Association of Public Service Alliance Retirees
APSAR involvement in 2008
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The Association was seriously involved in the issue on the aging of the Canadian population in 2008.
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It was formally outlined to government that the reforms advocated for the public service pension plan were, on the whole, detrimental to the current benefits of retired federal employees, and especially workers in the process of retiring.
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When Old Age Security is questioned as regards the period of time and the payment provisions, there is matter to worry and reflect. The Association stated it loud and clear.
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The Association took part in all the debates on pension; we intervened to denounce the federal government's incapacity to manage and administer the public service pension fund. More than 18 billions lost in investments, these past two years; that is shameful.
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The Association clearly showed to all the various forums on retirement which it attended the non respect towards retirees and the elderly.
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The Association openly accused the current government of simply wanting to take advantage of retirees by exploiting them. None of the changes advocated and presented in the perspective of the reform, in 2008, took into account the proposals and the recommendations made by retirees associations.
In 2008, APSAR intervened in:
41 new files dealing with misunderstandings between the various government levels concerning disability file decisions after a member has retired; some amounts claimed exceed more than $90,000.00 to pay in less than 30 days;
23 files dealing with pension transfers in divorce situations;
47 files directly related to the public service health care plan : payment of drugs – payment of specialised treatment – payment of hospitalisation – dental care – and others;
16 files dealing with violence : abused individuals;
14 social files related to suicides;
51 files dealing with interpretations concerning various legislation and regulations on public service pension;
24 death cases, where the Association intervened to help families or beneficiaries obtain what they were rightly entitled to;
61 social assistance files – members with loss of autonomy – member unable to find housing – members seeking special services related to their state of health. In 2008, we succeeded in locating 42 former PSAC members, 34 of whom in the national capital (Ottawa-Gatineau);
316 telephone calls answered at the national office in Ottawa.
APSAR is there to serve its members. The Association is a kind of union link continuity, even if the organization is not a union. The duty of the Association is to assure all former PSAC members that there is always a link available after retirement. Again, this relationship shows distinctly it is possible to obtain respect in dignity. All we need is to unite and organize ourselves.
Michel Chevalier
National president
Date Modified : 2010/01/29
