MURAnews Winter 2025

President's Corner

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and welcome all, to a brand-new year.

Given the year end, it seemed appropriate to look back at 2024 and set out some of our aspirations for 2025. As mentioned in previous newsletters, we have a working vision for MURA for the foreseeable future.

Vision
That Seniors coalesce, and using their time, experience and collective weight, work with young people and other interested parties, to leave a safer, cleaner, kinder, more ethical and just world for future generations.

One of the critical goals, which will help us to achieve our vision, is to deepen our relationship with the University. We want to develop as many mutually beneficial connections as possible.

We have many knowledgeable members within MURA with decades of experience to share. The University is under immense financial pressure to do more with less. It seems a natural fit so see where retirees might be able to fill in some gaps.

It would be fabulous to see retirees working with students on projects that make a difference in the world. They could share real world expertise, do some of the leg work, and develop relationships with the students that would help bridge the gap in understanding and respect between young and old. I know there are instances of this, but we could do more.

For our part, we regularly hold our meetings and events on campus to support Hospitality and a variety of campus venues. In the last couple of years alone, these activities/venues have included the Planetarium and Museum of Art, campus tours, and annual holiday parties, retiree orientation luncheons, and Spring Flings.

In Council, some connections are ongoing. Designated Council members represent MURA on the Board of Governors and Pension Trust Committee providing a conduit for two-way communication about important issues. The Chair of MURA Awards & Scholarships is working with the McMaster Alumni Association to increase the scholarships sponsored by MURA.

Our communications teams variously work with HR to update retiree information and respond to inquiries from our members. The newsletter team produces this newsletter, which keeps people informed of items of interest regarding both MURA and McMaster.

Some of our members volunteer with the Student Success Center’s “Mac’s Money Centre” teaching students about income taxes, and supervising clinics for students in tax season.

Another boxed exams in December. She enjoyed being back on campus and provided a valuable service. Two others evaluated entrance, in-course, and graduand award applications.

MURA is in an enviable position vis-a-vis our structure and support from the University. For McMaster’s part, in addition to financial assistance to MURA, our President, Dr. Farrar, has been very supportive of our direction and needs. There are also many departments in McMaster who assist us ... Parking with free parking for our on-campus activities, HR with a dedicated liaison to Council to respond to retiree concerns, UTS Service Desk for retiree email and Council needs, the Student Centre with free meeting space, Alumni with ticketing capability for our events, and more I am sure that I have forgotten.

We have made some good progress this year in expanding our connections. MURA has been working closely with MPS to move its print work and website to McMaster. This would automatically make our website AODA and McMaster brand compliant. Any future updates, upgrades, new features, etc. roll out automatically to all MPS sites.

MPS, through the Library, is also working with us to provide scanning ability for our Archive Digitization Project. A big thank you to those who did all the pre-work in listing the existing files, and to MPS for their support.

Future projects on the drawing board include investigating the possibility of having a student do our social media for course credit, creating a shared drive, and considering development of a media literacy program.

We would love to hear from you about your connections with the University ... how they support you and/or how you support them. Also, if you can think of other ways that we can build connections with McMaster, please let us know (mura@mcmaster.ca).

Wishing you and yours all the best in the coming year!

Jan Nicholson
nichojr@mcmaster.ca

News and Events

Call for Nominations

MURA is a volunteer-based organization whose mandate is to facilitate a continuing spirit of unity and connection among retirees and former colleagues, represent the interests of members in matters relating to their accrued benefits, contribute to and support the University, and foster an understanding of MURA’s functions among employees nearing retirement. See Article 2 of the MURA Constitution.

The duly constituted MURA Nominating Committee is now receiving input for the nomination of Council members for the three-year term starting in June 2025, as well as for President and Vice President for a one-year term.

The list of candidates will be presented by the Nominating Committee at the March meeting of Council.

Please forward expressions of personal interest and/or suggestions for nominees to the Nominating Committee Chair, Susan Birnie at: birnie@mcmaster.ca or (905) 681-6807 or to any member of the Nominating Committee, no later than February 16, 2025.
 
Council representatives:    Barry Diacon, Nora Gaskin
Member representatives:  Milica Pavlica, Kathy Ball
Chair:                                     Susan Birnie

Welcome New Retirees

MURA’s Social Reach

By Diana Parker

Are you looking for a little more social activity?

After the shocks and restrictions of the last five years, it's nice to see MURA members coming together over shared goals and enjoyment of the return of our social events. The Holiday luncheon in December was a sold-out success!

In addition to the annual Holiday party and the Spring Fling, in the last year or so MURA events have included tours of the Planetarium, the Museum of Art, the return of the Retiree Orientation luncheons, campus tours, and a group outing to a Tiger-Cats game. Many thanks to the organizer of all these events, Mary Gauld, MURA’s Special Events Coordinator.

In addition to special events, Mary has been organizing monthly walks, which not only get us moving but enjoying nature and the beauty of our communities.

If you'd like a little more social activity and a way to maintain connections with McMaster, MURA would love to hear from you. Be sure to watch for our emails and newsletters for upcoming events. We can let you know more about what we're doing, and you can find your space with us.

MURA Walks

By Mary Gauld, Special Events Coordinator

Annual Holiday Party

By Mary Gauld, Special Events Coordinator

The Annual Holiday party was held on Monday, December 2, 2024, with 105 in attendance. A big thank you goes out to the Alumni Office for assisting us with the registration and to the Parking Office for supplying us with parking vouchers and allowing people to park on campus early.

The staff at the CIBC Hall were very professional and helpful. The meal was wonderful – plenty of festive food and the buffet lineups went along quickly.

The door prizes were a huge success! We had approximately 30 prizes – many donated from on-campus departments.

• Thank you to: David Hulley, Vineland Estates Winery; Richard Fisher, Richard Fisher Pottery; Shawn & Ed Brewing Company; Dundas Little Theatre; Virginia Aksan, Denise Anderson, Susan Birnie, Barry Diacon, Betty Furlong, Mary Gauld, Amanda Hammill, Jane Mah, Diana Parker, and Judith Shedden.
• Thank you to campus groups: President’s office, Parking Services, Associate Vice President & Chief Financial Officer’s office, Human Resources, Hospitality Services, Phoenix Restaurant, University Technology Services, and Housing & Conference Services.

We recommend putting next year’s Holiday Party in your calendar! Tentative date is Tuesday December 2, 2025, in the CIBC Hall – we will update you closer to the event.

The MURA Archives

By Mary Johnston

Do you have any old issues of MURA newsletters lurking in your basement?

Deep in the bowels of Gilmour Hall, in a windowless room about the size of a walk-in closet, reside the many documents that form the physical MURA archive. I’ve spent some time there over the past couple of years sorting through piles of paper and recently submitted the resulting inventory to MURA Council.

A good number of these documents have been scanned and made available to MURA members through our website. There you can see:

• Issues of MURAnews ranging from 2003 to the present,
• Minutes from most Annual General Meetings dating back to 1986,
• Photos from MURA events and lists of past MURA Council members (available via ‘Archive’ from the menu at the top-right of the homepage).

Retirees in the News

Gary J. Schrobilgen, an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, is the 2024 recipient of the Prix International Henri Moissan, the most prestigious award in the field of fluorine chemistry. This triennial award, administered by the Fondation de la Maison de la Chimie (Paris, France), was awarded this past summer at the 24th International Symposium on Fluorine Chemistry in Shanghai, China. He will be presented with the Moissan Medal at a special ceremony held at the Maison de la Chimie in Paris in November 2025.

Schrobilgen is also the recipient of the American Chemical Society (ACS) 2025 M. Frederick Hawthorne Award in Main Group Inorganic Chemistry. He will be honoured at the Spring ACS National Meeting in March 2025, and he will deliver the award lecture at the Fall ACS National Meeting in Washington, D.C in August 2025, at a symposium and banquet held in his honour.

For additional information, see the McMaster Faculty of Science’s post on LinkedIn.

Tom Lee is a beloved retired professor in the Faculty of Engineering who led the Master of Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation program in the W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology. He retired last year after being diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic colon cancer. A fundraiser in his honour, led by Michele Vaz, has more than tripled its initial goal of $3,000, collecting more than $10,000 in donations for cancer care. These funds will support the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre in Kitchener-Waterloo, where Lee is receiving palliative chemotherapy. A new chemotherapy technology chair will be purchased in honour of Lee and the W Booth School.

For additional information, see the McMaster Daily News article: Engineering fundraiser shows ‘how much our community cares for and appreciates Tom’.

Ted Warkentin, an Emeritus Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pathology & Molecular Medicine, has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canadian Blood Services in recognition of his work to improve the safety and quality of blood products and to advance medical practices. The award, established in 2002, honours individuals whose landmark contributions have significantly advanced the fields of transfusion and transplantation medicine, stem cell, or cord blood research. Warkentin’s work has focused on understanding and treating blood-clotting disorders, such as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and severe limb damage due to poor blood flow and increased blood clotting in critically ill patients. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and the American College of Physicians.

For additional information, see the Brighter World article: Professor emeritus receives Canadian Blood Services Lifetime Achievement award.

Khursheed Ahmed, a retired Professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and retired Manager of Computer Services Unit in the Faculty of Health Sciences, has been honoured as a 2024 recipient of the Order of Hamilton, which recognizes exceptional voluntary contributions of individual Hamiltonians. Ahmed has dedicated decades to fostering peace, inclusion, and community building in Hamilton. He is a driving force behind numerous citizen-led initiatives, including the Gandhi Peace Festival Organizing Committee since 1993, and as an organizer and editor of the annual magazine Living Gandhi Today. He received the Gandhi Festival Public Service Award in 2011.

Ahmed co-authored Waging Peace in Hamilton 1960–2017, a significant work documenting local peace efforts. His leadership extends to the South Asian Heritage Association of Hamilton & Region, the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Memorial Planning Committee, Physicians for Global Survival, the Immigrant and Refugee Advisory Committee, the Hate Crime Case Review Team of the Hamilton Police Service, and Project Ploughshares, which advocates for nuclear disarmament and nonviolent conflict resolution. Ahmed’s open-door policy has provided countless international students, refugees, and scholars with a welcoming environment, exemplifying his generosity and inclusivity.

For additional information, see the City of Hamilton website: Order of Hamilton 2024 Recipients. 

Your Money/Your Health

January 2025 Pension Plan Updates

By Brian Beckberger, MURA Representative, Pension Trust Committee, in consultation with Human Resources

McMaster University’s pension plans have experienced good returns in the last two years. The Bank of Canada has made significant progress in reducing interest rates and the strength of the United States and Canadian economies have had a very positive effect on the stock markets. The drag on pension increases is the -13.20% loss in pension assets we experienced in 2022. Unfortunately, the 2022 loss has had a dampening effect on the last two years of increases.   

How Annual Pension Increases are calculated

Salaried Pension Plans
The annual pension increase is based on the five-year average annual rate of return on the pension fund as of the previous June 30. The five-year average annual rate of return for the Salaried Pension Plans was 6.71% as of June 30, 2024 [(12.63 + 12.71 -13.2 + 16.73 + 4.68)/5]. There is a pension increase if this average exceeds 4.50% for most retirees of the Salaried Pension Plans. For New Unifor Retirees (hired on or after May 1, 2010), the average must exceed 5.00%.

Effective January 1, 2025, for new Unifor retirees (hired on or after May 1, 2010), the pension increase has been calculated at 1.71%. The pension increase for all other members of the Salaried Pension Plans has been calculated at 2.21%. Those who retired between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, will receive a pro-rated increase.

Hourly Pension Plan
The annual pension increase is based on the five-year average annual rate of return on the pension fund as of the previous June 30. The five-year average annual rate of return for the Hourly Pension Plan was 6.25% as of June 30, 2024 [(9.82 + 16.66 – 13.57 + 13.97 + 4.39)/5]. There is a pension increase if this average exceeds 6.00%.

Effective January 1, 2025, for members of the Hourly Pension Plan the pension increase has been calculated at 0.25%. Those who retired between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, will receive a pro-rated increase.

Supplementary Pension Increases

Salaried Pension Plans
The supplementary pension increase provision for the Plans provides for an increase in pension if the following two conditions are met:

1. The rate of return in excess of 4.5% (5.0% for Unifor Local 5555 members hired on or after May 1, 2010) exceeds the Consumer Price Index (CPI); and
2. The cumulative increase from Annual Pension Increases and Supplementary Pension Increases was less than the cumulative increase based solely on CPI Formula increases in the previous 3 years.

The average CPI to June 30, 2024 was 3.11%.

Since both conditions were not met, there were no supplementary increases for January 2025.

Hourly Pension Plan
The supplementary pension increase provision of the Plan provides for increases in excess of the annual average CPI if the following two conditions are met:

1. The rate of return in excess of 6% exceeds the CPI Formula; and
2. The cumulative increase from annual pension increases and supplementary pension increases was less than the cumulative increase based solely on the CPI Formula increases in the previous 3 years.

The average CPI to June 30, 2024 was 3.11%.

Since both conditions were not met, there was no supplementary increase for January 2025.

Additional information on the Salaried Pension Plans and the Hourly Pension Plan can be found on the Human Resources Services website.

Biennial Pension Information Statements

2024 Tax Documents

• McMaster University Retirees Association (MURA)
• Sun Life (for benefits)
• CIBC Mellon (for pensions)
• McMaster HR System

Address changes can be submitted using any of the following methods:

• Phone: 905-525-9140, extension 22247
• Email: hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca
• Mail: Complete the Human Resources Retiree Address Change Form and mail it to the HR Contact Centre at the address on the form

If you have a new email address, please contact MURA at: mura@mcmaster.ca.

Housing Options for Older Adults in Hamilton – 2024

By Ellen Ryan, co-leader of Hamilton Aging in Community

The Senior’s Advisory Committee of Hamilton has recently released the Housing Options for Older Adults in Hamilton – 2024 Resource Guide, a valuable tool designed to help older adults in Hamilton navigate housing alternatives. The guide provides essential information for individuals who wish to remain in their own homes for as long as possible and offers guidance on making informed decisions about future housing needs as circumstances change.

Key Features of the Guide:

• Housing Search Checklists: These help individuals or couples match their current and future needs with potential housing options, considering factors such as accessibility, medical services, amenities and more.
• Emergency Housing Resources: This section includes links to emergency housing options such as the Housing Help Centre in Hamilton.
• Housing Alternatives: Options are grouped into Ownership, Rental, and Seniors Services. It provides charts highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each option to facilitate productive discussions to guide housing decision-making.
• Staying in the Home: For those choosing to remain in their current residence, the guide offers information on senior-friendly renovations and tips for making your home safer.

How to Access the Guide:

You can view, download, or learn more about Housing Alternatives on the Hamilton Aging in Community website.

This guide is an invaluable resource for anyone planning where to live as they age. Spread the word!

The CanEMERG Mental Health Resource Hub

By John Horsman

The Boy Scout/Girl Guide motto is “Be Prepared” and in the broadest sense of the phrase is good advice. This can apply to many life events, even the mundane, like making sure you have enough gas in the car before embarking on a long journey or wearing clothing appropriate for the weather. But what about extreme events? Emergencies and disasters, while they may be short-lived, can be psychologically distressing and often develop into mental health difficulties. These difficulties may manifest as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, or moral injury. People may also experience anticipatory anxiety at the fear of personal exposure or exposure by loved ones to traumatic events. How does one Be Prepared for these types of events? The information presented here is extracted from the new CanEMERG website.

The Trauma and Recovery Research Unit (TRRU) of McMaster University Health Sciences, supported by Public Health Canada, and in conjunction with Homewood Research Institute, St. Joseph’s Healthcare and Homewood Health has developed the Canadian Emergency Response Psychosocial Support Network. Their website is a mental health resource hub offering tools and resources to help Canadians navigate emergencies and other potentially traumatic events such as climate related disasters. The website, while still in “beta mode”, provides guidelines and self-assessment tools which help to recognize common responses to trauma and stress, to identify when a person needs support, and where to go for free mental health and well-being support across Canada. More features and functions are in development. The goal is to help families and individuals cope before, during, and after potentially psychologically traumatic events such as pandemics (think COVID), natural disasters (think of the forest fires of 2024), and major weather events (think recent Newfoundland-Labrador winter storm leaving thousands without power).

Of course, natural disasters are not the only extreme stressors. The TRRU characterizes trauma related illnesses and post traumatic stress injuries (PTSD) among military members and veterans as well as first responders and survivors of childhood abuse and trauma. Their website provides tools and resources based on psychological first aid principles for basic emotional support which builds coping skills to enhance well-being and mental health, reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD, help with mood correction and nurture a sense of control.

The CanEMERG website homepage is a no-nonsense call to action for those who need help. Their opening banner tells us that “Help is within reach”, urging one to call 9-1-1 if you feel you are in danger or require urgent medical help, or 9-8-8 if you are suicidal or know of someone thinking about suicide. There is a link to an extensive National Directory list of mental health resources reaching from “coast to coast to coast”, which includes resources such as:

• 2-1-1: for help connecting people to local information and services re “Wellness support”.
• 8-1-1 Healthline: manned by registered nurses 24/7 to provide health advice and support.
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: providing crisis support 24/7 for adults 18+.
• Badge of Life Canada: support group sessions for public safety personnel and their families.
• Beyond Silence: to promote early intervention and support for the mental health of health care providers.
• BounceBack: a skill building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) for people with depression, anxiety, general stress.
• Canada Drug Rehab Addictions Services Directory: a directory of alcohol and drub rehab programs in Canada.
• Employee Assistance Program: an online chat for CAF or RCMP members and their families.
• Indigenous Services Canada
• Kids Help Phone
• Multicultural Mental Health Resource Centre
• Naseeha Mental Health
  … and many more …

The CanEMERG homepage also has fact sheets, resources on a province by province by territory basis, a self-assessment tool to check one’s own mental health status, and a mental health tool kit. The tools and strategies are meant to help manage stress during emergencies and disasters. It helps one learn about stress response psychology, how to recognize stressors and occasions when one is struggling. It provides strategies for coping in the moment and how to take a pause. It also recognizes that people are often their own worst critic and what can be done to help yourself. The GIVECARE module helps you get to a kinder, gentler place.

• G -- be Gentle with yourself
• I -- take Interest in why you might be feeling as you do
• V -- Validate, recognize and acknowledge your suffering
• E -- address yourself in an Easy manner, be kind, gentle, and fair with and on yourself
• C -- be Curious about your option(s)
• A -- Acknowledge that change is hard and doing things differently will be difficult
• R -- Reflect on which of your options is most likely to help you and finally
• E -- Encourage yourself to go through the option that you decide is best even and especially when it is hard.

If you or a family member, friend, or colleague experience difficulty coping with everyday life or a traumatic event, help can take the form of listening, supporting, and encouraging exploration of the CanEMERG website.

Parking on Campus

Permit Expiry Renewal Reminder
Retiree parking permits are issued on a 12-month basis and must be renewed annually. Renew prior to your expiry date by email, phone or by postal mail. Your transponder number is on the front of your transponder. If you have questions or have not made a note of your expiry date, please contact McMaster Parking Services by email at parking@mcmaster.ca or at 905-525-9140 ext. 24232.

A note to retirees without parking transponders
Free parking on campus is available to retirees. To take advantage of this perk, and to view retiree parking access, go to the McMaster Parking Services webpage. The Parking Office is accepting permit applications by email only. For further information, please contact Parking Services.

What is the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Program?

By Dawn Elston

The Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Program is available exclusively to Ontario residents and covers prescriptions filled at Ontario pharmacies. To confirm eligibility, the pharmacist will require a valid Ontario health card.

If you have Sun Life insurance, you can submit claims for ODB costs through your health care plan or health care spending account. Please note that reimbursements are subject to the terms and conditions of your Sun Life plan.

Who is eligible for the ODB Program

• Seniors (65 years and older)
• • You will qualify for the ODB program once you turn 65.
  • Approximately three months before your 65th birthday, you will receive a letter informing you of your automatic enrollment in the ODB program. Eligibility begins on the first day of the month following your 65th birthday.
• Eligibility before Age 65
• • You may qualify for the ODB program before turning 65 if you are living in one of the following:
  • • A long-term care home
    • A home for special care
    • A Community Home for Opportunity
• Low-income seniors
  

A low-income senior is:

• 65 years or older
• Has been a Canadian resident for at least 10 years
• Has lived in Ontario for at least 12 months
• Receives the federal Old Age Security (OAS) pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments
• Has an annual private income that is less than:
• • $4,176 (Single income)
  • $8,352 (Couple income)

If you are a low-income senior, you can have your ODB deductible waived and co-payment fees reduced to $2 by applying for the Seniors Co-Payment Program

What’s Covered Under the ODB Program

The ODB program covers a wide range of medications and health products, including:

• Approximately 5,000 prescription drugs
• Allergy shots and epinephrine injectable products (covered at 100%)
• Diabetes products and testing strips*
• Over-the-counter drugs*
• Nutrition products*
• HIV drugs*
• Palliative care drugs*
• Smoking cessation counselling

*Some medications and products are exempt. Please consult your physician or pharmacist for more information.

What do you pay

Seniors (65 years and older) contribute a portion of prescription drug costs, which is determined by their annual income and marital status.

	Deductible	Co-payment
Single income below $22,200 _____________________________________________ Combined income below $37,100	None	Up to $2.00
Single income above $22,200 _____________________________________________ Combined income above $37,100	$100 annual	No more than $6.11

• All costs can be claimed through Sun Life insurance.
• Reimbursements are subject to the terms and conditions of your Sun Life plan.
• The ODB program coverage year runs from August to July.

Questions about ODB Program Coverage

For inquiries about:

• Brand-name vs. generic drugs
• Limited use drugs
• Biologic vs. biosimilar drugs

Consult your physician or pharmacist to determine your eligibility.

For more information about:

• Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Program
• ODB Program Forms
  
• ODB Formulary search
• Sun Life Insurance Plan
• Trillium Drug Program
• Exceptional Access Program
  
• Prescription Drug Coverage in Canada

Claiming Sun Life Group Benefits Online

Even when submitting paper documents

By Nora Gaskin

If you’re receiving McMaster post-retirement benefits and submit claims or get reimbursements and statements by mail, a postal service disruption could mean delays in submitting claims, getting reimbursed, or keeping current on your benefits.

Even if you’re used to submitting your claims online, some claims formerly had to be mailed. Now though, you can submit most claims, including copies of receipts, forms and void cheques, with a photo or scan of a document. Here’s how.

Submitting with the mobile app on a smart phone or tablet*
Your claim will be submitted instantly, and in most cases your payment will be deposited directly into your bank account within 48 hours.

Even if you’re used to submitting your claims online, some claims formerly had to be mailed. Now though, you can submit most claims, including copies of receipts, forms and void cheques, with a photo or scan of a document. Here’s how.

Submitting with the mobile app on a smart phone or tablet*
Your claim will be submitted instantly, and in most cases your payment will be deposited directly into your bank account within 48 hours.

1. If you’re already registered on mysunlife.ca, you have an Access ID that you can use for my Sun Life mobile. Sign in using your access ID and password or touch ID**
2. From the Benefits tab select Submit a claim
3. Select the type of claim (medical, dental, vision, etc.) and follow the prompts
4. You may need to attach an image of your receipt. If a photo is needed, the photo submission feature will appear on your screen.
5. If Sun Life requests extra supporting documentation after your claim is submitted, you can send it by choosing Documents at the bottom of the home screen. You will need to provide the reference number for the request.

* Download the app or find further information about it at the Sun Life app page.

** In order to use the mobile app, you have to have registered for a Sun Life Access ID and password through mysunlife.ca. To do so, open the app and select Register below the sign-in box, or visit mysunlife.ca. To submit claims through the my Sun Life mobile app, you’ll also need to provide your banking information and register for paperless payment at mysunlife.ca. More information from Sun Life about registering online.

Submitting on the mysunlife.ca web site on a desktop

1. Sign in to my Sun Life
2. Go to the Benefits tab
3. Select Submit a claim
4. Select the type of claim (medical, dental, vision, etc.) and follow the prompts

If Sun Life requests extra supporting documentation after your claim is submitted, scan or take a picture of the documentation.

1. Follow steps 1-3 above
2. Select Claims in the upper navigation bar
3. Select Submit documents from the drop-down menu
4. Select the type of document you want to upload
5. Follow the instructions to complete your submission
   

Sources

McMaster HR

• General Sun Life information
• Postal disruption
• my Sun Life brochure
• My benefits online at a glance - navigating my Sun Life

Sun Life

• Mobile app download and overview
• Submitting claims online
• Submit digital Extended Health Care claims
• Register for my Sun Life online

Preparing to File your Income Tax Return

By Denise Anderson

Have you gathered all of your tax slips from last year? For example, you may need documentation for things like:

• Full-time or part-time employment (T4),
• Pension income (T4A),
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS), and/or Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) slips (T4A(P) / T4A(OAS) / T4A(GIS)),
• Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contributions or income (T4RSP),
• Retirement Investment Fund (RIF) income (T4RIF),
• investment income (T5),
• charitable donation tax receipts, and/or
• out-of-pocket medical expense receipts.

All Canadian tax slips should be issued on or before the last day of February.

Medical expenses
Keep your receipts for any medical expenses that you paid out-of-pocket, and that were not (fully) covered by Sun Life. You can claim a wide range of products, procedures, and services, such as medical supplies, dental care, and travel expenses. Visit canada.ca/taxes-medical-expenses.
 
Use the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Benefits Finder
The Benefits Finder can help you discover programs and services that could provide you with support during major life events like buying a home, or getting injured. To see all of the benefits you may be eligible to receive, go to canada.ca/benefits-finder.

There are a few ways to do your taxes

• Get help from a family member, friend, or tax preparer.
• Use certified tax software products to make online filing easy, and some products are free! Visit canada.ca/netfile.
• File on paper. Download a tax package at canada.ca/taxes-general-package or call 1-855-330-3305.
• You may be eligible for help at a free tax clinic if you have a modest income and a simple tax situation. Be sure to visit the eligibility criteria webpage for definitions of “modest income” and “a simple tax situation”. Volunteers prepare income tax and benefit returns for those who are eligible, for free. Use the directory to find a Free Tax Clinic near you.

NETFILE Access Code
For the 2024 tax year, prior to filing your tax return electronically with NETFILE, you will be asked to enter an Access code after your name, date of birth, and social insurance number. Your eight-character Access code is made up of numbers and letters and is located on the right side of your Notice of Assessment for the previous tax year. While this Access code is not mandatory, if you do not enter your Access code, you will not be able to use any information from your 2024 tax return when confirming your identity with the Canada Revenue Agency. You will have to rely on other information for authentication purposes.

Sign up for the CRA My Account for Individuals
My Account is a secure portal that lets you view your personal income tax and benefit information and manage your tax affairs online.

• View your personal income tax and benefit information
• Instantly update your personal information
• View and/or print all your tax slips that have been submitted to the CRA. (This may be particularly helpful if you have not received a hard copy through the mail.)
• View and/or print your Notice of Assessment from previous years
• Check your upcoming benefit and credit payments
• Check RRSP deduction limits and TFSA contribution room

If your bank is one of the CRA’s partner financial institutions, you can access your CRA My Account using your online banking credentials. Or you can register, or sign in with your CRA user ID and password at canada.ca/my-cra-account.

Digital services

A variety of services are available electronically such as: filing or changing a return, viewing and managing information in My Account, receiving email notifications from the CRA, submitting documents, making a payment, managing direct deposit, tracking the progress of files submitted, formally disputing your assessment or determination, and more. A few of these services are listed below. Visit

canada.ca/cra-electronic-services

Filing a return

• NETFILE is a free electronic tax-filing service that lets you do your personal taxes online and send your income tax and benefit return directly to the CRA.
• Auto-fill my return is a secure service that automatically fills in parts of the current and previous year’s returns.
• EFILE is a service that lets authorized tax preparers send individual income tax return information to the CRA directly from the software used to prepare the tax return. Fees for this service will vary depending on the number of tax slips that are to be submitted.

Getting information

• • • My Account: View your personal income tax and benefit information, and manage your tax affairs online.
    • Email notifications from the CRA: Register to receive email notifications, and get alerted when there's new mail to view in the account.
    • Submit documents: Securely send documents electronically to the CRA through My Account.
    • Progress Tracker: Get status updates on files and inquiries submitted to the CRA, as well as target completion dates.
    • Tax Information Phone Service (TIPS): Get personal and general tax information from the CRA automated phone service by calling 1-800-267-6999.
    • Child and family benefits calculator: Use the calculator to determine the amount of Canada child benefit or GST/HST credit, including related provincial and territorial benefits, you may be entitled to receive.
    • List of Charities: View online lists, including those for newly registered and recently revoked charities as well as recent annulments.

Refunds and payments

• • • Make a payment: View your options for making a payment to the CRA.
    • Direct deposit is a faster, more convenient, and reliable option to receive refund and credit/benefit payments.
    • A pay by pre-authorized debit (PAD) agreement lets you arrange a pre-set payment on a pre-set date.

Following a death

• Provide the CRA with the date of death as soon as possible by calling 1-800-959-8281.
• The CRA will help make arrangements to stop payments and transfer them to a survivor.

Additional information is available at canada.ca/taxes-end-of-life.

Be scam smart!
Visit canada.ca/be-scam-smart to learn tips on identifying scams, as well as why and how the CRA will contact you for legitimate reasons. Know when to be suspicious. For example, the CRA will not:

• Send refunds by e-transfer or text messageDemand or pressure immediate payment by e-transfer, cryptocurrency (e.g. Bitcoin), prepaid credit cards, or gift cards from any type of retailer
• Threaten to deport or arrest you, or put you in prison
• Use aggressive or threatening language
• Set up an in-person meeting in a public location to collect a payment
• Charge a fee to speak with a call centre agent
• Ask for personal or financial information in a voicemail or email

The CRA will only send you emails in 2 situations:

• You've registered for email notifications and have a new message to view in your CRA online accounts
• You've asked that a CRA link, form, or publication be sent during a meeting or call with an agent

Emails you receive from the CRA will not be from a specific person; ask you to reply to the email, or include a link asking you to enter personal or financial information. When in doubt – delete, delete, delete!

What’s Happening at Mac

McMaster Gives Community Organizations Access to Research

By Marcia MacAulay

McMaster University Libraries is supporting Ontario communities through a program that gives non-profit and charitable organizations free access to academic journals and research. McMaster is the first university outside British Columbia to join the Community Scholars Program, which originated at Simon Fraser University in 2017.

Stepping outside the ivory tower: Academic resources are typically challenging for non-profit community partners to access, says Anna Flak, teaching and learning librarian with McMaster

University Libraries. With easy access to academic research, participating community partners in Hamilton and the region can develop or strengthen programs, improve advocacy and policymaking, support funding applications and meet a variety of other organizational needs.

For additional information, see Daily News article: McMaster gives community organizations easy access to research.

New Email Storage Limits

By Judith Shedden

McMaster’s University Technology Services (UTS) announced on the Daily News that there will soon be new storage limits for Microsoft applications (e.g. Outlook mail and other apps). An initial January 15, 2025 deadline has been extended to May 15, 2025.

For most retirees this will not be a problem. McMaster has provided instructions on how to check how much space you are using and tips for reducing your used space, if necessary. For example, did you know that you have extra storage space for older emails that does not count towards your storage limit in Outlook? This is called Online Archive (or In-Place Archive), and it is not the same as the Archive folder in your main Outlook mailbox. To take advantage of this extra email storage space, read the SharePoint article: Why and how to use your Outlook Online Archive.

The UTS SharePoint pages provide more information:

• Information about the new storage limits
• 5 tips to free up Outlook storage & manage your mailbox

MURA cannot answer technical questions about the new storage limits, however, if you have questions about your storage at McMaster or if you have trouble accessing the SharePoint pages, please contact the UTS service desk.

Upcoming Alumni Celebrations

Class of 1975 50th Anniversary
Class of 1975 MD Program 50th Anniversary
Bachelor of Health Sciences 25th Anniversary

Planning is underway for spring celebrations of these milestones. Retired faculty are invited to attend these activities. Celebrations will be held on:

Class of 1975 - 50th Anniversary
Friday, June 13, 2025 (’75 class)
Friday, June 20, 2025 (MD Program ’75 class)
These events will have a morning meet and greet and luncheon on campus. Faculty members who taught Class of ’75 grads (September 1971 to April 1975) or the MD Program ’75 grads (taught early to mid ‘70s) are invited as complimentary guests of the alumni association. Alumni will enjoy the opportunity to meet with former faculty.
 
If you would like to attend, contact Laura Escalante, Alumni Officer:

• Email: escalan@mcmaster.ca,
• Phone: 905-525-9140, extension 21314

Bachelor of Health Sciences Program - 25th Anniversary
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Former faculty are invited to register for the in-person celebration or to join the virtual memory book. If you would like to receive emails about the BHSc 25th anniversary, contact Laura Escalante, Alumni Officer:

• Email: escalan@mcmaster.ca,
• Phone: 905-525-9140, extension 21314

Volunteer Opportunities

Cycling Without Age Volunteer Pilots Needed

News from the College and University Retiree Associations of Canada (CURAC)

MURA is one of 40 retiree associations that make up CURAC. Founded in 2003, this federation works to facilitate communication among member associations across Canada through its newsletter, annual conference and website, to speak publicly on issues of concern to retirees, to share opportunities for later-life learning, and to provide access to group rates for car, home, and travel insurance. All MURA members have automatic membership in CURAC and access to the accompanying benefits. To find out more, visit the CURAC website.

CURAC Renewed Newsletters

CURAC has resumed publishing newsletters, with the first edition released in November 2024. One notable addition to these newsletters is the inclusion of links to recent publications by Retiree Association members, offering insights into activities at other Canadian retiree associations. Although the frequency of the newsletters is yet to be determined, MURA members can visit the CURAC Library for updates on new releases.

Community Connections

Looking for something interesting to do over the next few months? The following organizations offer a wide variety of seminars, events, and activities designed with seniors in mind. You can check out their websites on a regular basis to see what’s new. While most activities are free, some do have a minimal cost associated with them.

CURAC Later Life Learning (LLL) Events

Hamilton Council on Aging

HCoA-United Way Winter - Spring 2025 Schedule
Seniors4Change Workshops

With support from the United Way of Halton & Hamilton, we are excited to offer our highly regarded peer-to-peer educational workshops for seniors!

New dates coming, beginning in February 2025 for our:

Or contact Shelagh (shelagh@hamiltoncoa.com) to organize a Let’s Take the Bus, Let’s Drive a Car, or Let’s Start a Walking Group (New Horizons) workshop for your seniors’ group!

E-Learning: Stay healthy, active and engaged with our interactive lessons ranging from 15 to 35 minutes. Or our micro-learning courses allow you to learn something new in just a few minutes each week with our free email-based micro-learning series.

Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging

The Gilbrea Centre runs several events each year as part of our regular programming. We also collaborate with our partner organizations and associate researchers to bring you special events throughout the year. Check back often to see what new events have been added!

McMaster Continuing Education: edXpress

McMaster’s Continuing Education program, edXpress, has opened registration for their Winter 2025 Courses. This year there are eight 3-week courses on various topics, each beginning on different dates spanning late February to the end of April. All courses are online and cost $75 plus HST. Following the links on the Continuing Education edXpress site will take you to details about each course and registration through Eventbrite.

Please note that the edXpress courses are non-credit courses, and do NOT meet the 18-hour requirement to qualify for the retiree tuition assistance benefit. However, you may find that these courses offer an affordable and convenient way for you to continue your lifelong learning from the comfort of your home.

Contacting Human Resources

Members' Corner

The Spiritual Life of Trees

As we fly over the landscape we know as Mother Earth, the womb or source of all material life, we see barren desert areas without trees where life has failed to take hold and flourish, and areas with trees where life has become prolific, abundant, and continuous.

Figure 1 - Anunnaki Tree of Life

Figure 2 - Front Yard & Medicine Wheel

After retirement from the nuclear industry, I studied shamanism and a few years later I became initiated by friendly nature spirits on our property. Our four-acre property in the country is covered with trees, both indigenous and imported. I began to meditate as I walked among them every day. Meditative walks allowed me to slip into a soft trance, until I began to see them differently with my shamanic eyes, as sources of subtle healing energy.

Figure 3 - Front Deck Under Eastern Red Cedars

My front deck where I sit and read on warm days, is situated under a canopy of wonderful Eastern Red Cedars which are endemic to this region. The fragrance from the red heartwood fills the senses with a wonderful exotic energy. I learned how the great Buddha attained enlightenment by sitting under a fig tree [Bodhi Tree]. Many civilizations and cultures have grown spiritual relationships with trees, and adopted the tree of life as one of their sacred symbols.

Figure 4 - Government Alert

In the last few years local governments have issued public warnings concerning the spread of tree infection by the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle, which targets and destroys Ash trees. My son came to help begin the process of removing the infected trees on our property, which had to be burned locally. We began by cutting down the tallest infected tree in the glen.

Figure 5 - Felled Ash Tree

Three nights later, I walked out to meditate at 4:00 AM in total darkness, and my head collided with this tree laying on the ground. The hard collision sent me into shock, which resulted in a mystical experience which has changed my understanding of human life.

When my dark-adapted eyes opened in total darkness, I saw a luminous silver thread floating before me, and I followed it around to the felled tree trunk, where I discovered a softly glowing cloud containing blue and grey microparticles shimmering and floating silently over the length of the tree trunk. The soft light was so ethereal that if this collision had happened in daylight or on a moonlit night, I would have easily missed the phenomenon.

India has the owner’s manual for the human entity. At first I thought it was the spirit of the dying ash tree leaving the carcass, but additional research led me to a Theosophical publication by A. E. Powell, called “The Etheric Double”, which was based on ancient Vedic literature. India’s history predates western history by many thousands of years, and they hold the owner’s manual for the human entity which informs us that we have several bodies stacked within each other. I finally learned that it was my etheric body which had become detached from my physical body through the trauma of a head injury. My subconscious mind had reacted instantly to defend me against a perceived attack by the tree, by projecting my etheric body as streams of ectoplasm from my facial orifices, which converged over the tree trunk to shield me against further attacks.

Figure 6 - A slide of blue and grey bions

Figure 7 – The Cedar Grove Field

I believe that trees function as fountains of fresh prana, and anyone spending time around trees can benefit from this healing energy sought by spiritual practitioners around the world. Trees in groups create fields of healthy healing atmosphere, and as we walk through their energy field it nurtures us spiritually. Prana is an intelligent life energy which is said to resonate with the same frequency as human joy. It must be invited into our bodies in order for it to become absorbed and distributed by our chakra system.

A Ring from Flin Flon

By Elaine McKinnon Riehm, Eighteenth-Century Fiction

I have a poignant connection to Flin Flon, Manitoba, although I’ve never been there.

My great-aunt, Retus Lowry, lived in Flin Flon for a few difficult years in the 1930s. Born Retus Ward in Clarksburg, Ontario, in 1893, she married before World War I, and after the war migrated to Saskatchewan with her husband, Dave, in search of a new life and possibly their fortune.

Life was hard. Together, they ran a camp for railroad workers who were putting through the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Uncle Dave managed the camp while Aunt Retus cooked for the men over a wood stove in a cook tent. One payday, as the railway manager handed out pay envelopes, he remarked that he was “short” that week, and although he could pay Uncle Dave, there was no envelope for Aunt Retus. She drew herself up and replied, “I fed the men when they was hungry, and I will be paid when they is paid.” And she was. Shortly later, they moved to Flin Flon, a mining town in northern Manitoba on the Saskatchewan border where life seemed more promising.

In Flin Flon, Uncle Dave worked as a barber while Aunt Retus kept house. As the small house they rented had two spare bedrooms, and bedrooms were in short supply during a brief Flin Flon mining boom, Aunt Retus took in boarders, men drawn to the north in search of their fortunes, however illusory. When one of their boarders could not pay Retus and Dave what he owed, he reached into his pocket and took out a small, gold ring, inset with three red stones, and asked if they would accept the ring in lieu of payment for his board. Eventually, Retus gave the ring to her niece, my mother, who in turn eventually gave it to me.

It has sat in its box for decades, never worn, but occasionally displayed at family dinners along with the story of its provenance. Our sons only knew their great-great Aunt Retus as a diminutive old woman and could not imagine her cooking in large cauldrons over a wood stove for a rough railway gang or running a boarding house in Flin Flon. They often remarked, however, on her twinkling grey eyes, not extinguished either by hard work or past discouragement.

All that remains now of Aunt Retus and Uncle Dave’s life on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border is a postcard from Flin Flon and a gold ring set with three small red stones.

The Shipping News – Hamilton Edition

By Susan Evans Shaw, Associate Member, MURA

From my north-facing aerie on the 16th floor of a Hamilton high-rise, I watch the comings and goings of ships on Burlington Bay and in Hamilton Harbour. Truth be told, I seldom see the actual arrivals and departures. The ships seem to appear and disappear, as if some giant child is playing with boats in a fishpond.

On any given morning, I’ll count as many as five at anchor in the bay, and when I look again later in the day, there may be only one left. With the naked-eye vista obstructed by so many structures along the north end shore, I don’t have a clear view of the piers.

Every Saturday, the Hamilton Spectator has a small insert on the Business page from the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, listing the ships’ origins: Domestic, US, Overseas, and the number of vessels from each. Below, there is a list of the cargo handled by each vessel, ranging from steel industry-related to agricultural product. It’s notable how much greater are the imports than the exports.

An online map of the harbour shows the twenty-seven piers that stretch along the waterfront from Macassa Bay to the Burlington Ship Canal under the Skyway. I remember reading that in the early days, canoes entered the bay through a natural channel now buried under the QEW near Burlington. The ship canal had to be cut through the beach strip to allow the passage of sea-going vessels.

courtesy of Rose Anne Prevec Instagram: @groundhog_hill	courtesy of Humour is Contagious

MURAnews is produced by MURA members Denise Anderson (Production Editor), Regina Bendig, Dawn Elston, Nora Gaskin, John Horsman, Marcia MacAulay, and Judy Shedden (Interim News Editor). We welcome submissions from MURA members. Contributing writers: Brian Beckberger, Mary Gauld, Mary Johnston, Kathy Overholt, Diana Parker, and Ellen Ryan.