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    ALL THE NEWS FIT TO PRINT!

    DID YOU KNOW - NOVEMBER 2023

    ► Are you (or do you know) a retired teacher who would like to join the RTO? Simply complete the Application form, available under the Horizontal display menu item, Documents

    ►

    THE RTO BRANCH PRESIDENTS LIST IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND IS UNAVAILABLE.

    ►

    View or print the 2023-2024 RTO Meeting Schedule HERE

    ► YOUR FALL 2023 RTO NEWSLETTER can be viewed HERE

    Comments can be sent to the

    ► Forms and Applications on this website are now fillable. Instructions can be found in the Documents Menu.

    ► (An Update) Applications forms are available under the Documents Menu, to Host either a future RTO Golf tournament or the RTO Curling Bonspiel .

    ► To view the latest edition of RTO Deals and Discounts list, CHECK HERE

    ► The RTO landing page to link to MERIT TRAVEL is HERE

    ► THE 2024 RTO PROVINCIAL CURLING BONSPIEL will be hosted by the KINGS Local RTO at the Glooscap Curling Club in Kentville, NS, Friday, March 8th., and Saturday, March 9th., 2024. Registration deadline is February 15th., 2024

    For inquiries contact:

    ► This fall ALL Nova Scotians 65 years of age and older have access to the High-Dose influenza vaccine in preference to the standard dose vaccine for free. This is a reminder to all RTO members age 65 and older that you can request this high-dose flu vaccine when scheduling an appointent via your doctor or a pharmacy in your area.

    For more details check HERE

    ► To view a factsheet explaining frequently asked quesions regarding access to the Flu and Covid-19 Vaccines check HERE

    ► Your NS HEALTH information link to book vaccination appointments, Covid symptoms, Testing, Alerts and much more is available HERE

    ►

    NOTE: The NS HEALTH link, CHECK HERE
    offers one-stop shopping, by identifying the many health services available to Nova Scotia residents.
    Its Main Menu, updated frequently, provides answers to questions you may be hesitant to ask of our health care system.

    ► In a letter to the Heath Department, Bill Berryman Vice-Chair, Seniors Advisory Council has requested a study be undertaken to indicate the projected cost savings to the health care system if Shingles vaccine was provided free of charge to citizens of various age groups in Nova Scotia. For letter details check HERE

    ► A Summary of Your Insurance Group Plan is available in Frequently Accessed Documents

    ► The NS Positive Aging Directory gives quick and easy access to the many programs and services offered to seniors in our province. .



    President/Vice-President and Member at Large Positions

    The following RTO Table Officer positions are open for the 2024-2026 term.
    ☆ President ☆ 2-year position
    ☆ Vice-President ☆ 2-year position

    These positions will be filled at the RTO AGM in Halifax on May 16th., 2024.
    Interested candidates must send a completed application form to:
    Nominating Committee Chair, , no later than February 28, 2024.

    In addition to inclusion in the Fall issue of the RTO newsletter, the fillable application form for these positions is also posted HERE
    or under Documents on the RTO website at rto.nstu.ca.

    The following Member-at-Large positions are open for nomination in the following three regions for the 2024-2026 term.

    ☆ Cape Breton-Victoria (Glace Bay District, New Waterford, Sydney and Area, and Northside-Victoria ☆

    ☆ South Shore (Lunenburg County, Queens, and Shelburne County) ☆

    ☆ Valley (Annapolis, Kings, and West Hants) ☆


    An Application Form for the above Member-at-Large positions is posted HERE
    and can also be found under the Documents Menu on this website and in the Winter edition of the RTO Newsletter.
    ☆ ☆Interested candidates must submit a completed application to his/her Branch President by April 1, 2024. ☆ ☆
    Please check HERE for more complete details.
    The names of the elected Members-at-Large will also be announced at the RTO AGM on May 16th., 2024.


    SOURCES FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON COVID-19

    ► The NOVA SCOTIA HEALTH AND WELLNESS SITE has all the latest Nova Scotia information pertaining to Covid-19 and can be accessed HERE.

    ►Frequently updated FEDERAL INFORMATION and links to sources for information is available at Coronavirus Information - Canada

    ► DAILY GLOBAL UPDATES from JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY of MEDICINE on transmission and confirmed cases within countries are available BY CLICKING HERE

    WHAT IS YOUR WEATHER? Check Environment Canada HERE for the weather in your area!

    Nova Scotia Supreme Court Ruling declares Bill 75 Unconstitutional

    SUPREME COURT OF NOVA SCOTIA Citation:
    Nova Scotia Teachers Union v. Nova Scotia (Attorney General):
    2022 NSSC 168 - 2022-06-13 (Source: Docket HFX No 469869 WWW.COURTS.NS.CA ):

    In 2017 the N.S. provincial government passed Bill 75, ending contract negotiations with the NSTU teachers and the province. When enacted, it stripped the union of the right to strike and imposed a four-year collective agreement along with a three percent salary increase.

    The Nova Scotia Supreme Court struck down Bill 75 ruling all sections of that Act together with the Schedule to that Act violated Section 2(d) of the Charter and those violations were not justified under section 1 of the Charter; and were unconstitutional and of no force or effect. The full decision can be found by searching decisions at 2022 NS Court Decisions or simply viewing a .pdf version on this website HERE.



    2022 Annual Nova Scotia Teachers Pension Plan Report

    Your 2022 Nova Scotia Teachers Pension Plan (NSTPP) Annual Report is available for viewing HERE, or for viewing online on the Teachers’ Pension Plan website under NSTPP Members Publications.
    The Report provides statistics about the state of your NSTPP and its audited financial statements, plus information on the NSTPP’s 2021-2022 investment performance and its financial status at year-end December 31, 2022.
    2022 Report Highlights can be viewed HERE


    Disposition of the 2023 RTO Annual General Meeting Resolutions.

    (UPDATE, MAY 24th., 2023) In accordance with the RTO Constituion, resolutions were submitted to the 2023 AGM for debate and approval. Final deposition of the 2023 resolutions will be available soon.




    ☆ ☆Public Health Infomation Nova Scotia ☆ ☆


    For General NS HEALTH information on COVID-19 including:

    ► symptoms and Testing

    ► Alerts, News and Data

    ► Vaccination Appointment Bookings

    ► Symptoms and Testing

    ► How to Self-isolate

    ► Mental Health and wellbeing check: HERE

    .

    #NOVASCOTIASTRONG!

    NSTU/RTO Deals & Discounts

    Be sure to check for the latest NSTU/RTO Deals & Discounts (DECEMBER 2023) HERE
    or on the side bar.





    ELDER ABUSE

    WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW!

    ACER-CART has produced a resource

    for retired teachers and seniors to counter elder abuse.

    The information is availible in a document entitled "Elder Abuse " in English and French
    in a information brochure and available here to view, in English OR French.




    WELLNESS LINKS

    Wellness
    a dynamic process of change and growth and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life.

    If you have questions regarding your health


    ACER-CART Recommends McMasters Optimal Aging Portal

    Newspapers and the Internet cover lots of stories about health care for the aging Canadian, but the emphasis is usually on drama (dramatic findings from a new study, dramatic events with no mention of related scientific research), with less emphasis on substance.
    Readers are left to wonder which information to trust.
    At the recent June board meeting, The Canadian Association of Retired Teachers (ACER-CART) unanimously passed a resolution to support the McMaster University Optimal Aging Portal as part of a platform for the development of a National Seniors Strategy.
    The Portal features quality scientific evidence about healthy aging information that can help Canadians remain healthy, active and engaged as long as possible, and to manage their health conditions.
    The Portal evaluates health research and resources, telling users whether free health resources on the Internet and in newspaper stories are based on scientific research, are reliable, and are worthy of note.
    The articles are written in consumer-friendly language.
    Users can register for free at: McMasters Optimal Aging Portal and gain easy access to search the full content of the Portal. To keep up to-date with new research and receive lists of new content recently added to the Portal, users can opt in to receive Email alerts about how to stay healthy, active and engaged as they grow older. Users can also follow@Mac_AgingNews or the Portal on Facebook for news and evidence about optimal aging.


    April is Advance Care Planning Month

    April 16th is National Advance Care Planning Day, a day to promote conversations about your wishes and values for your future health care.
    While we are excited to share news surrounding ACP Day, we must first acknowledge the challenges that we are facing with the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). As the WHO-declared pandemic, COVID-19 progresses, this is a very concerning time for many people with serious conditions and palliative care needs, as well as their families, friends and communities.
    For many, COVID19 has provided an opportunity to reflect on their health and what they would want should they become seriously ill.
    Advance Care Planning or ACP is a process that helps people prepare for future health care decisions and to choose decision makers in the event they are unable to speak for themselves.
    The RTO has been partnering with the Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association to help people and their families prepare for a serious illness through advance care planning education. For more information on Advance Care Planning you can contact  Advance Care Planning or The Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association
     The Retired Teachers Organization and the Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association  jointly provide leadership for the planning to our membership and community.
     If your RTO Branch is interested in conducting an Advance Care Planning Workshop, please  contact your Branch President or Alyson Hillier at nsrtopresident@gmail.com



    External Links - The Retired Teachers Organization of the NSTU provides links to external sites as a service and convenience to visitors and is not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy or appropriateness of those sites. The presence of a link does not imply that Retired Teachers Organization of the NSTU necessarily endorses the services, products or information provided on these other sites or agrees with the views expressed therein. If you use the linked sites, you will leave the Retired Teachers Organization of the NSTU website, and you do so at your own risk.

    Accuracy - While we make every effort to ensure that the material on this site is up to date and accurate, the Retired Teachers Organization of the NSTU cannot guarantee that our web site will be error-free. You acknowledge that your use or reliance on the site or materials is at your own risk.

    Last Updated: November 27th., 2023