The founding of The Canadian Association of Retired Teachers (ACER-CART) was the result of inter-provincial support and encouragement on the part of retired and active teacher associations across Canada. Thanks are due to all those individuals who shared the vision of a national association of retired teachers and who actively contributed time and effort to make it a reality.

Among the early key supporters were Marshall Sinclair Wark (BCRTA), Elsie McMurphy (BCTF), Robert Buzza (BCTF), Lillian Holeton (BCRTA), Sheena Hanley (CTF), and Dr. Stirling McDowell (CTF).

The first tentative step in the development of a national retired teachers association began in 1984 when M. S. Wark, then First Vice-President of the BC Retired Teachers Association, initiated a survey of other provincial retired teacher associations to determine the services they offered to their members. So little was known about these organizations that contact had to be established through the active teacher organizations of the respective provinces. Compiling a list of phone numbers and addresses was the start to developing a communication link among them.

In 1985 the Canadian Teachers’ Federation was contacted for an opinion about the development of a national association of retired teacher associations, but it was not until 1987 at a Solidarity Rally in Victoria, BC (organized to protest government policies on education) that direct contact with the CTF President elicited interest in the proposal of a national association.

When Sheena Hanley assumed the presidency of CTF later that year, she responded positively to the idea and a meeting with Dr. Stirling McDowell (Secretary General of CTF) was held January 2, 1988 at the office of the BCRTA. A plan resulted to call a national conference of provincial retired teacher associations to consider areas of common interest and a possible constitution. Reasons for the formation of a national association were clarified. A meeting in Ottawa was planned for 1989. One immediate drawback was the cost of a national conference. CTF was not financially able to support this venture but, nevertheless, invitations to attend were sent to all provincial retired teacher associations.

With the exception of only two provinces, all the provincial RTAs sent and funded their representatives to this inaugural meeting held in Ottawa in June 1989. Five objectives of a national association were formulated. It was also agreed that members of the national body would be the provincial associations of retired teachers, not individual teachers.  The conference participants agreed to distribute the five objectives to the various retired teachers’ associations for ratification. The resulting replies were most encouraging!

On June 15, 1991, a founding meeting was held at the CTF office in Ottawa with the following representatives attending:

1. To facilitate and promote liaison and mutual assistance between and among Member organizations

2. To promote the interests of its member organizations

3. To develop strategies for joint action on matters of common concern to member organizations

4. To cooperate with other seniors’ organizations on matters of common concern

5. To promote excellence in education in Canada.

The first executive of CART was selected:
     President  Marshall Sinclair Wark - B.C.R.T.A.
     Vice-President Léo Coté  - AREQ (Quebec)
     Secretary Mac Hone  - S.T.S.

CTF graciously agreed to provide CART with some printing, accounting and secretarial services as well as facilities for holding meetings. CTF also contributed a $2000 grant to aid the organization, and the B.C.T.F. granted $500 as well.

At the national meeting of CART held in Ottawa on June 13, 1992 all but two of the provincial retired teacher associations were represented. Stirling McDowell’s offer to serve the national body voluntarily as an Executive Director when he retired as CTF Secretary General in 1993 was enthusiastically received. Among the other decisions reached at this meeting, with delegates representing 50,000 retired teachers of the provincial member associations, were:

  1. An exchange of provincial R.T.A. newsletters
  2. Consideration of establishing a CART newsletter
  3. Development of a draft statement of policy
  4. Development of a constitution and bylaws
  5. Contact and possible liaison with a Canadian seniors’ network
  6. Agreement with the original five objectives
  7. Officers of CART would consist of a president, two vice-presidents, and the immediate
      past president who would serve for one year following the presidency.

ACER-CART has continued to meet annually in June at the CTF headquarters in Ottawa.

In 2003, additional work was done to the constitution and bylaws. A system of three Regional Directors was adopted (Atlantic, Central, Western) for the executive, one of whom would be selected as the vice-president.