BCRTA-News
Links to all BCRTA News Items (by latest descending) :
Senior's Action Plan - Ministry of Health
BCOmbudsperson’s office has released the second report on senior’s care – The Best of Care (Part 2). The report covers a broad set of issues related to seniors’ care including home and community care services generally and home support, assisted living and residential care services.
Senior's Action Plan - Respond to the Ministry of Health
The BCRTA would encourage members to respond to the report. The BCRTA board will consider a provincial response at its March meetings.
What's Facebook all about??
Facebook—what is all the fuss about? We certainly hear a lot about social networking these days, and the question for seniors is, why bother? It turns out that the ability to contact friends and share information is very useful, and Facebook streamlines this activity and allows you to send and receive photos and news that you wish to share.
The Case of the Legislating Letter
It was a dark day. I was sitting in my small, unheated, windowless office when I heard a noise. Looking up from the Postscript crossword puzzle, I spied an envelope lying on the floor. Crossing the office in one and a half steps I picked it up, careful not to smear any fingerprints on it. It was addressed to me, personally, using my full name. The return address was indistinct, but bore the name William Douze. Never heard of him. Inside, was a typed letter. In essence it said I was about to have my membership terminated unless I paid up.
ROUNDTABLE ROUND UP January 2012
We met at eight forty five with a reading half hour – never enough time to even make some semblance of order of the agenda and reports set in front of us. We adopted the agenda and the minutes of the November meeting, and handed out birthday cards. The first item on the Presidents report was his visit, with other table officers, to the deputy minister of Education in the week before Christmas, an account of which will be elsewhere. The deadline for the new Teacher Council has passed and many of us have refused to pay $120 every year to hang on to ‘a piece of cardboard’.
Key dates that will save you money: 2012 tax calendar
The tax man doesn't accept "I didn't know" for an answer. If you want to save money and avoid penalties, it pays to be aware of the various deadlines for tax payments, paperwork and certain types of investments throughout the year:
EHC Alert
To submit a claim for our new Teachers' Pension Plan Voluntary EHC Plan you must have the new plan number E087024
UBC Graduate Research project seeks input from retired teachers
Recently retired educators (2008 or later) are being sought as interviewees in a UBC Graduate Research project. Specifically, retirees who have led to disrupt heteronormativity in schools.
BCRTA-Your Teaching Certification and Bill 12
In November of 2011 the BC Government passed a new Teachers Act, being referred to as “Bill 12”. The legislation wipes out the BC College of Teachers, and places teacher certification and discipline under Ministry of Education control.......
BCRTA-Bill 12 Update, December 23
Members of the BCRTA Advocacy Committee met on December 22, 2011 with representatives of the Ministry of Education in regard to the implications of Bill 12 on BCRTA members. Doug Edgar, Sheila Pither, Bob Taverner, Jo Ann Lauber and Cliff Boldt met with Deputy Minister (DM) of Education James Gorman, Eric Wredenhagen, and Beverley Maxwell in the Vancouver offices of the College of Teachers......
Letters, Letters, LETTERS
Thank you from the BCRTA for letters that have been flowing from the pen and keyboards of BCRTA members since we first learned of the implications of Bill 12 for retirees.
It is important that Minister Abbott and other politicians continue to hear from retirees with their comments, reactions and suggestions.....
Inflation Adjustment, January 1, 2012
The Trustees of the Teacher Pension Plan have voted to increase our pensions by 3.2% beginning in January, 2012.
So, What if I have questions about the new college?
Use the following contact information for questions about the new college.....
Is your driver’s license at risk?
are BC gov't regulations senior friendly?
The Social Concerns committee is collecting data on problems seniors are experiencing around aging and driving and other transportation issues.
There are two government programs that affect seniors and driving.....
Medicine and the Internet
Vancouver RTA branch member David Anderson has written a series of articles about computers and seniors. The second instalment of Seniors and Computers by David Anderson of the BCRTA web site committee and the Vancouver branch.
Retired folks can make good use of the resources on the Internet when it comes
to medical issues. Among the benefits of being online are two important areas—
prescriptions from your doctor, and medical procedures that are suggested by
your doctor or other specialist.
Whenever your doctor gives you some pills or other medicine to take, always
type the name of the drug into the Google search field BEFORE you take your
first dose, for two reasons.
BCRTA members REALLY VOLUNTEER!
A recent volunteerism survey of BCRTA members produced some interesting information about who we are and what we contribute to our communities.