formulaires de demande. C est ce que les quatre Filiales se proposent de faire: s assurer que la transition entre le plan de santé pour enseignants actifs et le plan de santé pour enseignants retraités se fasse facilement et sans problème. Vous comprenez maintenant l ampleur des défis qu ERO/RTO devra affronter. Voici quelques faits : Premièrement, pour le Sénat du printemps 2015, nos collègues du District 20 (Frontenac, Lennox and Addington) ont préparé plusieurs motions qui auraient pu guider stratégiquement ERO/RTO à faire face à cette nouvelle réalité. Malheureusement, les membres de l Exécutif provincial ont choisi de maintenir le statu quo plutôt que de faire face à cette nouvelle réalité. Deuxièmement, dans le passé et présent, les directeurs de l Exécutif de OTIP/RAEO ont correspond et rencontré les directeurs de ERO/RTO afin de trouver des façons de collaborer pour établir un seul plan pour les enseignants à la retraite et les membres du personnel éducatif. Troisièmement, les bénéfices du plan de santé de RTIP/RAER sont très semblables au plan de santé de ERO/RTO. Quatrièmement, un des outils efficaces de recrutement de ERO/RTO, l atelier de planification à la retraite devient de plus en plus difficile à planifier car les Filiales locales ne veulent plus collaborer pour nous aider à le promouvoir auprès des enseignants envisageant la retraite. Comme ERO/RTO n a pas affronté ces défis de façon ouverte et objective, je m inquiète pour notre avenir. À mon humble avis, le vrai leadership nous manque et cette attitude ne démontre pas les sunny ways énoncés par notre nouveau premier ministre, Justin Trudeau. Je termine en disant que lorsque j ai travaillé pour la Fédération des enseignants de l Ontario (FEO) comme Assistant Exécutif, j ai participé à plusieurs ateliers de retraite avec des collègues de partout au Canada. Nous faisions l envie de tous à cause de: 1) notre régime de retraite et notre partenariat avec le gouvernement de l Ontario 2) du fait que nous avions créé notre propre compagnie d assurance N est-ce pas le temps qu ERO/RTO travaille avec nos collègues dans l enseignement, les quatre Filiales et OTIP/RAEO afin d offrir aux enseignant(e)s à la retraite le meilleur plan de santé possible et aux meilleurs taux possible? Je crois que la réponse est un oui résonnant! Ron Robert 3

4 Membership/Membriété Congratulations to the following retirees who have joined RTO/ERO District 4. This list includes new members from August November Nancy Albanese Jeannette Castonguay Halina Gamache Laura Lynne Huffman Jacqueline Lalonde Suzanne Martel Laurier Poirier Lorraine Robillard Paulette Blanchard Mirella Fleury Nicole Grevais-Parise Diane Ikonen Peter Lucano Dougal McCreath Linda Potvin Monique Smith Unit One Barbara Michaud Michael Page Questions about membership can be directed to Terry Martyn at or by at Change of Address? If you have a change of mailing address, phone number or address, please contact Diane Vezeau at the provincial office to update your information. Diane can be reached at or by at (dvezeau@rto-ero.org). Project: Service to Others Do you volunteer for a charity or non-profit group? Could they use some money to fund a project? RTO/ERO provides up to $4000 to fund one project in each of their Districts, each year. The criteria and application forms are online at ( Click on Programs & Services and then on Project: Service to Others. Retirement Planning Workshop District 4 will hold its annual Retirement Planning Workshop on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at the Howard Johnson Hotel. This workshop is for active teachers who may be retiring in the next several years. Active teachers will register online by going to the provincial website and clicking on Retirement Planning Workshop Schedule in their city and then register for the English or French workshop. ( Terry Martyn The Executive Committee The Executive Committee would like more members to join its rank. The Committee members meet four or five times a year. Yes, it entails some work on your behalf but each meeting is very pleasant and collegial. If you are interested, contact the president, Ron Robert, or any Committee members to assist and participate in one of our meetings before making a commitment. 4

5 Goodwill/Bienfaisance Several of our members are Artists who recently had showings of their works: Tony Chezzi, Joan Chivot and Paulette Stewart. Congratulations! Roger Christopher, and his wife Margaret, each received a 25 year award from the Cancer Society. Congratulations! Ray Thoms has just published the third book in a trilogy of photography books about Sudbury. It s called Greater Sudbury. Congratulations! Isabel Grant celebrated her 101st birthday in November 2015! District 4 s Centenarian is still in good health but her hearing is not the best. She is in a retirement residence near her daughter in Ottawa. This picture was taken at her 100th birthday party in Congratulations! Bereavement Donations For the period of December 2014 to November 2015, the recipient of Bereavement donations on behalf of District 4 members and their immediate family members (including Mother and Father-in-law) was The Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner Fund. A cheque for $1805 was presented at our December meeting to Brenda Tessaro, an RTO/ERO member, and member of the Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner Fund Steering Committee. The recipient of the Bereavement Donation for the period of December 2015 to November 2016 will be The CNIB Sudbury. Gen Waszczylo gwaszczylo@sympatico.ca The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you. Dan Rather If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you without hesitation: I was born to be a teacher. Robert John Meehan Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire. W. B.Yeats Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. John Dewey Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own. Nikos Kazantzakis Goodwill/Bienfaisance Committee Members Call us...appelez-nous Annette Blais-Laforge Anne Malnachuk Bessie Budge Josie Girolametto Isobel Patchett Helen Laidlaw Louise Shonwise Nicole St. Germain Juliette Lavoie-Gaboury Helga Leblanc Paulette Stewart Monique Taylor Gen Waszczylo

6 Nous honorons nos membres décédés qui ont transmis la joie d apprendre. We honour our deceased members who gave their students the confidence to pursue their dreams. In Memoriam John Maguire Karen Bannister Marion Masih Shirley O Neil J Allan Farquharson Membres en deuil/bereaved Members Roma Faubert, son frère, Jean-Guy Nic Battigelli, his mother-in-law, Carmela Micelotta Brenda Tessaro, her mother, Dona Holmes Ruth Runions, her father-in-law, Mel Hodgins Ed and Georgina Zobetz, his mother, Frances Zobetz Maureen Low, her mother, Yolanda O Shell Serge Lancup, son épouse, Gisèle Ron Dubuc and Monique Picard Dubuc, son père, Edmond Claire Sévigny, son époux, Michel Vos collègues vous disent MERCI Your colleagues say THANK YOU Grands Mercis aux collègues d ERO/RTO pour le touchant témoignage de sympathie lors du décès de mon frère Daniel Bélisle. C est avec reconnaissance aussi que je partagerai avec la famille le geste du don au Sam Bruno PET Scanner Fund en sa mémoire. La carte réconfortante fait très chaud au coeur. Avec beaucoup d appréciation. Denise Perron J aimerais remercier tous-toutes mes collègues d ERO/RTO pour leurs sincères condoléances, ainsi que le don fait au Fond Sam Bruno P.E.T Scanner, à la douce mémoire de mon cher frère Daniel. C est un geste qui est très apprécié de ma part et de ma famille. Lucile Bédard Chers collègues d ERO/RTO: Grand merci du don offert au nom de ma mère Lucille Young au fond Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner à sa mémoire. C est très apprécié. Carole Aubin On behalf of my sons and myself, please thank RTO/ERO District 4 for their donation to the Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner Fund in memory of Jack. During this difficult time, it is comforting to know that people are caring and kind. The support and best wishes from the Board were deeply appreciated. Carmaine Hall Merci à toi pour les mots de réconfort et à ton équipe pour tout le temps que vous y consacrez. Grand merci à l association pour le don fait au fond Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner à la mémoire de mon frère Jean-Guy. Toutes ces attentions sont très précieuses à la famille. Roma Faubert 6

7 Dear colleagues from RTO/ERO: Thank you for your kind words and thoughtfulness. In deep appreciation we gratefully acknowledge your kind expression of sympathy and donation to the Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner Fund. Sincere thanks and appreciation. The Micelotta and Battigelli families Colleagues at RTO/ERO Goodwill District 4: On behalf of my dad, my brothers and myself, I would like to thank you for your condolences on the Lougheed website. We would also like to thank you for adding our mom s name to your memoriam, and for the donation to the PET Scanner fund in memory of her. Our mom thoroughly enjoyed her years working for the Rainbow District School Board. She made many life long friends there. She would be very touched by your thoughtfulness, as are we. Thank you. Jody Coles (Bannister) Just a Teacher... I heard you say the other day, Oh, you re just a teacher anyway. You laugh and play your day away. You re free at 3, have your summers off You snickered softly and even scoffed. I m sad to say, that you just don t see, What being a teacher means to me. Sure, I laugh and play my day away Because learning is fun and that s just my way. If I were free at 3 and had my summers off, I d too snicker softly and even scoff Unfortunately my paycheck does, but I do not. But you see Good Sir, Ma am, Madam or Miss Being just a teacher is much more than this. I just teach your child to read and write, To just explore and questions, To just think and be bright. I just dry their tears when they re having a bad day. I m just there for them in each and every way. Your most precious asset just deserves a lot. And being just a teacher, I am not. I dare you to just take a closer look. For being just a teacher doesn t come in a book. It comes from the heart and it s a passion you see. So, being Just a teacher is fine by me Flutteringthroughfirstgrade.com 7

8 RETIRED TEACHERS OF ONTARIO - District 4 FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1 DECEMBER 4, 2015 OPENING TOTAL ASSETS Checking Account Investments - GIC TOTAL RECEIPTS Grants: Annual Bilingual RPW Political Action Other Income: RPW Meals General Meetings Donations Payment correction TOTAL TOTAL RECEIPTS AND ASSETS EXPENDITURES Good Will Meetings: District Executive Senate Newsletter Bilingual services Office Expenses R.P.W Recruitment Transportation Unit Awards Relay For Life Donation Website TOTAL EXPENDITURES BALANCE Comprised of: Chequing GIC CLOSING TOTAL ASSETS THE ABOVE REPORT WILL LIKELY MIRROR THE DECEMBER 31ST YEAR END STATEMENT Dave Hodge 8

9 Mantoulin/North Shore Newsbeat The North Shore/Manitoulin, Unit 1, Annual Fall Meeting was held on Tuesday, October 9, 2015 at the Spanish Legion Hall. Following the delicious lunch, our new chair, Debbie Lambert, introduced the guest speaker, Mrs Sarah Walker of the Memorial Society of Northern Ontario. Her presentation on funeral planning was very informative and well received by the members. Past Chair/advisor Jenny Ross commented on the new rules regarding the Estate Administration Tax. Adjournment of the meeting followed the door prize draw of having a free lunch. The winners were Berthe Michon and Barbara Cranston. In Memoriam Danny Boivin Shirley Bond Al Laidley, husband of Dorothy Claudette Bois MAGNIFICENT CITIES OF CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE BOOK NOW AND SAVE $200 p.p. HIGHLIGHTS: Germany Potsdam Sans Souci Palace Dresden Czech Republic Hradcany Castle Austria Schoenbrunn Palace Hungary Matthias Church Poland Wawel Castle Auschwitz Warsaw INCLUDES: round trip air from Toronto Intl Airport air taxes and fees/surcharges of $440 p.p. (subject to increase until paid in full) hotel transfers $4,659 * p.p. 14 days Departs Toronto Sept. 18-Oct. 01, 2016 Merit Travel Sudbury 266 Caswell Dr *CAD$, p.p. dbl occ. Single: $5,609 Triple: $4,609. All rates are subject to change. Not included: Cancellation waiver, any personal expenses, such as insurance, passport fees, and gratuities, any meals, or items not mentioned. ON / BC Peter Street, Suite 200, Toronto, ON. M5V 2H1 Canadian owned 9

10 Foundation Report We seek to improve the quality of life for seniors across Canada The RTO/ERO Charitable Foundation was not formed simply to fund the Chair in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Toronto. It will continue to raise money to support other projects in the field of geriatric medicine and grants will be made on an annual basis. Following the direction of focusing on geriatrics and/or gerontology research and training at post secondary institutions, Foundation representatives spoke with each and every dean in five medical school in Ontario - namely McMaster, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Queen s University, University of Ottawa and Western University, requesting that they submit grant proposals. There was a strong response from the medical schools; four of the five submitted a proposal with one medical school submitting two proposals. A subcommittee, which included geriatric specialists, reviewed the applications and discussed the merits of each and collectively made a final selection which was brought to the Foundation Board. This grant, like all grants, will be finalized subject to external approval from the Research Ethics Board. The grant is entitled Inter-professional Education in 3 Undergraduate Medical Education - A Simulation Project. It was submitted by the University of Ottawa. The pilot project addresses an enormous void as currently there is no inter-professional training available on how to interview a geriatric patient and no training on how to interview a patient who may have an impairment in cognition. The team felt it was original and innovating. Funding this project, which will have medical and nursing students learning from each other has the advantage of supporting an idea at its earliest stage, with a modest investment. If successful, the model could be introduced broadly at the University and potentially adapted to other medical schools across Canada. The Foundation has also instituted a Tribute Giving program as part of its fund raising initiative. Our members may make a donation in memory of a deceased relative or friend and/or may request, a similar tribute upon their own passing. Every local funeral home has a stock of donation cards complete with pre-addressed and stamped envelope. Any donation: annual, monthly or in tribute of $20 or more qualifies for an income tax receipt. I encourage all our members to consider adding our Foundation to the list of charities they support on an annual basis. Dave Hodge 10

11 AWARDS I. Provincial Scholarship Program 2016 Each year, RTO/ERO awards up to twenty-five individual scholarships ($1000 each) to assist members relatives who are enrolled in the last year of postsecondary studies. Eligibility and Criteria: a) Applicant must be a resident Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. b) Applicant s relationship to a RTO/ERO member will comply with one of the following: child step-child daughter-in-law son-in-law grandchild great grandchild niece nephew grandniece great grandniece grandnephew great grandnephew c) Applicant must be enrolled in the final year/semester of a program at any one of the following postsecondary institutions: Faculty of Education College University. d) Applicants must complete the on-line application form that is posted on the provincial RTO/ERO website by February 15, 2016 by 4:30 pm. e) The on-line application is accessed using the sponsoring member s membership number. It has been some time since a relative of a District 4 member has been awarded a scholarship. In view of the major enhancements that have taken place to the Scholarship Program over the past two years, members are encouraged to promote this opportunity among any eligible relative. For further information about this provincial initiative, please contact the Provincial Office at or Gail Knox at , x II. DISTRICT 4 AWARDS Two categories of Awards are presented on a yearly basis for service to RTO/ERO District 4 members at large and / or the Executive Board. 11

12 1. Certificates of Recognition ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: A Certificate of Recognition may be given to any RTO/ERO member who EITHER serves at the District level OR who volunteers for an extended period of time within the communities of District 4. At last year s Annual General Meeting, 11 Certificates of Recognition were awarded. All members are encouraged to start thinking now about possible nominees so that in May 2016 we will be able to award these Certificates to the numerous committed and dedicated individuals who comprise our membership. The deadline for nominations will be provided in the Spring Newsletter. 2. Guill Archambault Award ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: This award is given to any RTO/ERO member who demonstrates a high level of commitment to serving the needs of others EITHER at the District level OR within the communities of District 4. All members are also encouraged to start thinking now about possible nominees for the Guill Archambault Award! The deadline for nominations will be provided in the Spring Newsletter. Roland Muzzatti SOLO COLLECTION ALL THAT S MISSING IS YOU! There s quite a thrill to travelling alone. Some people say it s the only way to go. You get to make all the decisions and there are never any arguments. Best of all, you choose who you want to spend time with once you get there. We put together a group of resorts that cater to people like you, who want to be in charge of their own vacation. SOLO COLLECTION ADVANTAGES: no single supplement free wi-fi (where available) communal table for sharing meals 7 SUN Destinations to weekly happy hour welcoming all Transat clients choose from! Call us for details. free room service (where available) Merit Travel Sudbury 266 Caswell Dr ON / BC Peter Street, Suite 200, Toronto, ON. M5V 2H1 Canadian owned 12

13 Travel/Voyages New! 15% Porter Airlines discount for RTO/ERO members/rabais de voyage pour les membres, en utilisant MERIT TRAVEL Due to our long-standing partnership with Merit Travel, we are pleased to announce that Merit has negotiated a 15% discount with Porter Airlines for RTO/ERO members. The details are as follows: RTO/ERO members must book their Porter flight through Merit Travel to receive the discount. The discount is available on all three fare classes, including: Firm, Flexible and Freedom Class fares. Porter Airlines will honor the 15% discount on almost all fares including Sale Fares. Exception: members are not eligible for the 15% discount on fares that require a promotional code. Most of the often-advertised 40% and 50% off Sale Fares do not require a promotional code, and are therefore eligible for the additional 15% savings for RTO/ERO members. Members travelling on the discounted fare must carry their RTO/ERO membership card, and present it if asked, or they may be denied boarding. Companions travelling with the RTO/ERO members are also eligible for the discount, but must be booked on the same flight, and appear on the same invoice as the member. To book your discounted flight on Porter, call Merit Travel (toll-free) at For more information about Porter Airlines, visit In addition to the discount we do NOT charge processing fees for Porter flights booked with Merit Travel. 5% savings on cruise fares for: Azamara, Celebrity, Crystal, HAL, NCL, Royal Caribbean, Regent, Silversea, Oceania 5% discount on AMA Waterways, AVALON, and Uniworld River Cruises 5% discount on Globus Journeys, Cosmos, Collette, Insight and Taulk Tours Airport Lounge passes for all group departures: This is a new feature we are adding this year to all Merit Hosted Groups and Longstays. All clients will receive passes for either Plaza, Premium or the Airline Lounge passes. Complimentary Destination Guides Additionally, all Merit groups get DK Eyewitness books for their destination. If you check out the website there is a more comprehensive summary of your members perks: exclusive-member-benefits/ Juliette Lavoie-Gaboury 13

14 California Dreaming... Yes, The Mamas & the Papas had it right! My Trip to California was another dream come true. Thanks to my very good friends, Francine & Ronald Hurtubise, there s another check off on my bucket list. We landed in Las Vegas and took in the scenery... Our first stops on our road trip were the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim. Although I had been there a few years ago, it was a thrill to be back to admire the archgravity Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. Of course our road trip includes stops in towns, villages and sites that our tour guide Francine deems interesting. By the way, Ron drives and I am in charge of the GPS. We finally arrived at the South Rim only to have our breaths taken away by the spectacular views of that section of the Grand Canyon. Next on the agenda, was the city of Sedona. Its wind-whipped red rocks create unbelievable vistas. This area boasts a 250-million-year-old topography. It also boasts wonderful shoe shops!!! As if the temperature wasn t hot enough, we then journeyed to Death Valley and its salt beds. I quite enjoyed the DRY heat as I don t do well in humidity. I guess I m like a sponge! We encountered the sweltering heat of Death Valley to the snow peaks of Yosemite National Park. Since snow and ice in the higher altitudes prevented us from traveling along the famous Tioga Pass, we used an alternate route through Monitor Pass. Our driver, Ron, was not allowed to sneeze as we made our way on this meandering and often very narrow road. When sneezing, our eyes automatically close, which is not good on this route! The Sequoia National Park is of incredible beauty. Its mountains and lush forest are awe inspiring. The height and breadth of these trees is almost inconceivable. The tallest known tree mesures m and the oldest known tree is at least years old. As you can tell, nature fills me with hope, joy and peace. And I am a firm believer in protecting it so that we can enjoy its grandeur. And then it was, for me, the jewel of our trip: San Francisco with its steep hills, its cable cars, Alcatraz, its piers and especially Pier 39 with its shops, restaurants and sea lions. And yes the Golden Gate Bridge is a brick red colour. So why is it called GOLDEN? Well, because it spans the Golden Gate Strait. And why is that strait called GOLDEN? Hats off to Army Captain John C. Fremont who saw this waterway as a great opportunity for trade with the Orient and dubbing it a golden gate for trade. After visiting the Mondavi Wineries and the Napa Valley, we headed for the scenic route along the coast. We made our way to Santa Cruz, Monterey, Pebble Beach and Big Sur. Along the road we often stopped to take in the sights and sounds of the ocean, the crashing waves, the warm sandy beaches and of course the sunbathing elephant seals. You won t believe this but I even saw a small herd of zebras. Yep! Zebras! William Randolph Hearst turned his ranch into a natural roam free zoo. After his death, most of the animals were sent to zoos. Some zebras were kept and to-day their descendants still roam free on the ranch. Unfortunately everything must come to an end and so it was with this trip. Los Angeles and San Diego, that s another trip! As we drove through the Mojave Desert for our return flight in Las Vegas, we calculated that we had covered over kms in our 15 day road trip. I hope that you will one day be lucky enough to visit this versatile, ever changing landscape...excessively hot to snow, from desert to lush forests, from below sea level to the heights of Yosemite, from fierce waves to calm ocean beaches... all within a few hundred kilometers. Cécile Archambault 14

15 Senate Report- Fall 2015 RTO/ERO Provincial Executive RTO/ERO s Provincial Executive meets monthly and is made up of six members, elected by fellow members each October at the Fall Senate. They are: President: Martin Higgs Past-President: June Szeman First Vice-President: Martha Foster Second Vice-President: Dave Kendall Two Executive Members: Judy Bowden and Rich Prophet The Provincial Executive establishes annual priorities for the organization and provides direction to staff, through the Executive Director, on issues to be studied related to these priorities. It also receives reports from and provides direction to several committees that examine specific areas of RTO/ERO s operations, including: health plans, communications, political advocacy and member services. Audit A communications audit has been undertaken. Its goal is to assess the effectiveness of existing communications efforts, gain input from all the stake holders, make recommendations for enhancements including highlighting best practices. Ongoing improvements in the way the website can be navigated are being made. Budget The budget which has a surplus of $ on revenues of $ including $ as a contingency fund was passed with little or no controversy. The period when grants to districts were being reduced has now passed. The projected January inflation adjustment is 1.3 %. There was an allocation in the 2015 budget for an administrative assistant, a position that has not been filled. The 2016 budget includes an additional $ which will be added to the administration assistant allocation to hire a Director of Marketing. There was some discussion around a motion to increase the amount of scholarships to $2000 from $1000, either by reducing the total number of scholarships by 50% or by increasing the budget from $ to $ To no avail - the status quo was maintained: 25 $1000. Health Services and Insurance Committee There was a healthy debate on a motion to add the past president as a permanent member of the Health Services and Insurance Committee. The motion was lost. Plan enhancements will be mailed to members in mid-november and 2017 will be the review years for Manulife and Johnsons respectively. Medication claims relating to diabetes are over 10 % of the total amount paid. The increase in Generic use has a positive impact on total claims paid. It has developed an online resource: Staging your Aging which will soon be available for districts. Pensions and Retirement Concerns This committee monitors OTPP and OMERS. It has held a successful work shop this fall. 15

16 Communication Committee There is a new user friendly website including a District website template. Project Service to Others 30 of the 36 projects were approved. A motion to enable failed projects to be upgraded and resubmitted if the budget was not fully spent was defeated. Political Action Committee It has developed a document providing overview of RTO/ERO and Acer/Cart including policies, positions for each organization to use at the local district levels during meetings with political contacts and other liaison organizations. It has prepared a generic ad for use in the recent election. It continues to work on Elder Abuse, GMO S, Experimental Lakes Area, Auto Insurance, CMA, Age Friendly Cities, Scams. A motion to add wind farms was defeated. Member Services MERIT will continue to be our travel supplier. A permission form is needed to publish photos. Foundation The new Chair in Geriatrics was unable to attend the meeting but made an introductory appearance in a short video. All but one of the Ontario Medical Schools, including the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOMS), submitted a proposal for the RTO/ERO 2015 grant. One of the schools has even submitted two. After a thorough evaluation of all the proposals, Vice Chair of Medical Education Dr Barbara Powers of Ottawa University received the 30-some thousand dollar grant to study best practices in communicating with seniors. Findings will be used in the education of medical students. Dave Hodge Did you know? Oxfam Canada Projects Supported by Stamp Funds (May 2015) In 2014, Oxfam Canada raised $ which supported the two projects in Zimbabwe and Cuba that are described below. These particular projects were selected based on two criteria. First, they are meant to be broadly representative of the types of work Oxfam does in its main areas of interest. Second, they are worthy projects that have not had sufficient money earmarked specifically for them by other donors or allocated from general donation revenue. 16

17 A total of $330,400 has been raised since the stamp programme began over 30 years ago. In most cases, the stamp funds are only a small part of the total Oxfam Canada contribution, and many are funded by other organizations and governments as well. In this way the Oxfam Canada funds have a lot of leverage, being matched in some cases by two or more times as much money from other sources. Zimbabwe: Reducing Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS $9,000 (2015) In the province of Bulawayo, Youth for Today and Tomorrow is a local partner organization working to reduce the vulnerability of girls and young women to HIVAIDS. This is a 4 year program, and between April & December 2015, they will use the stamp funds to provide mentoring, HIV and sexual health information, run awareness campaigns, and support access to HIV health services. This preventative program aims to overcome some of the discrimination and cultural traditions that put girls at risk. The stamp funds are matched 10:1 by donations from Oxfam partners in other countries. Cuba: Women s Empowerment Fund $9,000 (2015) Oxfam Canada supports select initiatives that are designed by partners to increase social awareness and capacity to end violence against women, particularly in rural areas of Cuba; and to promote women s leadership and economic empowerment in local development processes. The Women s Empowerment Fund, supported by the Stamp Program in three rural municipalities in eastern Cuba, hopes to reach 600 women and 300 men directly and many more indirectly. The Fund will sponsor training, workshops, and other community events to raise awareness of violence against women; as well as a mediation centre in partnership with the National Union of Jurists. Oxfam Canada also intends to strengthen and monitor 17 economic initiatives led by rural women. Saviez-vous que? Les villes et les villages du Nord ont parfois été nommés en l honneur d un personnage important du Nord ou de l Ontario, ou encore en fonction d un critère géographique. Plusieurs noms sont d origine autochtone. Voici la signification de certaines villes de notre district. Azilda : nommé pour la pionnière du village de Rayside, Azilda Brisebois Bélanger Blind River : «blind» signifiant «aveugle», la ville fut nommée à cause de la difficulté qu ont éprouvée les premiers voyageurs à repérer l endroit depuis le lac Huron. Capreol : nommé en l honneur de Frederick Chase Capreol, un homme d affaires d origine britannique et promoteur du chemin de fer. Chelmsford : fondé en 1868, Chelmsford était un avant-poste du Canadian Pacific Railway. On croit que le village fut nommé par un ingénieur britannique du chemin de fer qui était natif de la ville de Chelmsford en Angleterre. Elliot Lake : le nom est attribué au sort d un cuisinier du camp de bûcherons (nommé Elliot) qui s est noyé dans le lac. Espanola : Le nom Espanola signifie «petite Espagne. Il provient de la prononciation anglophone du mot Espagne qui prit la forme d «Espanola». (tiré de la publication Les femmes de la Route ll) 17

18 Fall General Meeting and Luncheon Déjeuner et rencontre d octobre 2015 Sweet Potato Brownie Indulge without the guilt! These rich, tasty, vegetable-enriched bars make the perfect treat for guests, or enjoy as a mid-afternoon snack to stave off those sweet cravings. Instructions: 1 Sweet Potato chopped (about 2 cups/500 ml) 4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped 1/3 cup Butter, melted 1 tsp Vanilla 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar 2 Eggs Pinch Salt Place sweet potato in microwaveable bowl with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on High for 5 minutes or until very tender. Drain water and mash. Whisk in chocolate until melted. Whisk in sugar and eggs, one at a time, butter and vanilla. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir into potato mixture until smooth. Spread into an 8 inch (1.5 L) parchment paper lined baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 F (180 C) oven for about 20 minutes or until tester inserted in centre comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool slightly before cutting into bars. 18 (Cancer Society Website)

19 Christmas General Meeting and Luncheon Déjeuner et rencontre de Noël

20 Bereavement Donation At the Christmas luncheon, the Retired Teachers of Ontario/les enseignantes et enseignants retraités de l Ontario District 4 made a donation to the Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner Fund in memory of our members, and their immediate family members, who died during the year. Gen Waszczylo, Chair of the Goodwill/Bienfaisance Committee presented a cheque for $1805 to Brenda Tessaro, an RTO/ERO member and member of the Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scanner Fund Steering Committee. Thank you! Merci! The Executive board would like to thank the RTO/ERO members who attended the Christmas Luncheon for their outstanding generosity. A sum of $2310 was given to the Sudbury Food Bank/Banque alimentaire de Sudbury. RTO/ERO collected $1310 at the luncheon plus an additional $1000 approved by the members was added to that sum. Dan Xylon at the Sudbury Food Bank, when thanking us, said that our donation was actually worth $13 860, enough for a full transport truck of food. Congratulations for displaying such a wonderful Christmas spirit and cheer! If you have a change of address, or phone number please contact DIANE VEZEAU at or by dvezeau@rto-ero.org Editor/éditrice: Francine Hurtubise ( ) fhurtubise@sympatico.ca