I would like to welcome everyone back to Canada. As much as we love heading to our winter destinations, there really is no place like home. Bill and I kicked off our winter tour at the annual Snowbird Extravaganza in Lakeland, Florida at the end of January. From there, we headed to Pharr, Texas for the Winter Texans’ Snowbird Extravaganza, followed by the Canadian Snowbird Celebration inMesa, Arizona. Without missing a beat, we embarked upon our Winter Information Meeting tour. This year, we began our tour in California with shows in Indio and Winterhaven. From there, we headed back to Florida for shows in Immokalee, Port Charlotte, Bradenton and Clearwater. Bill and I met so many of you over the course of the winter, and we sincerely thank you for attending. Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped us make these shows a reality; we could never do this without your assistance. This year is shaping up to be a busy one for elections in Canada. Not only do we have the federal election scheduled for October 21, 2019, we also have three provincial elections in Alberta, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador and, possibly, a fourth in Manitoba. There is also a territorial election scheduled for this fall in the Northwest Territories. As always, the CSA will be distributing our election handbooks to our members in each jurisdiction and posting them on our website as well. These handbooks contain important information, such as the province or territory’s current travel-related policies, special ballot instructions and contact details for each major political party. The seventh edition of our popular Canadian Travellers’ Report Card was recently unveiled in January at the Snowbird Extravaganza in Lakeland, Florida. This edition examines five areas of importance to Canadian travellers. We researched the practices and policies of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, and then gave each government an opportunity to comment on our findings. The information gathered, including government feedback, was used to grade each jurisdiction based on standards elsewhere in Canada, as well as on our view of best practices. Canadians who embark on long-term travel nonetheless pay a full year of taxes to the federal and either provincial and territorial governments. They must pay for infrastructure and other government services which they do not use for a full year, but one thing that they expect and deserve is to have full, equal access to the health-care and drug coverage for which they pay taxes. Unfortunately, in many cases, these taxpayers are denied the same benefits as those who remain at home. Canadians should not have to choose between exercising their right to travel and having access to the health care which they may require. Since 2002, we have made a series of recommendations to protect the rights of travelling Canadians. We are pleased that many provincial and territorial governments have responded with improvements to service and coverage. On the other hand, some governments have made little progress at all, and we are disappointed in their apparent lack of concern for travellers. We examined the following topics: • Preservation of health coverage for frequent travellers • Access to emergency health coverage when travelling • Access to prescription drugs for use during travel • Access to voting rights for travellers • Availability of government information Since our last report − released two years ago − a number of governments have improved their policies for frequent travellers. Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador and the Northwest Territories have all improved their overall standing. Yukon is the only jurisdiction which has declined due to policy changes. This report really is a critical tool and invaluable resource when we sit down with elected officials and members of the media. With so much political activity in Canada in 2019, I strongly encourage you to read it so that you will be aware of the latest developments in government policy pertaining to travellers in your home province or territory. If you were not able to obtain a copy at one of our winter shows, the report card is available on our website at www.snowbirds.org. The Canadian Snowbird Association is now comprised of more than 115,000 members. Thanks again for all that you do in keeping this organization strong and growing. Bill and I wish you a safe and relaxing time at home in Canada with family and friends. President’s Message Karen Huestis CSA President 10 | www.snowbirds.org
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