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Welcome
to the Web site of the Federal Superannuates National Association
(FSNA).
With more than 155,000
members and 85 branches, FSNA is recognized by the Government
of Canada as the major representative of pensioners - and of their
spouses and survivors - from the Canadian Forces, the Public Service
of Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and of federally
appointed judges.
A national non-profit
organization, FSNA has been successfully protecting and enhancing
retirement and health insurance benefits since it was founded
in 1963.
This FSNA Web site
is full of links leading to various federal departments to assist
members searching for information relating to the benefits offered
by their former employer, the federal government. These shortcuts
are underlined and coloured and will make the mouse pointer change
to a hand. Clicking on these links with the left hand side button
of your mouse will bring you to another portion of the same Web
page or to another Web site. To return to where you were, click
the Back button on the toolbar (top left hand corner of your screen).
If you would like to locate the FSNA Branch that is closest to
your home, use our Branch locator.
IMPORTANT
READING
FSNA supports investments for seniors announced in Budget 2008
FSNA Board awaiting appellate court lawyer’s advice
Pension surplus dismissal of actions: FSNA Board votes to file notice of appeal
Pension Surplus Trial Verdict: Actions Dismissed
Pension Increase for 2008
Dennis Jackson re-elected as FSNA National President
FSNA reacts favourably to the 2007 federal budget
FSNA's Executive Director to be first Chair of the National Seniors Council
FSNA reacts to report perpetuating myths about public sector pension plans
SDB dismissal of claims is
being appealed
Public
Service Health Care Plan: a new five-year agreement has been signed
Pensioners'
Dental Services Plan: premiums to be reduced
SDB Class Actions dismissed
Issues of Interest to FSNA VS Political Parties'
Platforms
FSNA congratulates First Ministers
for moving in the direction...
Final Report of the Romanow Commission
on the Future of...
FSNA's Brief to the (Romanow) Commission on the
Future of Health Care...
FSNA's presentation to the Kirby Commission received with enthusiasm...
Notice of Class Actions Regarding Supplementary
Death Benefits Under ...
Brief to the Standing Senate Committee on Social
Affairs, Science and...
Archives
November 5 , 2007
Pension Increase for 2008
The Treasury Board has announced the increase in indexing to be applied to Public Service, Canadian Forces, and RCMP pensions in January 2008.
The rate for 2008 will be 1.8 per cent. For details on the actual calculation, click here.
August 22 , 2007
Dennis Jackson re-elected FSNA National President
Ottawa, ON � Dennis Jackson has been re-elected as the National President of the Federal Superannuates National Association (FSNA) at Convention 07, the association�s fourteenth triennial convention. Mr. Jackson was first elected as National President in 2004 and was re-elected to serve another three-year term on August 19, 2007. For more details, click here.
March 20, 2007
FSNA reacts favourably to the 2007 federal budget
FSNA National President congratulates the Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty for following through on his
commitment to include in the federal budget measures that are beneficial to older Canadians and pensioners,
in particular the implementation of pension income splitting and the increases to the age amount and the
pension income amount.
For more details, click here.
March 5, 2007
FSNA's Executive Director to be first Chair of the National Seniors Council
FSNA is extremely pleased to acknowledge that its Executive Director Jean-Guy Soulière has been appointed
Chair of the new National Seniors Council that will advise the federal government on seniors'
issues of national importance.
For more details, click here.
April
2006
SDB
dismissal of claims is being appealed
The decision of the Supreme Court of British Columbia to dismiss
the claims of both Public Service and Canadian Forces class actions
regarding the Supplementary Death Benefits (SDB) is being appealled.
These actions challenged the age-related benefit reduction as
discriminatory and contrary to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The appeal will be�heard in September 2007 by the B.C. Court of Appeal, which should render its�decision�within�three months.
January
23, 2006
SDB Class Actions
dismissed
The Supreme Court of British Columbia dismissed the claims of
both Public Service and Canadian Forces class actions regarding
the Supplementary Death Benefits (SDB). These actions challenged
the age-related benefit reduction as discriminatory and contrary
to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The plaintiffs' lawyers are reviewing the judgment and will be
considering their options. Further information can be found on
their Web
site.
For a copy of the judgement issued on January 19, 2006, click
here.
May
27, 2004
Issues
of Interest to FSNA VS Political Parties' Platforms
(PDF 191 kb)
February
6, 2003
FSNA congratulates
First Ministers for moving in the right direction to protect and
enhance our health care system
Statement by Rex G. Guy, FSNA National President
The Federal Superannuates National Association (FSNA) congratulates
the First Ministers for taking their responsibilities seriously
and reaching an accord on health care renewal. They placed the
need for improving our cherished health care system above political
bickering.
Although FSNA made recommendations to the Kirby Committee and
the Romanow Commission to go further in certain areas, it is satisfied
that the First Ministers are moving in the right direction to
achieve what the majority of Canadians want: the renewal, improvement
and sustainability of our public health care.
FSNA supports the Accord in that it will ensure that all Canadians
will have access to health services on the basis of need, not
ability to pay, regardless of where they live in Canada. The agreement
maintains and reconfirms the principles of the Canada Health Act
and the stated values of Canadians.
The Association is pleased to see that services such as home
care are to be improved and that Health Ministers are being directed
to determine, within 9 months, the minimum level of services to
be provided for home care and palliative care. It will, however,
continue its efforts towards the implementation of a universal
home care program.
The Association also feels that implementing measures to ensure
that all Canadians will have reasonable access to catastrophic
drug coverage by the end of 2005/06 is a step in the right direction,
but it would have preferred, and will continue to advocate, a
universal pharmacare program for all Canadians.
The Association is reassured to see that politicians came to
understand that the health care system is not about politics,
but about Canadian values, and that they took steps not only to
preserve our publicly funded system, but also to continue to promote
healthy living.
November
29, 2002
Final Report of
the Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada
Statement by Rex G.
Guy, FSNA National President
The Federal Superannuates National Association congratulates
Mr. Romanow for having listened to all Canadians and for correctly
interpreting the clear message of the overwhelming majority of
them who want the protection and enhancement of a publicly funded
and administered health care system.
Although FSNA feels that the final
report released yesterday by the Commission does not go far
enough in certain areas, such as pharmacare and long-term home
care, we are pleased to see that it addresses all of the recommendations
made by the Association when it appeared before the Romanow Commission,
in April.
Those who oppose the major thrust of the report, including certain
politicians, are not in tune with what Canadians want. These politicians
are again reminded that the principles of the health care system
are cherished by a vast majority of Canadians. Politics must not
hinder improvements to the health care system. Canadians pay all
taxes and value heath care far more than "turf wars".
All FSNA members are asked to openly support the recommendations
and advocate immediate action. At the national level, FSNA will
work with the other 11 groups of the Congress of National Seniors
Organizations to ensure that the Prime Minister and the federal
Minister of Health live up to their recent commitments relating
to the recommendations of the Romanow Commission. The Congress
will also develop a strategy to ensure that all politicians are
aware that the 2 million older Canadians who are members of these
organizations will not accept anything else than the viable and
expanded health care system outlined in Mr. Romanow's report.
April
22, 2002
FSNA's
Brief to
the (Romanow) Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada.
You can download the free Adobe Acrobat reader here.
February
22 , 2002
FSNA's presentation
to the Kirby Commission received with enthusiasm and interest
On Thursday 21 February,
FSNA appeared before the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs,
Science, and Technology that is studying health care in Canada
(the Kirby Commission). The National President's speaking notes
can be accessed by clicking
here.
January
31, 2002
The following
notice is posted as a service to our members in compliance with
the court order certifying this class action and in consultation
with the lawyers for the claimants and with government officials.
Notice of Class Actions Regarding Supplementary Death Benefits
Under Federal Superannuation Legislation
Withler v. Attorney
General of Canada (Court No. L010910)
Fitzsimonds v. Attorney General of Canada (Court No. L011356)
The British Columbia
Supreme Court has certified the above cases as class actions.
If you received or were entitled to receive a Supplementary Death
Benefit under the federal Public Service Superannuation Act ("the
PSSA") or Canadian Forces Superannuation Act ("the CFSA")
between April 17, 1985 and November 2, 2001, you may be a member
of the classes in these actions.
What are the actions
about?
Under the PSSA and the CFSA, a Supplementary Death Benefit is
payable to beneficiaries of deceased federal Public Servants and
Canadian Forces members. Until late 1999, the amount of the benefit
payable was reduced by 10% per year for covered members who died
after age 60. Since 1999, the 10% yearly reduction under the PSSA
applies after age 65, rather than age 60.
The class actions
challenge the age-related benefit reduction as discriminatory,
contrary to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A similar
case brought on an individual basis in the Federal Court of Canada
by Mrs. Ruth Margolis resulted in a judgment for the plaintiff.
The class actions are brought on behalf of all persons who are
members of the defined classes.
Who are the class
members?
The classes in the two actions include persons presently resident
in Canada to whom Supplementary Death Benefits under the PSSA
or the CFSA were paid or became payable where:
a) the participants
in respect of whom the benefits were paid or payable died between
April 17, 1985 and November 2, 2001, and
b) the amount of
the benefit was reduced due to the age reduction provisions
of the PSSA or the CFSA.
What do I need
to do to take part in the class actions?
If you do not live in British Columbia, you must contact
the law firm of Giaschi & Margolis at the address below by
May 19, 2002 if you want to participate in the actions.
If you do not contact them, you will not be able to share in any
money that the Court may award in the class actions.
If you live in
British Columbia, you do not need to do anything to participate.
You are automatically included in the class actions. If you do
not want to participate, you must opt out by May 19, 2002
by completing an opt-out notice available from Giaschi & Margolis
at the address below. Giaschi & Margolis can help confirm
whether you are a class member.
Giaschi & Margolis
401-815 Hornby Street
Vancouver BC V6Z 2E6
Tel: (866) 274-6547 (Toll Free)
Fax: (604) 681-4260
E-mail: publicserviceclassaction@giaschimargolis.ca
or canadianforcesclassaction@giaschimargolis.ca
When contacting Giaschi
& Margolis, please provide:
- your name and/or
the name of the estate you represent
- your address
- your relationship
to the deceased
- the deceased's
name and date of death
Do I need to pay anything?
You do not have to pay any direct legal fees out of your own pocket.
If the cases are not successful, no legal fees will be charged.
By agreement with
the representative plaintiffs, counsel fees may be calculated
at 30% of any amounts recovered. If a settlement, judgment, voluntary
payment or execution or other benefit is obtained, the lawyers
will apply to court for approval of a fee that is consistent with
the terms of this agreement, or some lesser amount. The court
will decide what amount is fair.
This arrangement compensates
the lawyers for the risk they have assumed in advancing the cases
and performing the legal work. The lawyers do not receive any
money unless the cases are successful. Even if the class actions
do not succeed, class members are not responsible for the fees
of any of the lawyers involved in the cases.
Who are the lawyers
for the classes?
Giaschi & Margolis
401-815 Hornby Street
Vancouver BC
V6Z 2E6
Branch MacMaster
1210-777 Hornby Street
Vancouver BC
V6Z 1S4
Arvay Finlay
4th Floor, 888 Fort Street
Victoria BC
V8W 1H8
Who do I contact for more information?
For more information or to opt into or out of the class actions,
please contact Giaschi & Margolis at the address set out above.
You can also monitor Branch MacMaster's website at:
http://www.branmac.com/pages/publicservice.html
or http://www.branmac.com/pages/canadianforces.html
November 4, 2001
Brief
to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and
Technology
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