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ACER-CART

ACER-CART

ACER-CART has been in existence since 1991.  It is the national voice of retired teachers.  It is a national bilingual association of member associations representing over 128,000 retired teachers from Canada’s ten provinces and Yukon Territory.  It holds an annual meeting in Ottawa in early June. For more information, visit www.acer-cart.org

At the ACER-CART annual general meeting, as a member organization, RTAM sends both a voting Director and an Observer appointed according to policy who may speak to discussions.  The Director is responsible during the year to keep the RTAM Board of Directors informed on national issues, and to report to ACER-CART on issues of current importance to RTAM.

Director: JoAnne Hoyak

Observer: Bill Cann

OCTOBER 2021

The ACER-CART Executive and the Executive Director have provided superlative support to the ACER- CART membership in terms of retired teacher advocacy during the recent Federal election campaign. You will have had access to the excellent brochure available to all members through KIT, the RTAM website, the ACER-CART website, and the capable distribution by our Chapter Chairs to chapter members personally. You will have been made aware of the current topics of utmost concern, the rationale behind them and the suggestions for implementation. This model design will be used by RTAM in its ongoing political advocacy work.

Of particular note is the capability of ACER-CART’s “NEW MODE” software which facilitates letter writing campaigns to pertinent recipients and for which RTAM contributed funding.

2021 AGM REPORT

ACER-CART represents over 160,000 retired teachers in ten provinces plus the Yukon.

As the national voice of retired teachers, ACER-CART focuses on priorities evolving from issues affecting the well- being of seniors all across Canada. This past year, the organization advocated for the development of:

  1. The implementation of a National Seniors’ Strategy.
  2. The monitoring of the Federal Government’s progress toward establishing a national universal pharmacare plan including a Canada drug agency and a national formulary.
  3. The monitoring of the effects of COVID19 on the Canada Health Care Act and on bilateral funding agreements including the challenging of privatized for profit aspects.
  4. Advocating for a health care system that prioritizes care for seniors in their OWN homes for as long as possible.
  5. Advocating for regulations governing Long Term Care Facilities that would guarantee improvement of standards in all relevant sections.
  6. Monitoring impacts of the pandemic on the defined benefit pension plan assets held in the various retired teachers’ allowances funds.
  7. The elevation of ACER-CART’s profile.
  8. The extension of our relationship with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.

In terms of relating ACER CART to our RTAM membership:

  1. The Minister of Seniors, Deb Schulte, provides regular and timely updates through ACER-CART, on topics like travel protocol [DON’T], tax information [ALWAYS FILL OUT A FORM], LTC and vaccine scams, staying safe during COVID and other pertinent issues. These are shared with RTAM members through Chapter presidents and the RTAM website.
  2. ACER-CART provides a list of like- minded associate partner organizations that may be found on their website.
  3. RTAM provides regular reports to our Western cohorts that are shared at ACER CART board meetings.
  4. In preparation for an anticipated election call, RTAM has provided ACER CART with a one- time additional 50 cents a member for the development of a brochure outlining our issues.
  5. The ACER-CART virtual AGM will be on June 5th, 2021 and will be attended by JoAnne Hoyak as Director and Bill Cann as observer.