Message from the President – May 23, 2024

May 23, 2024

Fellow ACER-CART Directors and Members:

Many of you will recall a topic that I discussed at the February 1, 2024, Directors meeting re the National Pensioners Federation.

I was approached by Trish McAuliffe, President of the National Pensioners Federation in early January to see if there were synergies between the Federation and ACER-CART on national issues affecting seniors.

At the January 14-15, 2024 ACER-CART Executive meeting the following motion was passed unanimously:

That ACER-CART approves the National Pensioners Federation’s request that both organizations work collaboratively on national projects/issues affecting seniors in Canada.

The National Pensioners Federation was very pleased with the approval of this motion and both organizations have shared materials on Bill C-64: An Act Respecting Pharmacare Campaign.

As a means of working with like-minded groups at the regional level I indicated at the April 10, 2024, Directors meeting that the Executive would react positively to members’ organizations working with similar groups if there was a good fit and alignment between them.

Other like-minded groups that have chapters/divisions in certain provinces include:

Can Age
Canadian Health Coalition
National Association of Federal Retirees
National Seniors Council
Canadian Coalition Against Ageism
Canadian Network for the Prevention of Abuse
Alzheimer Society of Canada
Canadian Coalition for Mental Health
Seniors Advocacy Organization
Canadian Federation of Pensioners

At the present time, the National Pensioners Federation has chapters in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia. Grace Wilson, a member of the ACER-CART Political Advocacy Committee, is the BCRTA representative on the British Columbia division. I have ongoing discussions with the President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Seniors, which is the National Pensions Federation affiliate in Nova Scotia.

I acknowledge that all of us are busy with other responsibilities but I believe that if we want to truly call ourselves a national organization which represents retired teachers, we need to reach out and embrace working with other like-minded organizations.

This will be a topic of conversation at our June 6-7, 2024 Annual General Meeting in Ottawa. I thank you in advance for considering the Executive’s request. Safe travels to Ottawa.

Sincerely,

Bill Berryman
President, ACER-CART