SUPER^ANNUATE'SNEWS
A Quarterly FSNA Kingston Branch Newsletter
Spring 2003

 

Branch Executive

Bill Wornes	President
Tom Chakungal	Vice President
Donna Huff	Secretary
Richard Evernden	Membership Coordinator
Patricia Evernden	Director/Assistant Membership Coordinator
David Smith	Treasurer
Bessie Smith	Director/Assistant Treasurer
Donna Huff	Newsletter Editor
Ron Aquino	Director at Large
Jean Griffin	Director at Large
Wes Johnston	Director at Large
Mike Pastien	Director at Large

Please note that members of the Branch Executive work from their homes
and serve on a voluntary basis.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Tues. April 15th 2 - 4.30p.m. FSNA Long Term Care Seminar
Come to hear the changes and improvements, get your questions answered. Everyone welcome.

Thurs. April 24th 2 - 4p.m. Coffee and Conversation
Legion Branch 96 180 Park Street Brockville
Meet your executive. Share your concerns and learn the benefits of membership in FSNA.

WOULD YOU SHARE YOUR TIME AND TALENTS?

Effective 31 March 2003 Ron Aquino will no longer accept calls as Health & Welfare Director.

We urgently need someone to serve in this interesting, challenging position. The rewards are yours as you keep up-to-date with new regulations in the government programs that effect our members and help guide them through their regulation inquiries. The manuals and our National Office staff will guide you through members' inquiries.

Please contact the President, as shown above to offer your help.
 

Your Year 2003 Executive thank Jim and June Hueglin for their many years as president and secretary and Jim's duties as Branch Newsletter editor. Our thanks to Ron Aquino for his many years of dedication to research the answers to members inquiries about benefits regulations. We thank Gerald and Jean Griffin for their many years as Membership Director and Assistant as they manually kept track of all relevant data of our over two thousand members. Congratulations to all for exceptional service to our branch.

Ideas Wanted

If you have ideas for inclusion or exclusion of material in our branch newsletter, please contact Donna Huff, as shown above.
 
 

In Memorium Since January 1, 2003 Shultz, Charles Dale #3800098 Spragg, Harold G. #28033 McCallum, Ruby F. #984858 DO YOU KNOW OF A MEMBER'S or SPOUSE'S DEATH? Please contact Dick or Pat Evernden to help keep our records up-to-date.

HAVE YOU MOVED RECENTLY or ARE YOU MOVING? Please contact Dick or Pat Evernden directly with your address changes.

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Eastern Ontario Regional Newsletter
By: Bevan Painter, Regional Director

Greetings from the Regional Director to all branches in Eastern Ontario

I hope all are doing all right during this cold weather we are having. So much for our mild winter that the weather experts were predicting in the fall. We have had too many nights below -30 and that is definitely snuggle weather. I guess it has been slightly warmer by the lake.

Now that the Romanow Commission and Kirby Committee are finished, it is time for the Government to move on these and not bicker about constitutional matters. All members should communicate this message to their MPs and MPPs. Our National President has written a letter to the Prime Minister stressing this point. Let's put the pressure on them.

The Dental Plan
Some members who did not join when the plan was initiated were under the impression that they would be allowed to do so in two years. This was a misconception, as they have not opened up the plan for more members to join as yet. They may allow this in the future but as yet no. Only those who took a deferment or new retirees are allowed to join after the initial enrolment dates have passed. The reason for this is to stop people opting in and out as dental work is required.

Recruitment Campaign
Our latest recruitment campaign has so far exceeded expectations by 20%. With some 14,000 new members joining our membership now stands at more than 130,000. So a big hurrah for a job well done by National Office just don't tell National Office that: we don't want them to know how good they are).

I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the new members in the Eastern Ontario Region. Hope to see you at the next meeting of your Branch.

Executive Meeting
We are still planning for a Town Hall type Executive Meeting in Kingston in October for the membership to attend from Ontario and Quebec. Plans are not finalized but it will probably be like a meet and greet at lunch, meeting in the afternoon and a dinner in the evening. We need to know how many would be interested. So, let's start deciding and let your Branch know. Costs and time will come later.

Now I will talk about a very important subject, the Renewal of the Public Service Health Care Plan. It has been included numerous times in ON GUARD, in my newsletters, and I have spoken on it at Branch Meetings. The current Agreement ends March 31/05. The cost of drugs has increased considerably and our costs have not gone up so the Government has absorbed these costs. Later this year or early next year negotiations will start for a new Agreement it is time to consider any changes to be made. Because of the extra costs the Government has been absorbing, it is not likely they will want to leave the current funding formula as is. So they will probably ask for Premium increases and br reduction in Benefits. National Office would like to know your views as to what is the most important to you, the members.

What is the most important benefit to you? What improvements do you think can be made? Do you think that some benefits should be reduced to prevent premium increases? Should there be a maximum amount of benefits received in a year? Should there be different levels of coverage with associated premiums? You could get your views to your executive members or your Health Benefits Officer. National Office needs your input.

Something to Consider
Brooding over the past paralyzes the present and bankrupts the future.

Bye bye for this time and hope to see you all at your branch!