Autumn View Edition 1, 2025

October 10, 2025

From left to right: Yasmin Damani (Region 5), John Hanson (Region 4), Gino Franche (Region 1), Beth Anich (Region 6), Betty Cree (Region 3), Sandra Snider (Region 7) and Ed Faulknor (Region 2)We wish to give a special thank you to Mickey Riccardi for stepping in to cover as chair of Region 1 after the resignation of Philip Shearer. Congratulations to Gino Franche on his election as chair at the May meeting.

Retired Members Division Executive Committee List for 2024-2026

Region	Chair	Vice-Chair	Secretary	Treasurer
1	Gino Franche(519) 437-1900[email protected]	Mickey Riccardi(519) 981-7748[email protected]	Debbie Riopelle(519) 978-3055[email protected]	Debbie Riopelle(519) 978-3055[email protected]
2	Ed Faulknor(905) 385-2142[email protected]	Elaine Young(519) 327-1914[email protected]	Randy Sloat(905) 549-1198[email protected]	Keith Bates(905) 928-6396[email protected]
3	Betty Cree(705) 748-2076[email protected]	Ethel LaValley(613) 334-2912[email protected]	Dora Robinson(905) 751-9851[email protected]
4	John Hanson – Div. Vice-Chair(613) 213-4674[email protected]	Ben Treidlinger(613) 570-1171[email protected]	Ianthe Stringer(613) 503-4533[email protected]	Sue Stevenson(613) 476-6526[email protected]
5	Yasmin Damani(647) 549-9118[email protected]	Perminder Grewal(416) 560-8055[email protected]	Sam Chopra(647) 234-3555[email protected]	Joyce Jackson(416) 371-8005[email protected]
6	Beth Anich – Div. Secretary(705) 949-6135[email protected]	Brian Luckett(705) 492-7556[email protected]	Elaine Kerr(807) 355-4786[email protected]	Elaine Kerr(807) 355-4786[email protected]
7	Sandra Snider – Div. Chair(807) 630-4751[email protected]	Janet Wright(807) 630-5064[email protected]	Sophia Ambrose(807) 621-5062sambrose@tbaytel.net	Brenda Clapp(807) 629-9395[email protected]

Autumn View is a special publication of the Retired Members Division of OPSEU/SEFPO.

Authorized for Distribution:JP Hornick OPSEU/SEFPO President

Important Numbers

Great West Life,1-800-874-5899
Sun Life, 1-800-361-6212
Pension Board (retired before Dec. 31,1992), 1-800-668-6203
OPSEU Pension Trust (retired after Dec. 31,1992), 1-800 906-7738
CAAT Pension Plan, 1-866-350-2228
HOOPP Pension Plan, 1-888-333-3659
OMERS Pension Plan, 1-800-387-0813
Province of Ontario – OPSEU – Travel Insurance -Can/USA, 1-855-222-4051
OPSEU Head Office, 1-800-268-7376

A Message from the Retired Members Division Chair

It has been a stressful and anxious 8 months since I last sent Autumn View in for printing. First, we had the election of Donald Trump and the chaos and anxiety that has caused. The world as we knew it would never be the same. I don’t know how the disrespect for our Prime Minister, the threats to make us a 51^st state and the tariffs made you feel, but I have felt betrayed by a trusted friend. I’m not sure I can ever forgive or forget.For a bit I had to quit watching the news for my mental health. I have been re-inspired by the patriotism and the fight back of my fellow Canadians, from not buying American products in the stores to changing holiday plans. It’s not easy or comfortable but we are doing it.Then, we had back-to-back elections in Ontario and the whole Country. It was exhausting to just watch, never mind supporting your party and working on a campaign.In the OPSEU/SEFPO world the Retirees saw our plans being gutted, as budget requests had to be added one by one to the budget in this process. We were left to the end and closure on the budget was called before consideration of most of our requests.Our hope for a Conference in the fall was eliminated. Our vision of doing more work in the regions with some funding never even got discussed.You will see a survey on Page 21 in this magazine asking if you want to keep getting Autumn View as a magazine or online. I ask you please send in your response. The Autumn Views budget was cut by 75%. It was hard to get inspired to create a new one after that. I was so proud of the last edition with at least 90% member written content. If you are a writer on an issue of interest to retirees, send it to me to review.We have united and used our experience to fight for retirees. We went to the board to request funding to attend the CURC convention being held at the Pam Pacific across OPSEU Office in June. They approved it unanimously.We have presented constitutional amendments and resolutions to continue to be able to represent retirees, and we lobbied for them. The most important thing was to be considered members in good standing rather than members not in bad standing. This gives your children access to scholarships, and you access to affinity programs.We have requested funding from the regional locals to do the regional activities we imagined. What your region can do will be dependent on the support you get from your old locals. We were at the mikes speaking up for retirees, reminded delegates they all hope to be one of us someday hopefully they heard.Convention is over and the budget process will start again. We regroup and start again stronger and more determined than before.

Sandra Snider, Chair Retirees Executive and Region 7

Election support for opseu/sefpo canidates by retirees during labour canvasses

Above – Yuk-Sem Won OPSEU grievance officer Reg 7 who ran in Thunder Bay Atikokan with supporter and Greg and Sandra Snider -retirees Left – 2nd from right Sara Labelle Reg 3 RVP who ran in Oshawa, with supporters including John Hansen Reg 4 Retirees Chair far right.

Canadian Unions Call for the Immediate Expansion of Universal Pharmacare

April 11, 2025Statement by Bea Bruske, President of The Canadian Labour CongressOTTAWA –– As we prepare for the devastating economic impacts of Trump’s unjustified and reckless tariffs, workers across the country are being left behind by politicians who should be fighting for their interests.Liberal Leader Mark Carney’s comments today, stating that he would not expand Pharmacare, make it clear that he is siding with Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives instead of standing with Canadians.Let’s be clear: this is a choice. A choice by Liberals and Conservatives to let corporations and Big Pharma keep profiting while workers and their families pay the price.Poll after poll shows that Canadians overwhelmingly support Pharmacare.Mr. Carney should uphold the Liberal legacy by following through on the Hoskins Report. They still have a choice: they can stand with workers and immediately expand Pharmacare.The NDP has been unwavering in its commitment to Pharmacare. Together, we fought to secure the Pharmacare Act, and we will keep fighting until all Canadians have access to a universal, fully public prescription Pharmacare program.The fallout from these tariffs will be devastating; thousands of workers will lose their jobs and, with that, their workplace health benefits. Now is the time for leadership, not political cowardice. Canada’s unions have advocated for universal public Pharmacare for decades, and in this moment of crisis, we demand urgent action.We are calling for the expansion of universal, single-payer public Pharmacare to immediately cover 50% of the most prescribed drugs with full implementation by 2027. Across the country, workers and their families are caught between aggressive U.S. trade threats, corporate price gouging, and increasingly strained health care and public services.The urgency for universal Pharmacare cannot be overstated—this is about ensuring that every Canadian, regardless of income or employment status, has access to the medication they need.On April 28th, Canada’s unions will be closely watching to see which politicians stand with workers and which ones side with wealthy corporations.The next government must be ready to take bold action from day one.

Climate Change and Buildings – What’s the Connection

Where do greenhouse gas emissions come from? Most people will say from oil and gas production (28%) – and they would be right. Transportation is next in line at 22%.But overall, heating and cooling buildings comes in at 13%.In Canada’s largest city, Toronto – and the GTA – heating and cooling buildings is the largest source of GHG emissions. The good news: there are technologies for reducing emissions from heating and cooling buildings. They can be applied to entire communities: individual large buildings like schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, factories, warehouses, and sports facilities – or individual homes.

How to Reduce Building Emissions for Entire Communities

Let’s look at district heating and cooling.District heating and cooling refers to an underground system to serve a number of buildings of different sizes and shapes. They are connected by pipe in order to heat and cool the buildings by pumping hot or cold water as required. The pump can be powered by a variety of sources. It may be waste heat, wastewater, biomass, or electricity including solar/wind sources.This is not a new technology: it has been around for centuries. For example, in Toronto’s downtown, cooling from deep lake water is powered by waste heat. The heat comes from heating drinking water. They capture the waste heat and use it to power the pumps. This system covers much of the downtown with the potential to expand.There are examples from around North America and the world: False Creek B.C., St. Paul’s Minnesota, Copenhagen, Berlin, Tokyo… They use power from biomass (such as tree clippings), solar, waste heat from garbage incineration and so on.

Reducing Emissions for Single Buildings

Have you ever heard of Geoexchange? It is an underground system to heat and cool a single building. They use pumps powered by electricity. The pump is located directly underneath; or under and adjacent to the building. They use the ground as a form of battery – or storage – for heat.Fun fact: The first commercial geothermal heat pump dates back to 1946. It came into common use in Scandinavia in the 1970s after oil prices spiked. In Canada, there were significant inroads beginning in the late 1980s/early 1990s.In Canada, geoexchange is an excellent solution for most new large buildings, with a very low carbon output. Currently, our electrical grid is low-carbon compared to most international systems. Many new large buildings are constructed with geoexchange technology.The capital cost is high, but the operating cost is low. The trade-off allows geothermal energy companies to offer competitive heating and cooling costs that are guaranteed for decades.

Air-source Heat Pumps

These pumps are best for heating and cooling homes or relatively smaller areas in large buildings, such as libraries or school gyms. They are more adaptable for retrofitting.They work by taking heat from the air outside, then pumping it indoors during the heating cycle. It removes heat from the air inside and pumps it outdoors during the cooling cycle. The equipment is above ground – next to, attached to, or on top of – the home or area to be heated and cooled. They are much more efficient than fossil-fuel based heating systems, but not as efficient as geoexchange.Many older homes in Canada have been retrofitted with air-source heat pumps. Let’s use these technologies to reduce GHGs in buildings and communities. Region 3 Cindy Reichert and Betty Cree showing support in Peterborough. Ben Treidlinger Region 4 Vice Chair leafletting cars on LBED picket line in Ottawa Region 6 Brian Lucket and Carol Hamilton in North Bay Region 1 Retirees executive on the line in London Above – LCBO show of solidarity in Sault Ste. Marie, Beth Anich’s grandson Nathaniel, Beth Anich, Ruth Galinis, Jeff Arbus and Jane Forster John Hanson Region 4 chair in Kingston. (left to right) – unknown, Janet Wright, Elaine Johnson, Greg Snider and Sandra Snider,

Self-Evaluation Of Health: How Do Our Seniors Rate?

Canadians are living longer and benefit from a higher standard of living through advances in medicine, technology, nutrition, and health care. Improved housing and living conditions have also made a significant contribution. Improving the health status of seniors is an important goal of Canada’s health care system.What do we mean by “health?” A popular definition of health, especially as it pertains to seniors, was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”Can the health status of seniors be determined through self-rating methods? Initially, self-ratings of health were developed to determine how health affects the general functioning of seniors; specifically, how health affects seniors’ physical capacity for role fulfillment and social participation. Self-rating or self-evaluation of one’s health is a complex issue. The health care field is fraught with medical, social, and attitudinal complications which can bias the subjective response of seniors. If self-evaluation measures are viable, this method of health assessment can supplement our current body of knowledge and help serve the needs of our increasing population of seniors. The implementation of programs for the prevention and detection of health problems and distribution of health care services, require a thorough knowledge of the health status of seniors. Health status information is also beneficial in understanding the prevailing attitudes toward health and health care by seniors, in research, and in formulating policy.Various methods such as interviews, rating scales, surveys, and checklists can be used to obtain a subjective evaluation of health. One method is to ask seniors to rate their health as excellent, good, fair, or poor (rating scale); another is to ask them to compare their present state of health with others their age (comparison rating); and still another is to inquire about illnesses, diseases, and injuries that affect them by using a checklist rating system.How valid is the self-evaluation rating of health by seniors as it relates to the physician’s health rating? In a study to determine the validity of this relationship, seniors were asked to rate their health as either excellent, good, fair, or poor. The senior’s medical history was obtained by a physician preceding the medical examination. The results of the study indicated that self-evaluation of health was significantly correlated with the physician’s health rating. A survey of the published research found a positive relationship between seniors’ self-evaluation of health and physicians’ health rating, with a level of agreement as high as 75%.Caution, however, must be exercised in the interpretation of health and disability data based on self-reports by seniors. The issues of concern include (a) the extent to which self-reported health reflect true health status, and (b) the extent to which seniors reflect social processes (i.e., perceived demands by the interviewer, such as whether the information provided by seniors would be used to deny benefits).What is the relationship between seniors’ self-evaluation of health and other factors of social life, such as the way males and females assess their health status? Within similar categories of self-rated health, one study found (a) that women tended to tolerate more health problems than men, and (b) that males expressed poorer health than females.One researcher found that self-evaluation of health among the 65–74-year-old group and the 75+ group was significantly related to measures of objective health status. Findings indicated that although the 75+ group reported more health-related problems (as would be expected), they were more positive in their self-evaluation of health than the 65–75-year-old group. As well, the 75+ group who evaluated their health to be excellent, manifested about the same degree of disability as seniors in the 65-74 age group, who considered their health to be good.Does self-evaluation of health differ significantly between institutionalized and noninstitutionalized seniors? While it is true that many older seniors suffer from chronic health conditions like heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes, most institutionalized and noninstitutionalized seniors say they are in good or excellent health. In a study conducted by this author at the City of Thunder Bay Homes for the Aged, 48% of institutionalized seniors described their health as good or excellent. In comparison studies with noninstitutionalized seniors in the United States, 49-59% of seniors reported to be in this category.The impact of socioeconomic factors (e.g., income, occupation, education, social status) on seniors’ self-perception of health is complex. Results suggest that research should focus attention on the social consequences of ill health (i.e., retirement, unemployment) rather than presumed sociological causes.Overall, the research literature supports a positive relationship between seniors’ self-evaluation of health and physicians’ health rating. As a result, self-evaluation measures of health appear to be related to measures of objective health status and can be of value when objective measures of health are not feasible. Self-evaluation methods can provide a valid, cost-effective means of health assessment in experimental or survey research involving seniors where other forms of health information are lacking.It is important to understand that a senior’s self-evaluation of health is not intended as a substitute for a medical examination by a physician. Self-evaluation is valid only in the context of the senior’s personal perception of health.

Seniors Mobilize across Canada on October 1stBy Barbara Linds, OPSEU/OPSSU RetireeMy grandson Escher will turn 9 on Christmas Day. I became involved in seniors’ climate action soon after he was born because I’m concerned about the world we are leaving for our grandchildren.I am a member of Seniors for Climate Action Now! and an organizer with Seniors for Climate.Seniors for Climate was formed this past spring at a discussion by 6 seniors climate organizations across the country – Seniors for Climate Action Now, Grandmothers Acting to Save the Planet, the Suzuki Foundation, Climate Action for Lifelong Learners, Climate Legacy, and For Our Children.These groups decided that October 1st, National Seniors Day in Canada, and also, since 1990, the United Nations Day for Older Persons, should be a day to focus on the climate crisis and to mobilize seniors to take action.Following this, 61 organizations across the country endorsed the project, including the OPSEU Retired Members Division. Thanks so much for your support!I had the great privilege of using the organizing skills I developed in my 30 years working for OPSEU to support groups across the country as they planned their actions.At the end of May we had confirmed climate action events in 18 communities. By October 1 this had grown to 76, 34 of these in Ontario.Across the country groups organized everything from large rallies and festivals to potluck dinners and coffee parties in seniors’ residences. There were workshops and demonstrations. Climate expos and meetings with politicians. Flash mobs and Raging Grannies. They got petitions going, including one to the House of Commons. There were newspaper ads, letter writing campaigns, art installations and music. There were seniors in rocking chairs outside RBC branches calling attention to Canada’s biggest fossil fuel lender.A number of municipalities across the country proclaimed October 1 as Seniors For Climate Day, including Toronto, Kingston and Grimsby in Ontario. These proclamations were very clear in their focus. The Kingston proclamation read, in part “Whereas we must reduce carbon emissions for a livable future. Extreme weather is the symptom; fossil fuel pollution is the cause…”One of the ways we united seniors across the country was with a personal pledge that was read and signed at each event. It reads in part:

In pledging support to future generations, I recognize the debt we owe to Indigenous wisdom: the decisions we make today must assure a better future for the seven generations that will come after us. I will bring my skills, compassion and resources to join with others in a movement for environmental justice. I pledge to use my voice and my vote to protect future generations. Later Is Too Late!

What’s next?Organizers from across the country met recently to share their experiences from October 1. All agreed that we must continue to mobilize, as seniors, and with others to save our planet. Seniors for Climate events will happen in 2025. Stay tuned!Please get involved!I encourage you to go to seniorsforclimate.org for more information. Please sign the online pledge and sign up to receive regular updates.

width= — Barb Linds speaks at at a climate action event in Nappanee

Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN!)

Confronting the Climate Crisis and Working for a Sustainable, Caring, and Equitable SocietyThe climate crisis is here. We seniors are alarmed.

Wildfires, heatwaves, and floods are endangering our lives and society
High levels of pollution are affecting our health
Climate breakdown is destroying our natural world.

The climate crisis is THE crisis of our time. We need radical action.

The main culprits are the oil, gas and coal industries
Fossil fuels must be phased out as soon as possible
The oil and gas industry should no longer be subsidized by public money
Banks and our Canada Pension Plan must divest from fossil fuels.

We must set new priorities.

Make huge investments in renewable energy, especially wind and solar
Make public transit free to get more private vehicles off the road
Create a public national railway system
Provide more affordable housing with subsidies for sustainable retrofits
Increase industry regulation to promote production of goods that last and save energy
Increase electrification
Ensure the preservation and enhancement of our natural ecosystems.

We also need special measures to cope NOW.

Cooling centres and free air conditioning in all rental units
Flood protection and increased firefighting capacities
Early warning and service systems for weather disasters

Indigenous knowledge and rights are central to a sustainable society.

SCAN! supports Indigenous sovereignty and the Land Back movement
Indigenous stewardship of land and water provides a model for our relationship to the natural world.

We must create a caring and equitable society by

Supporting workers in their transition from carbon intensive industries to sustainable jobs by providing free training and income support increasing low carbon public service jobs in education, health care, and other social services
Taxing the top 20% of Canada’s wealthy, the most responsible for the climate crisis
Redistributing wealth and reducing inequality.

Canada has international responsibilities.

We are one of the worst per person climate polluters in the world
We need to provide “no strings attached” funds to countries of the Global South to help them transition to a sustainable economy
We must support the growing number of climate refugees
Canada must reduce military expenditures and promote peace.

Seniors, join the climate justice movement. Get involved.

We seniors have skills, wisdom and experience
We need to talk to friends, family, and neighbour
We urge you find an action that suits you and join us in creating a better world.

SCAN! is calling for emergency climate action at all levels of government. www.seniorsforclimateactionnow.org

Questions and Answers

I received an angry call today from a senior 82 years old wanting to know what the NDP and in particular our MPP was going to do about the pharmacy going to charge her $200 for a shingles shot and $150 for the RSV shot and wanting to know why they were not covering her. She does not have a computer so needed contact information. It’s sad her pharmacy didn’t give her information and just blamed the government. They would gladly take her money though.The retired member and I proceeded to do some investigating and this is what we learned from the government web site.Why are over 80 not eligible for the RSV vaccine?Abrysvo^TM is the available vaccine this year for individuals 60+. Older adults who are vaccinated early in the season may be offered the Arexvy^TM vaccine, leftover from last year’s supply.“Their decision was based on the latest available evidence at that time, including how long protection lasts and how common RSV infection is within different age groups, and they concluded that there is limited evidence of the vaccine being effective in those over 80.Sep 18, 2024Is 80 too old for shingles vaccine?Shingrix® is the vaccine for shingles that is approved by Health Canada and used in Ontario. This vaccine is free through primary health care providers for seniors ages 65 to 70 years old who have not previously received a shingles vaccine.The vaccine’s effect diminishes with age, therefore people aged 80 or older aren’t eligible to receive the vaccine.Sandra Snider

Corporate profits up by 54% since before pandemic

July 3, 2024

A new report from Canadians for Tax Fairness shows that corporate profits are up more than 50% since the start of the pandemic, but most Canadians aren’t seeing any benefit. In fact, one of the reasons for the higher profits is the price-setting power of companies in the grocery or oil and gas sector.Pre-tax profits remained high since the pandemicIn 2023, corporations raked in $644 billion in pre-tax profits, 54% higher than 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, and over double the average profit levels of the pre-pandemic decade. If an increase in profits was entirely explained by inflation, profit margins, that is, the total profits of firms divided by their total revenue, would stay the same. However, pre-tax profit margins increased significantly during the pandemic. In 2021 and 2022, the average pre-tax profit margin was over 12%, and it remained at 10.7% in 2023. Between 2010 and 2019, pre-tax profit margins averaged only 8.1%.Incr