A new Year and new Beginnings - I had a nice vacation catching up on appointments - Forced Rest and Niagara Falls

Well, today is the 6th of January and it is the last day I will have my Christmas decorations lit up. I have my small tree by my desk lit up right now. My house is full of decorations. Part of me wishes I could extend this and the other part says enough already you need more space. So tomorrow I shall start putting everything away in my free time. Plastic boxes are waiting for another descent. I spent much of my holiday catching up with delayed appointments. I found another physio therapist connected to the University of Toronto with their own physician and gym which my other lacked. My other physio therapist left to buy an affordable house and he simply could not be replaced. I can now drive to my family's home needing to stop twice there and once upon returning with difficulty, after a good nights sleep. I am progressing, though slowly. Now let me tell you what happened. I share so it doesn't happen to you and because that is what I do on my blog. This is about moving. As you know, I am always checking out homes in Niagara because simply put that is where I always planned to retire, though retirement is less relevant than it used to be. I did choose this line of work because while I have a well functioning brain, I can always work. Anyhow, what was keeping me intact was Mr Attitude. I still miss the little Testosterone. I am always looking on line at property in Niagara and have been for years waiting for the little guy to go to heaven. I saw a real nice condo with an indoor pool and all the works. It also had a back deck facing a wooded area (my delight). However, there were pet restrictions and I decided I didn't want to be told what I can and cannot do or have in my home. Pet restrictions is a deal breaker no matter how nice everything else is. Almost everyone I know has pets and I want them to visit with their pets because they are part of the family. I saw a house I really liked but it costs more than I would be willing to pay and it is right across the street from a cemetary. "Well, you wouldn't have to worry about nosey neighbours," sibling informed me. I didn't respond that there was a fire pit on the premises and after my demise, I could be cremated and buried late at night across the street which would be very cost effective. Don't get me wrong, I love the house and imagined myself swinging in the porch while reading books. Being only three miles from the Falls and a park resting next to the cemetery maybe I could get used to the serenity. However, this is something I want to grow old into and it has two floors and would I have difficulty climbing when I am a hundred? You know for the longest time the tax part of the description was 1000. and recently it changed to 2000. I think if I was taking that to heart, I would have to verify with the city because I don't quite believe it. It is a huge piece of property. The deal breaker: it has a hot tub on the main floor which they broadly announce with a fireplace and washroom. I would rather have a bedroom or office on the main floor with washroom and no hot tub. Sibling reminds me that I can tell them to have that moved out, but then it would be more difficult to negotiate the price. I don't want to pay their asking price. So, that is a write off at the moment. If price comes down, then I can say get rid of the hot tub so I can use it for what the main floor would be used for - me. I am not against a hot tub. I like them, but for my taste, it belongs outside in the backyard beside the pool. No, it does not have a pool. But, there has been a nice brick bungalo with a good sized garage a nice house, and what captured my heart - a private backyard beside a wooded pathway. All nature to be seen through large windows capturing the beasts that roam. Love that. I noticed it sold last year and when it came back to the market I thought it was my chance. I contacted the realestate agent and my brain started to work full time. I planned to go to Niagara in a few weeks look at the house and I was quite prepared to buy it, following an inspection and of course my affairs here. I knew the central air is old, but so is mine. I know their furnace is, mine has been replaced. She said the roof was 5 years old and that is good, but of course I would want to have everything verified. That an existing house inspection done just a year ago wasn't readily available to me was a yellow flag, but then I could do my own at an additonal cost. I don't expect perfection, but I want to know what I am up against. That there are huge windows everywhere can be costly to replace if there are leaks. I had it all planned. The agent told me it was "quiet" and yes that was why I was attracted to it. Peace and quiet except for the howling of the wolves (ok, I just made that up). I thought that perhaps I should retire and focus on my writing after a year or so. I also thought of timing. Toronto is a buying market at the moment and I prefer multiple biddings depending on who is profiting. My books- I sell at opportunities I have in Toronto. I belong to the Writers of Canada and Sisters of Mystery Writers (which include men of course). I would have to return to Toronto for my social networks, or would I? I was right down to planning what I would throw out, take with me and believe it or not how I would decorate my new home. It went from scary to exciting. I even knew where I would go for high tea in the few days I had planned to go there along with finding a lawyer there etc......My brain was just going. I even decided what would go into the garage - my Christmas decorations. Then my sibling sends me something and it is a newspaper article. The mansion next door which I can see from my home, but which shares there property on all sides except the front is going to be demolished for a new affordable development. I read the article. My heart is pounding with unbelief. My paradise - lost, gone, to develpment. There will be noise galore, so much for the agent ensuring me it will be "quiet" and even worse than the noise (how can I work with the noise?) will be the lack of privacy - no more, just me and my squirrels and birds. I have more privacy now in my backyard with my trees than I would have moving there. So I forward the article to the agent with my regrets. Guess what? She knew. What did I learn from this? I will only use an agent from Niagara (this one wasn't), another flag for me, and I know whom that will be. She is award winning and I hope that includes honesty. I had actually planned to spend more than I would have liked to stay where I could see a show which didn't seem to really exist since an American partner bought it from our government along with previous deals. It also had all these additional costs included in the price and I wondered if that was why it doubled. It has gotten me to think about stuff as well. Maybe I should buy a condo here by the waterfront and a trailer in Niagara? Maybe I should wait to see what else shows up at Toronto Island and spend cold winters South at a pssible, 11th province, if Trump would like to join us. We still have better health care, so Americans would prosper. I can work anywhere as long as I have my computer. There are so many options and it is all good, because you see, I am in no rush. I just need another dream affordable home. Now Niagara Falls, you know I love you. I just need to be on high alert for full disclosure. What do you think? "Sibling, lunch or supper is on me at any place you like. You saved me lots of money." Oh and if I do go to Niagara, I now want a garage, nature, and nice verandah with that swing and why not a pool? I need nature and not developments.

Happy New Year World

I am fighting off a cold so I had to cancel plans, but it is all good. The New Year is a time to reflect and to decide what we want to achieve in the New Year, what do we aspire to achieve? Who do we want in our lives? What makes us happy? What can we do to make others happy? It is a time for inspiration. I wish you all a wonderful New Year. My heart and prayers today also extends to New Orleans. As we move forward ask what we can do to make our world better, kinder and what can we do to make it safer and wiser. Best wishes and one happy New Year!!!!!

Still enjoying my Christmas break...........What can I say? I can do this all year round.

Christmas music

Merry Christmas; Happy Holidays

It is now snowing and it is beautiful. I love this time of year and Christmas needs snow and so I am very happy. My vacation begins today. This is the time for me to spend with family and friends and of course animals. This morning I was thinking of how much I have to be grateful about. I love life. I actually really like my neighbourhood and the people and animals in it. I am grateful for all the opportunities my country has given me. I love that I have choices galore. I will be keeping my blogs short and light for the season. I will be giving myself a mini vacation. Yes, I will be checking my emails twice a day and taking emergency calls, but I will be tring to remove as much work as possible until after the holidays. In January I shall be increasing my fees for psychotherapy to 180.00 a fifty minute session. I have lots to read for work, but that will have to wait until the new year. Please take time off for yourselves as well if you can. Think about the positives in your lives. Take a look at my websites: redigondapsychotherapy.com and silvaredigonda.myshopify.com The Post office has re-opened. I won't be writing to Santa Claus this year. Sorry Santa. Keep safe, reach out to someone who may need you and remember what this season is all about. Merry Christmas world.

Federal Pensions

On Nov. 25, the Treasury Board president announced the $1.9 billion non-permitted surplus would move from the Public Service Pension Fund to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Federal Retirees has received several questions about the “non-permitted surplus” in the Public Service Pension Fund. Media coverage has varied, and there are conflicting views and positions on the issue. We're here to clarify things, answer your questions and set the record straight. Whatever happens, know that Federal Retirees has your back and is standing up for your interests. I heard the government has taken federal public service pension funds. What has happened? On Nov. 25, 2024, a non-permitted surplus in the Public Service Pension Fund was revealed in a statement by Treasury Board President Anita Anand. At the same time, the federal government announced its intention to move approximately $1.9 billion from the Public Service Pension Fund to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and explore the next steps — effectively taking the surplus and moving it to the federal government’s central account at the Bank of Canada. How can the government do this? The rules that govern the Public Service Pension Plan are outlined in the Public Service Superannuation Act (PSSA). According to subsection 44.4 (5) of the PSSA the plan is in a non-permitted surplus position when the plan is funded at over 125 per cent. The Public Service Pension Fund was found by the chief actuary of Canada to have a funded ratio of 126.3 per cent. If in the minister’s opinion there is a non-permitted surplus, the government can authorize: A pause in contributions to the Public Service Pension Fund for the employer. (This is done automatically as soon as there is a non-permitted surplus.) A pause in contributions from the employees. An immediate transfer of the non-permitted surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. While these options are those that are explicitly outlined in the PSSA, the federal government is not prevented from taking on other options that would allow plan members to share in the surplus. The Treasury Board president’s statement outlined the federal government’s intention to move approximately $1.9 billion from the Public Service Pension Fund to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The next day, Nov. 26, 2024, the chief actuary of Canada’s Special Actuarial Report 2024 on the financial position of the Public Service Pension Fund as at 31 March 2024 was released revealing that the government omitted a serious finding in their initial announcement. While, according to the Treasury Board president, the non-permitted surplus would be resolved by Dec. 1, 2024, it would begin growing again immediately afterwards unless a pause in contributions (known as a ‘contribution holiday’) was considered. If the projections in the report are accurate, the federal government would stand to reap $7.4 billion in saved contributions. Despite this, the Treasury Board president considers the plan no longer in surplus. How did the plan get to a surplus? Our members’ pension contributions and equivalent government contributions are set aside in a fund managed by the Public Sector Pension Investment Board also known as PSP Investments. PSP Investments has done excellent work growing the pension fund through investments in a variety of assets including capital markets, real estate, private equity, infrastructure, natural resources, etc. It has reported a 10-year net annualized return of 8.3 per cent. Due to a number of factors, pension surpluses have become more common in Canada. Canadian pension legislation allows a variety of options to handle pension plan surpluses: contribution holidays (whether from the employer, the employees or both), an increase in benefits or risk management (like the purchase of group annuities). It has become more common for surpluses to consider retirees, too. For example, in 2018, a surplus at HOOPP (Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan) allowed them to introduce increases to survivor benefits at no extra cost. What other options could help deal with the non-permitted surplus in a way that’s fairer to plan members — including retirees? While the PSSA would need to be amended to increase pension benefits to retirees and employees, there are other avenues available to the government. As they chose to move the non-permitted surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, those funds — currently around $1.9 billion — became part of general government spending. Therefore, the funds could be used for any purpose, including one-time payments to active members and retirees. The funds could also be used to help retiree plan members such as, for instance, funding an increase in dental benefits for federal retirees. These solutions would not require the government to review the pension legislation and could be accomplished as part of the fall economic update or through the Budget Implementation Act, for example. Some people are worried if amendments intended to increase pension benefits are made to the PSSA, that it would immediately lead to fundamental changes in the way the pension plan works. However, amendments to the PSSA do not need to be substantial — the legislation is amended regularly, almost annually, with the most recent amendments being made in the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023 to increase the number of directors of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board. So, what happens next? The government has said that it plans on “engaging with all stakeholders” for “next steps.” Though, at the time of writing, no invitations to discussions had been made to any stakeholders (bargaining agents and federal retirees). The Treasury Board president received the report from the chief actuary thirty Parliamentary sitting days (nearly two months) prior to the federal government’s announcement in late November 2024. The high likelihood of a non-permitted surplus has also been known since the last actuarial report in February 2022. There was ample time to communicate intentions with stakeholders, including time to discuss next steps. Labour unions, including the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Professional Institute of the Public Service and Canadian Association of Professional Employees, have released statements condemning the government’s actions. The Association was critical of the initial announcement and further developments and will continue to monitor the situation. Federal Retirees’ next steps will be considered by our board when there is more information. Members will be updated as soon as possible.

Missing Holy Terror