Photo by Paul Boisvert, St. Paul, Alberta ARTA AD_SELECT 8.5x11:COLL724 3/18/08 12:18 PM Page 1 ALBERTA RETIRED TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION (ARTA) ESCORTED VACATION TRAVEL MEMBER BENEFITS ARTA members, their friends and family can enjoy great savings on escorted vacations with Collette Vacations. Collette Vacations celebrates 90 years of experience in the escorted travel industry and offers more than 140 quality tours to premier destinations on all 7 continents. Travellers can choose from cruises and land tours, educational and faith-based travel, cultural experiences, many included meals and centrally-located accommodations that reflect the flavour of each destination. And, with knowledgeable, professional tour managers and an industry-leading cancellation policy, Collette Vacations makes travelling the world simple and hassle-free. New York City Copper Canyon Peru - Ancient The Complete Land of Mysteries South Pacific ARTA $ * ARTA $ * ARTA $ * ARTA $ * Members 2,425 p.p. 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News & Views Contents 2 Greetings From the President 3 Executive Secretary’s Report 5 Historic Pension Agreement 6 ARTA Health and Wellness Benefits Program 8 Letters to the Editor i – viii Affinity Program for Members 9 Some Thoughts on Education 10 In Memoriam 10 Financial Crisis Causes Delay in Retirement 10 Golf Tournament 11 Provincial Election 008 12 Volunteers Needed for Seniors Care Advocacy 13 What’s in the News? 14 Do You Recognize Yourself? A National Cultural Profile of Canada 15 Canada’s Losing War Against White-collar Crime – Part 16 Notices News and Views is published three times a year by Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association (ARTA), #409, 1100-4 Street, N.W., Edmonton. AB. T5N R Tel: 780-447-9474; Alberta only -800-3-708 ext 474; Fax -780-447-063; E-mail [email protected]; website: www.albertarta.org Contributions to News and Views to David J. Flower, #409, 1100-4 Street, N.W., Edmonton. AB T5N R Printing by: Alberta Teachers’ Association, 1100-4 Street, N.W., Edmonton. AB T5N R Greetings from the President With the anticipated changes in membership and services the Board has authorized an outside review of our operations. The Communications and Technology Committee has provided much input with a view to meeting future needs. Soon we may have the K. Dean option of receiving the “ARTA News and McMullen Views” and other important information electronically. The Strategic Planning Committee and the Finance Committee are committed to provid- ing a comprehensive “Business Plan” and a OW! With all of the activities currently financial budgeting and reporting system that Wbeing conducted and/or initiated by our is informative and ensures accountability. ARTA Staff and Committees it is difficult for Representatives to the Annual General me to keep abreast of all the new developments. Meeting in October will benefit from these The Board of Directors made a very signifi- two initiatives because they will be better able cant decision to expand the “affiliate to see and understand the “Big Picture” of membership” category. This decision has the ARTA’s total operations. potential to increase participation in our Stay tuned to the ARTA website and future ARTA Benefits Plan dramatically. They communications. We are definitely living in insisted wisely that the assets of our current interesting times. plan be protected from any negative experi- ence of the new registrants. Many positive This issue of ARTA News and Views contains results can be realized from this expansion as an update on the corporate discount pro- long as it is handled properly. Our Legal and gram. Our staff has been diligent in seeking Administrative agreements will provide the expanded benefits for all our members. necessary assurances. The Representative Committee will also ensure that our Bylaws and Policies are followed so that all our activities are directed towards achieving the Goals and Objects adopted for ARTA. Smile The calling of the Provincial Election resulted in the postponement of our planned meeting At a goodbye luncheon for an old and dear with the Minister of Education. We have coworker, she was leaving the company due requested that the meeting be rescheduled to “downsizing,” our manager commented with the new Minister, the Honourable David cheerfully, “This is fun, we should do it more Hancock. Your Pension Committee has spent often.” many hours preparing this presentation. Not another word was spoken. We all just Members of the Political Action Committee looked at each other with that deer-in-the- were also very active during the election and headlights stare. encourage all ARTA members to continue to develop open lines of communication with (This was a luncheon at Texas Instruments) their MLA. Executive Secretary’s Report The response to these seminars over the years has been excellent. They are very important for retiring teachers as they provide informa- tion that is not otherwise readily available. ARTA’s participation is essential to keeping retired teachers up-to-date in terms of issues that affect them as retirees. I would like to thank Mike, Ralph, Paul, Marlene, Dean, Don Mock Shannon and others for their help in making these presentations a success. Colour in Newsletter You will have noticed that this issue of Retirement Seminars ARTA’s News and Views has a different look. Our cover page is now in colour and half of ARTA was invited to participate in two that cost has been offset by advertising. seminars in Calgary, February 9 and 6, and Johnson Home and Auto supported this two more in both Calgary and Edmonton in endeavor and their ad appears on the back March and April. The Benefits Committee cover. The Communication and Technology Chair or the Executive Secretary usually Committee of ARTA has done the work of accompanied by Shannon Patershuk of getting a new logo designed for ARTA and Johnson Inc. do these presentations depend- giving the newsletter its new appearance. It is ing on who is available. For the February the intent of this committee to allow ARTA to seminars Mike Allen, the Branch Benefits accept paid advertising and if this is success- Representative from CRTA, was able to fill in ful the plan is eventually to provide colour along with the Executive Secretary and Paul throughout the newsletter as some other Demers to do these presentations. The provincial associations already have done. Calgary Public Retired Teachers’ seminar was most important for ARTA as the 00 or so ARTA Affinity (Discount) retirees from the Calgary Board of Education are losing their employer benefits for the first Program Updated time and so they needed information imme- The edition of News and Views includes an diately. Ralph Levinson, the Benefits updated insert to ARTA’s Affinity discount Committee Chair, was able to represent ARTA program (see pages in centre of newsletter). at the spring seminars in Calgary. Other Last year was the first time we tried this and seminars were held in other parts of the we have had great feedback. We know that province. I would like to thank especially there are savings through this program so Marlene Reddikopp who has for the last please keep this insert handy when traveling number of years made arrangements for and or making selected purchases. As before we participated in ARTA’s information sessions welcome your feedback, whether positive or in Grande Prairie for the Greater Peace negative, as it is our intention to make this region. Dean McMullen, ARTA’s president, better all the time and to achieve for our was able to make a presentation in Grande members savings that offset or cover the cost Prairie in March. of ARTA’s still reasonable membership fee. 3 New Affiliate Members privacy legislation we would ask our current members to please pass along this important ARTA’s Benefits Committee has changed the information to any support staff who have eligibility for affiliate membership. Previously already retired and suggest that they can only instructors from universities, colleges contact our office for more details. and technical institutions could qualify for affiliate membership. Affiliate members may participate in our benefits and discount Part-time Recording Secretary program but may not hold office in ARTA. Required Now ARTA is accepting support staff retirees from both the ATA and ATRF.