I hope you enjoyed the lovely summer we had and that you are ready for the 2002/2003 season. For those of you who can attend our meetings, I am attaching the agenda for this coming season.

As mentioned in our last "Québecers' Billboard", the association celebrated its fifth anniversary at Magnan's Brasserie on June 5th.  This event turned out to be a real success. However, during those five years, the executive members have tried unsuccessfully to recruit members to join the association and thus obtain the required majority of retired members as stated in the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 to officially have a representative included on the Via Rail Pension Board.

Article 7.2(2) of the Pension Benefits Standards Act states as follows:

"A pension council must include a representative of the pension plan members and, if the plan has fifty or more retired members and a majority of the retired members so request, the council must include a representative of the retired members."

At the present time, with a minority of pensioners as members, your association remains a social club and will remain as such until we obtain the authorization to represent the majority of the pensioners across Canada (over 50%).  Consequently, by joining the association you are authorizing the national executive to represent you, not only on the Pension Board, but also on other issues such as the Group medical insurance plan and any other problems that may occasionally arise.

As mentioned in the summer edition of the Québecers' Billboard, VIA Rail has accepted that pensioners may, on a voluntary basis, pay their annual contribution to the VIA Rail Pensioners' Association through payroll deduction of one dollar per month as of January 2003.  To date, a positive response has been received.  As mentioned, this deduction is on a voluntary basis and those who prefer may, as in the past, continue to send their contribution to the treasurer.  Unfortunately, this method only applies to the pensioner or the surviving spouse.  The pensioners' spouses are always welcome to join the association and may send in their contribution directly to the treasurer.  For those who wish to use the above method, an application form is enclosed for your convenience.  In both cases, you will receive a membership card and an income tax receipt.

On June 19th the Pension Board met in Vancouver and I, as a substitute delegate, represented Bryant Gunhouse who was away on a cruise.  At the above meeting I presented a list of five items, which were answered as follows:

• Will the list of deceased pensioners be published in the VIALOGUE?
  • VIA will include retirements and deaths in the Vialogue on an ongoing basis starting with the October 2002 issue.

• Would it be possible for both substitutes to attend the Pension Board meeting when the Board is convened in Montréal?
  • Both substitutes will be invited at the next Pension Board meeting scheduled for October 1st, 2002.

• Is the Great West Extended Health Care a closed or an open contract?
  • The contract with Great-West is an open contract.

• Are tenders sent out to other companies?
  • All Insurance Companies were contacted by VIA's consulting firm Mercer.

• Since pensioners are directly involved with the premiums payment, would it not be reasonable that they participate in the negotiations?
  • VIA is reviewing the process.

We are attempting to keep you informed as much as possible on various issues through the Québecers' Billboard that you have been receiving for the past few years.  Via Rail has been very cooperative with the association by allowing us to insert this little newsletter as well as the National Newsletter with the Vialogue.  I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to Mrs Julie Durocher for her co-operation.  It must be noted that this has saved considerable expenses for the association and we appreciate this gesture very much.

As mentioned at our last monthly meeting, we are now a registered organization accredited for the sale of certain subscription products offered by Lotomatique.  What does this mean? Rather than buying your lottery tickets, (such as 6/49, Super 7 and Québec 49) at the corner store, you can now buy them from the association.  The advantages and the rules remain the same and a percentage of sales and of prizes over 1,000$ is donated to registered organizations like ours.  By participating, you are actively contributing to the financing of your association.  If you wish to participate, a subscription form is enclosed for your convenience.

At the VIA Rail Pension Board meeting held in Montreal in October, we learned that VIA Rail issued tenders to various insurance companies for our Extended Health Care Plan.  The National Executives are invited to participate in the final decision on November 6th.  More information on this will be coming your way.

For further information you may contact your provincial executive officers as follows: