Annual General Meeting 2015

Sunday, March 29th, 2015
9:00 am - 12 noon
Galaxy Ballroom A - main floor, Saskatoon Travelodge Hotel, 106 Circle Drive West, Saskatoon

MISSION STATEMENT:
We exist to encourage and enhance the art, science and practice of massage therapy by maintaining a high standard of massage therapy; by establishing and maintaining the Massage Therapist Association of Saskatchewan, Inc. as a leading health professional association; by promoting health profession through education, accountability, communication and advocacy, and financial stability.

Plan to make your voice count by attending the 49th AGM at 9:00am on Sunday, March 30th at the Saskatoon Travelodge.  This is your opportunity to assist the Board of Directors in setting our direction for the coming year.

RSVP is NOT required for this event - all members are welcome and you earn 3 business credits.
 

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2014 AGM Minutes

Click here to view the 2014 AGM Minutes.

2015 AGM Agenda

Call to order (9:00 a.m.) – President Garret Woynarski

1.0 Housekeeping
2.0 Review/amend/adopt Agenda
3.0 Review/amend/adopt Minutes of AGM March 30th, 2014
4.0 Business arising from Minutes

Guest Speaker 1: Brenda Locke, Executive Director, RMTBC

5.0 Director’s Reports:

     5.1 President – Garret Woynarski
     5.2 Treasurer – Robin Claus
     5.3 Education/Exam – Mandy Fahr
     5.4 Insurance – Jordan Smith
     5.5 Complaints/Investigation – Gus Giannoutsos
     5.6 Membership/Public Relations – Camille Lapierre
     5.7 Competency – Aileen Tran Mapletoft
     5.8 Research – Donelda Gowan-Moody
     5.9 Executive Director – Lori Green
     5.10 Presentation of Honouray Life Membership award to Sheila Lehmann, RMT

Guest Speaker 2: Mark Mulatz, LLB (MTAS lawyer)

New Business:
6.0 Amendments to the Bylaws
7.0 Motions from the membership
8.0 Report of the Nominating Committee – Marles Kerns
9.0 Elections
10.0 Date of next meeting: Regina - Sunday, April 3rd, 2016
11.0 Adjournment

2014 AGM Attendance List

Please click here to see who attended the 2014 AGM.

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Board of Directors' Reports

President/Legislation Chair – Garret Woynarski

I hope this report finds you healthy and eagerly enjoying your Massage Therapy career whether you are in your first year as a practicing RMT or in your 20th year of longevity.  One of the greatest assets we have with MTAS is the diversified range of RMTs that can tailor professional therapeutic treatment to the vast Saskatchewan public.  Be proud of your profession, your association and the daily health care contributions you provide. 

A major goal we  set for 2014 was to establish professional communication with all levels of the Saskatchewan government, related Saskatchewan health care professions and executives from other Canadian massage therapy associations.  I believe if the image, education, and professionalism of a MTAS registered massage therapist is upheld and enhanced, we will see improved cohesion and respect within the health care field in the coming years. 

Another goal that we had set for 2014 was to send a formal letter to all 26 legislated professions in Saskatchewan informing and asking for legislation support.  I asked to follow up with an in-person meeting with their President and Executive Director.   I believe it is key to educate the other professions of our intentions and that in no way are we aiming to threaten their scope of practice.  The response and written support was extremely positive from key groups like the Physicians, Chiropractors and Physiotherapist.  In person meetings Lori Green and myself initiated were of utmost time value as the executives had shared their own past and current association issues. 

I, along with Lori Green, our Executive Director have logged numerous hours over the past year discussing and validating our Legislation proposal with varying individuals.  We have met twice with Health Minister Dustin Duncan and on five occasions have had various meetings with personnel from within the Ministry of Health. 

The next step in the legislation process is a waiting game.  Our legislation proposal has been finalized and accepted by the Ministry of Health.  Now we wait upon the Cabinet Ministers to select which proposals they will select to be put forward for debate and consideration in the Fall 2015 sitting of the Legislature. 

Lori Green and myself attended the Canadian Massage Therapy Alliance (CMTA) annual meeting in Shediac, NB in September 2014.  It was a highly valuable meeting to create and collaborate a national massage therapy voice.  It was a huge victory to have the Registered Massage Therapist Association of Ontario rejoin the CMTA as they hold a wealth of knowledge and experiential advice.   The MTAS Executive and Board of Directors can learn from the strategies and pathways that other associations are taking and have taken in dealing with regulatory government bodies.  Manitoba and Prince Edward Island are also in discussion with their respective Health Ministries. 

In the past year MTAS has been in the print, online, TV and radio media for positive creativities such as our legislation proposal and Talk to the Experts, while also discussing negative impacts such as the sexual misconduct verdict and the increased number of massage parlour businesses. 

Research is an important component for a health care profession’s sustainability and efficacy.  Never before has MTAS’ human resource and financial investment in research been paralleled. 

MTAS is highly regarded from all other regulated and non-regulated provincial massage therapy associations.  I hope you take pride in knowing that your association is financially stable, is staffed by genuine and passionate employees and led by an assembly of Board of Directors that work continuously to keep MTAS on a progressive, professional path.   I am thankful that the MTAS is in a unique position of not having a high turnover rate of staff, executive directors or Board members when compared to other professional associations. 

I want to thank each of the Board of Directors that surround me at the boardroom table, web-based meetings and email collaborations.  Your time, expertise and energy are truly appreciated for the success of our association and profession.  A big thank you to our Member Services Manager, Jayne Little for her tireless effort and exceptional organizational capabilities.  Jayne cares about our association and its members, which is palpable and applauded.  My last sincere thank you is for the MTAS’ executive director Lori Green.  Lori’s national networking relationships have indeed placed the MTAS as a valuable national contributor to the growth and sustainability of massage therapy.  As well, Lori has the ability to handle the difficult conversations and assist with the future vision and direction of the MTAS. 

I have completed my 4th year on the Board of Directors and I will let my name stand in my two chair positions of President and Legislation for another term. 

Your ideas and feedback are welcomed as we continue our momentum in 2015. 

Respectfully,

Garret Woynarski 

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Finance Chair - Robin Claus

This past year on the Board has been a steep learning curve for me. I’ve been very fortunate to have the guidance of our excellent Executive Director and the strong forward thinking leadership from Garret Woynarski.

My job on the Board has been to understand our financial position, how it changes and meets our needs as an Association.  Lori was able to answer all my questions about the balance sheets and income statements.  A new eye on our numbers and reasons behind the procedures for those numbers concerning our operations was very important to me to understand.  I asked a lot of questions and Lori was happy to look into it all with me.  I’ve gained a deep appreciation for all of the work she and Jayne do and I am happy to report that we are running a good, stable financial ship.

I was involved in a public relations initiative to form a database of organizations to partner with MTAS to give discounts or benefits to our members.  Camille Lapierre, our PR chair, and I have moved forward in compiling a list of businesses to solicit for this program and we look forward to striking a deal for the members to benefit from the power of our 800+ strong group.

Our goal as an association is clearly set on the maintenance and improvement of the profession and protection of the public. To that end, we can see legislation on the horizon as the public becomes more aware of the protections we currently can and cannot insure.

Our Association MUST remain financially viable for these goals to be achieved.  In the last year we watched the serious reduction in membership of the primary Alberta Massage Association.  Financial mismanagement will not happen on the watch of this Board of Directors and staff; safeguarding against the possibility of that is of the highest priority for me as the Treasurer.

I encourage anyone in this room who cares, to help push our priorities forward and to work with us to achieve these national standards.  I was intimidated by all of these wonderful, intelligent, articulate people beside me here at first.  A big thanks to everyone here on the Board for encouraging me, guiding me, and helping me to understand the issues that are brought forth at meetings.  It’s not as scary as you may think.  Come out and volunteer for your Association whenever you can – the rewards are many.

I am pleased to let my name stand for a second year as Treasurer of the Association.

Sincerely,

Ms. Robin Claus, RMT

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Competency and Continuing Education Chair - Aileen Tran Mapletoft

Warm greetings and a happy new year!

To all the new members, congrats and welcome! My name is Aileen Mapletoft. I have been a practicing member for almost 10 years now. I am currently in my 4th year as the Competency and Con Ed chairperson and I look forward to continuing my duties for this upcoming term.

First and foremost, I would like to thank the Continuing Education Committee members (Lara Brierley, Jordan Smith, and Beckie Goyak) for dedicating their time and energy towards Con Ed-related endeavours. Thank you to Jayne for always keeping me well-organized, and lastly, a huge thank you to Lori, Garret and the rest of the board for a job well done this past year. What an amazing group of people that I was fortunate enough to collaborate with.

2014 was a very exciting year for MTAS. Legislation was our prime objective and competency continues to play a critical role by fostering high standards of ethical and professional practice through providing opportunities of continuing education to our members. This past year, we were able to evaluate just over 50 primary credited courses that have now been added into our continually growing con-ed course database. We have also had the opportunity to grant many business credits for courses and webinars made available to us by Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan, Edward Jones, CPTE (University of Saskatchewan), CIRPD, HALO, MTAM, and WCRMT to name a few. Furthermore, there have been an influx of requests for more online or web-based courses from our more tech-savvy members so we will certainly continue to seek out more classes that are offered in this format – we already have approved quite a few in 2014. Please browse the Members Only section of the MTAS website to see the complete listing of all the pre-approved courses.

The current con-ed window that was opened November 2012 will close October 31st of 2015.  This leaves all members less than 1 year to earn the required credits. Please make sure to submit all the required con-ed documentation to the MTAS office before the window ends to keep your membership in good standing.

Last but not least, we are always interested in hearing suggestions from the membership. If there are any courses out there that sound exciting, interesting, important, etc. please do not hesitate to send me or the MTAS office more information. As with the previous years, we will work hard to bring in more high quality workshops and seminars to Saskatchewan. Please encourage all your colleagues to attend these workshops when they do come into our province – it is an extremely valuable experience for RMTs. Subsequently, high attendance may also mean that other course providers and organizations outside of Saskatchewan would be more likely to WANT to come into our province to collaborate with us. If there are any new or current members who are also interested in being a part of the Continuing Education Committee while gaining some credits, please contact me (atm.erindale@outlook.com).

Thank you all for your support!

"Success is a ladder you cannot climb with your hands in your pockets. Develop a true passion for learning and you will never cease to grow."

Aileen Tran Mapletoft, RMT 

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Complaints and Investigation Chair - Gus Giannoutsos

Greetings MTAS members,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to those who are new to our Association.

My name is Gus Giannoutsos and I’m the Complaints and Investigation Chairperson. I’ve been a practicing member since 2000 and a member of the MTAS Board for 4 years. I will be remaining on the Board for the next term.

 It has been a very busy year in our Association; both positive and with some challenges.

This past year, your Board has been working very hard as we strive towards legislation. This includes; reviewing/updating bylaws, meeting with our lawyer and introducing new policies.  I would like to thank everyone involved for their time, effort and dedication.

 Unfortunately, the number of complaints and the severity has increased over the years in our Association. This is due to an educated public, the recognition of MTAS in the province and the misconduct of therapists. Although some of these complaints don’t involve our members, most do. These can include professional misconduct, contractual disagreements between a clinic and therapist, and social media misconduct. Presently, our most pressing case is still before the courts as a member is awaiting sentencing.

Lastly, I would like to say please review your bylaws. If you are unsure about something, phone the office. Educate to protect not only yourself, but your reputation and YOUR Association.

Thank you,

Gus Giannoutsos

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Research Chair - Donelda Gowan-Moody

This year has been a rich one of continuing to develop research-related activities for fostering RMTs demonstrated desire for life-long learning. As well, we are building research infrastructure in Saskatchewan to serve our growing need to embrace research and scholarship in MT practice, education and policy-making. The prevailing theme in the activities of the Research Chair this year seem to me to be about helping build positive relationships. In the last year MTAS has created or deepened numerous relationships with academics, scholars and thought-leaders, other health care providers and policy-makers including legislators and insurers. This has been aided through the promotion of MTAS's research-related interdisciplinary activities and a demonstrated capacity to communicate about research.

A follow-up brief was prepared and presented to the Ministry of Health, Senior Policy Analyst regarding the relevance to the Canadian/Saskatchewan context of the evidence of risk of harm MTAS presented in the evidence brief submitted to the analysts earlier this year. I wrote that the published cases of harm clearly are relevant in Saskatchewan. Cases of harm in the literature show evidence of threat to public safety  in contexts as varied as chair massage, sports-related intervention, spa services, pain interventions, treatment of the elderly, and treatment of children - and when applied by individuals ranging from the un- or under-trained to those displaying poor professional judgement.

This past year was the inaugural launch of the MTAS Journal Club. We had 4 meetings: one in Regina and three in Saskatoon.  Attendance numbers are growing and participant responses have been positive. Three of the meeting were co-facilitated by Susan Tupper, PT, PhD who is a pain researcher and educator. The papers were chosen for study in the Journal Club to allow for a variety of topics (for example multiple sclerosis, neuropathy), a variety of study designs (for example randomized controlled trials, clinical case reports), available through SHIRP (Saskatchewan Health Information Resource Program) and relatively short. Our affectionate name for the MTAS Journal Club is The Itty Bitty Book Club as we hope that all will see that reading a research papers is just like reading a little book! Besides helping MTAS members build skills to feel successful in reading and applying research, the meetings are a great way to socialize with colleagues and have fun exploring new ideas or novel ways of thinking of old ideas. (And usually there are snacks!). All proceeds from the Journal Club meetings go back into the MTAS research budget to serve future research-related activities and projects. Our first accolades included a note from the SHIRP librarian as follows: " MTAS is leading the way again! You are the first to run a journal club using SHIRP resources!

The MTAS co-sponsored a MT Special Interest Group (SIG) Workshop at the 2014 Interdisciplinary Network for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (IN-CAM) in Calgary in November 2014. It was well attended with approximately 18 participants representing MTs and administrators from MT organizations including regulators and Association leaders, as well as therapists and researchers from several provinces. The workshop was co-facilitated by Dr. Ania Kania-Richmond, Amanda Baskwill and myself with support from Barbara Findlay-Reese, Trish Dryden and Bryn Sumpton who organized the 2012 Summit in Toronto to develop a national MT research agenda. The primary purpose of the 2014 Follow-Up MT Summit Meeting at the IN-CAM MT-SIG was to follow up on the activities that have taken place specific to action items that were generated at the 2012 MT Summit.

It has been a pleasure again to work with an outstanding team of Symposium planners including Board members Aileen Tran-Mapletoft and Camille Lapierre as well as MTAS staff Lori Green and Jayne Little. The unique skill sets and ambition that each have brought to the creation of the MTAS Research Symposiums is inspiring! It is exciting to have researchers that were highlighted in the 1st MTAS Research Symposium presentation "Faces, Spaces, & Places" offering presentations to the audience of the 2nd Research Symposium. The theme of the Symposium is Constructing, Deconstructing, and Reconstructing Models using the building blocks of research literacy and capacity addressed in the 1st Symposium.  The goal of the Symposium is to create context for consciously cultivating personal and professional growth through commitment to evidence-based policy, education, and practice informed by research.

It is an honour to have Drs. Jean-Paul Collet and Mir Fazelli from UBC and the Child and Family Research Institute share their remarkable research on the ANS and inflammatory responses related to massage therapy and complementary interventions like diaphragmatic breathing.   We are also thrilled to have Dr. Michael Epstein, Director for the Centre for Integrative Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, a decision science specialist with a warm and engaging commitment to facilitating respectful dialogue about research and evidence-based healthcare. We are grateful for the enthusiastic participation of Bodhi G. Haraldsson, Director of Research for the RMTAO and Amanda Baskwill, researcher and program coordinator at Humber College MT Program in Ontario who have important and interesting ideas to shape the profession of massage therapy and the role of research in practice, education and policy. The 2nd Symposium has garnered a buzz of excitement among other MT associations and regulatory bodies and we are delighted to have Symposium attendees from other provinces and cities join with us in Saskatoon.

This Board of Directors contains a full slate of people who are really committed to learn, energetic to serve and who all demonstrate capacity to do good work for the organization and the larger community. They are also a great deal of fun to work alongside! The skill and dedication of our Executive Director, Lori Green and Member Services Manager, Jayne Little are such a blessing to the Board and to the membership.

I have served two years as the Research Director and it is my pleasure to continue for the upcoming year. Thank you for the opportunity.

Respectfully submitted,

Donelda Gowan-Moody, RMT, MSc, PhD Candidate

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Public Relations/Membership Chair - Camille Lapierre

Hello fellow MTAS members.  I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all the new therapists who have joined our association this past year.  In my almost 18 years of practice, I continue to be motivated and inspired in the growth in our membership. Our membership for 2013-2014 was 854 members strong!  MTAS continues to promote the Find a Therapist feature on our newly revamped website.  We still respect our members who chose not to be publicly listed, but we have included a member's only access to the list of all our members in good standing.  It will be updated annually once all membership renewals are received.  We hope this list will facilitate referrals among members or possible mentoring opportunities.

My Board involvement this year included school presentations outlining who we are as an association, how to join, what is required, and what to expect at a Board exam.  I have remained involved with the practical Board exams in both Regina and Saskatoon.  A new group of MTAS RMT's were trained in Regina to join our provincial pool of examiners.  Thank you so much for your commitment to our profession.  This fall, a round table meeting with the provincial massage therapy schools was held at the MTAS office.  The discussion mainly revolved around the school's current curriculums corresponding to the Inter-Jurisdictional Practice Competencies and Performance Indicators for Massage Therapists at Entry-to-Practice document which was developed and approved in 2012 by the Colleges of BC, NFLD/LAB, and ON.  MTAS is also currently working on cross-referencing our board exam question bank to ensure our compliance with the document.

MTAS hosted their first Brown Bag lunch at the Saskatoon office.  We were pleased to welcome our association financial advisor Virginia Pavo to speak about various insurance products.  If there are any subjects that the membership would like to have presented in this type of setting, we will gladly consider your suggestions.  This was also the inaugural year for the MTAS Itty Bitty Book Club, with sessions held both in Saskatoon and Regina.  A big thank you to Donelda Gowan-Moody for spearheading this project and providing a great learning opportunity for our RMT members.

MTAS was represented professionally in several media interviews from situations of serious matter regarding the current court case to Talk to the Experts radio segments focusing on public education.  A big thank you to our Executive Director Lori Green and our President Garret Woynarski for their upstanding professionalism.  Sask Polytechnic invited us once again this year for their annual health fair.  Thank you to Robin Claus, Amy Shuya and Lori Green for joining me in volunteering, educating and promoting MTAS to the public.

My sub-committee work has included mainly the planning of the 2nd MTAS Research Symposium guided by Donelda Gowan-Moody, Aileen Tran-Mapletoft, Jayne Little and Lori Green.  I also had the pleasure of working with Nancy Junop, Amy Galiegue, Wynne Nicholson and Wilma Poole on the honorary membership selection sub-committee.  Thank you all for volunteering your time!  We are pleased to present Sheila Lehmann as this year's recipient.  An RMT for over 30 years, second generation massage therapist, mother and mentor to a third generation massage therapist, as well as her extensive community involvement greatly impressed the committee.

It has been a great pleasure working with the current Board members and I will let my name stand for my current chairs for the next term.

Respectfully submitted,

Camille Lapierre, RMT

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Education Chair - Mandy Fahr

It’s been another great year for the Education Chair and committee.

Lori Green, Cassandra Exner-Williams, Camille Lapierre and I gathered for a round-table meeting with representatives of two of the three Saskatchewan schools - Professional Institute of Massage Therapy and Western College of Remedial Massage Therapies - to discuss strategies and concerns.  The national competency document, accreditation of Saskatchewan schools, and MTAS working together with the schools on continuing education and programming were amongst the topics discussed at the meeting.  The meeting was a success with lots of ideas being contributed from all who attended.  I look forward to gathering for more round-table meetings with all three schools this year.

I would like to give a huge thank you to Cassandra Exner-Williams for all the time and hard work she puts into being the Chief Examiner of our board exams.  It is no small feat and she does a fantastic job.  Also, thank you to the examiners for their time and dedication throughout the exam process.  I would also like to thank Jayne Little for the amazing job she does planning and organizing the exams.

Thank you to Dr. Adel Mohamed and the U of S for continuing to collaborate with MTAS.  The cadaver lab is an invaluable opportunity and a great way to receive con-ed credits.  This is proven by the attendance, which is always at capacity.  For these reasons, we will continue to offer the cadaver labs twice a year.

Thank you to my fellow board members for all their support through my first year on the board.  Last, but definitely not least, a huge thank you to Jayne Little and Lori Green, who dedicate countless hours and endless energy to our association.

It has been a great year and I look forward to returning as Education Chair this next year.

Mandy Fahr, RMT

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Insurance/Intergovernmental Chair - Jordan Smith

Good day everyone, I would like to introduce myself to our membership. My name is Jordan Smith, I have been a member of MTAS since graduation in 2011. I was elected to the board during last year’s AGM, and I wish to thank you for this amazing opportunity to be a part of our organization at such a level.

One of the things I have worked very hard on this year is reviewing our contracts with SGI / WCB and to gain a better understanding of the processes involved in dealing with the above mentioned organizations.  During this past year, it was time to renew our contracts with both organizations, which led to a great opportunity to sit with both parties and try to make our arrangement beneficial for not only our members today, but to lead us into the new year.  I am happy to report to the membership that we have been working diligently to finalize our latest contract which will take us into 2017.

As you can see from the “fee code chart” below, we are being better compensated for our time, as well I would like to announce we were able to reach an agreement in terms of the newly appointed “research fee”.   This fee is used when one of the parties requests a copy of the patient's file in regards to their claim.

Veterans Affairs Canada is still offering the 12 treatments per year and is being handled by Medavie BlueCross.
 

Massage therapy fees effective January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017.

SERVICE	FEE CODE	01 JAN 2014	01 JAN 2015	01 JAN 2016	01 JAN 2017
Initial Assessment	800	$42.50	$43.26	$44.56	$45.90
Subsequent Tx	801	$35.50	$36.57	$38.48	$39.63
Telephone Consultation (per hr)	802	$40.00	$41.20	$42.44	$43.71
Initial Assessment Report	803	$15.00	$15.45	$15.91	$16.39
Progress Report	804	$18.00	$18.54	$19.10	$19.68
Discharge Report	805	$15.00	$15.45	$15.91	$16.39
Research Fee **	Medical accounts to assign fee code		$73.14	$76.96	$79.26

** Upon request of WCB

Fee code 802 (telephone consultation) has an hourly rate. RMTs will bill fee code 802 by 15 minute blocks or 0.25 units, and will round up to the next 15 minute block or 0.25 unit. The WCB will pay all other fees on a per visit basis.
 

I know when working with these agencies it can be stressful and at times frustrating. But I wish to remind our members that it truly is a privilege to be able to work alongside these organizations, to provide care for their clients, as there are provinces in which this type of service is not offered to their therapists. For those of you who are registered with WCB and SGI, thank you for your continued support.

As we evolve as an organization I will do my best to keep presenting our requirements to SGI and WCB so we may continue the arrangements between them and our members.

Thank you for your time, I wish you all a very successful and prosperous year. I will be remaining on the board for the next term.

Sincerely

Jordan R. Smith RMT

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Nominations - Marles Kerns

3.1     Number and Term of Board Members  

The Board shall consist of not less than five (5) Board members, four (4) of whom shall also be the officers of the Association and no more than ten (10) Board members.

The following Board members are returning to complete their term as elected:  Jordan Smith, Mandy Fahr, and Robin Claus. 

Board members seeking re-election for an additional term are as follows: Garret Woynarski, Marles Kerns, Gus Giannoutsos, Donelda Gowan-Moody, Camille Lapierre, Aileen Tran Mapletoft, and Kendra Pottage. 

The Board slate is full and nominations may be called from the floor at the Annual General Meeting or submitted to the office by 12 noon on Friday March 27th.    

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Executive Director - Lori Green

It is my pleasure to report on the operations and direction that our Association has taken on the membership’s behalf throughout the 2013-2014 year.

We kicked off our year with the annual strategic planning weekend in April.  We met in Regina and spent a weekend celebrating our successes and many opportunities.  We have developed strategies to turn perceived industry threats into strengths and benefits.  It is in that room, at that meeting, that MTAS Board members not only join the learning curve of governance, policy, bylaws, protocols, and committee work, but do it with great conviction.  We welcomed new Board members Robin Claus, Mandy Fahr and Jordan Smith in 2013-2014.

We have continued to focus on the regulation of the massage therapy profession and feel that our message has been acknowledged and accepted by the Saskatchewan government officials and bureaucrats.  Now we wait in queue for the question to be called in the Legislative Assembly.  Garret Woynarski has worked tirelessly and has been a true champion for MTAS; we have participated in several meetings at the Legislative building this year providing further examples of risk of harm, and citing the further need for public protection. 

We continue to advocate on behalf of the membership. This year MTAS advertised on Rawlco Radio’s “Talk to the Experts” programs, CJWW radio, CBC radio and television, and Direct West MySask411 online.  We did print media interviews with the Tribune in Gravelbourg, Registered Nurses Planner, and of course in the Yellow Pages across Saskatchewan.  We have updated and produced new MTAS promotional brochures and have provided tradeshow materials to all members that have called us for support.  I am often surprised by the growing knowledge of members of the public who contact our office, whether to check credentials, ask about treatments or with concerns about standards of practice and receipts. 

The Board has continued to offer diverse continuing education opportunities to enhance your knowledge base, including the successful launch of the Research Symposium last year.  Donelda Gowan-Moody and her committee have also launched the “Itty Bitty Book Club” (a journal club) in both Regina and Saskatoon and CPR/First Aid and cadaver labs continue to be staples for MTAS.  We strive to bring in quality courses to Saskatchewan, based on the members’ expressed interest and suggestions.  This year we regrettably had to cancel two of the courses listed in the member workshop booklet due to low registration.  Our workshop registration fees are based on a cost-recovery budget and so minimum registration numbers are always necessary to meet both the requirements or providers and the financial needs of the Association.

Our national presence in the massage therapy profession is on-going.  Garret Woynarski and I participate at the Canadian Massage Therapy Alliance (CMTA) meetings both online and face-to-face.  I participate as the Vice Chair of the CMTA and Chair of the National Insurers Association.  As a result of our active participation, I represented the CMTA on the National Accreditation Planning Committee.  My CMTA representation continued with the Founders’ Group – meeting with FOMTRAC (Corrine Flitton) and Canadian Council of Massage Therapy Schools (Randy Ellingson).  I am pleased that this new year has seen the transition from planning and initiation into the newly formed Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation, and the election of a Board of Directors.  I will be sitting for one year on this Board.  The establishment of accreditation for educational programs in massage therapy will be a benefit to the profession by providing consistent national training standards.

In closing, I would like to thank Jayne Little for her constant professionalism and her impeccable expertise in multi-tasking and organization.  It is a pleasure to be able to work with Jayne on a daily basis.  The membership, the Board and I benefit greatly from her efforts.  At the office, we see continued support and appreciation for the education, services and resources we provide to both the membership and the public.

Albert Einstein said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible but no simpler.”  Through the leadership of Garret Woynarski, and the management of the Board of Directors, I believe this to be true of the Association’s success.  MTAS continues to grow and to maintain our integrity; we are determined to advance the profession of massage therapy no matter what obstacles we may encounter along the way.

The Board of Directors met six times throughout the year via teleconference and face-to-face, with the Executive meeting ten times by teleconference.  The Board of Directors’ timeline does not begin to reflect the hours of work put in via email, Basecamp, write boards and committee meetings.  I admire your dedication to volunteering, 24-hour immediate response deadlines, and your adeptness at managing to work all day and sit down focused on a meeting.

Thank you to the membership for your support, your adherence to the Bylaws and most importantly your willingness to engage in dialogue regarding the profession, MTAS and our fight for regulation.

With respect,

Lori

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Canadian Massage Therapy Alliance (CMTA) - Lori Green

I am very pleased to tell you that this year we saw both Ontario and Manitoba once again join the CMTA.  This means that all provinces, with the exception of Quebec, are members of the Alliance in either a voting or non-voting capacity.   In September of 2014, based on Alliance members’ membership number, the CMTA represents approximately 12,517 therapists.

The CMTA management committee, on which I serve as vice chair, meets approximately five times a year by teleconference.  The members meet in person once a year.  This year our meetings were held in the beautiful and most welcoming place - Shediac, New Brunswick.  Garret Woynarski and I were happy to attend these meetings on behalf of the Association.

All members of the Alliance have the opportunity to share resources, current activities and struggles within their geographic locale; through these discussions the CMTA are able to work together on common goals.

What is happening in Canada?

New Brunswick:  Is celebrating their recent victory of obtaining regulation in the province.  The College structure is being implemented.

Newfoundland/Labrador:  Things are running smoothly -  they are facing pressures of new massage therapy chains moving into their province and are looking forward to the national accreditation of massage therapy schools and therefore curriculum.

Prince Edward Island:  Continues to maintain their stance on entry to practice exams, all members of the PEIMTA need to go out of province  to either Ontario, Saskatchewan, or Newfoundland to obtain membership with the Association.

Nova Scotia:  Prime activity in Nova Scotia is working towards regulation in their province.  They have currently begun a large advertising and promotion campaign to raise awareness of massage therapy.

British Columbia: Continues to be a large contributor and partner to MTAS and the CMTA.  This year they have implemented a First Nations professional practice group which is going very well.  

Ontario: The College in Ontario boasts a membership of 12,500 RMTs and still do not have issues of an over saturation of therapists due to the diverse presence that RMTs can hold in other areas.  RMTAO has been working throughout the community and are encouraging case study research that can be made accessible to all members.

Alberta: MTAA has been struggling in 2013-2014 due to overwhelming financial commitments and proposed examination implementation.  Thus, the resolve was the cancellation of their entry to practice exams altogether.   Alberta now is a non-voting associate member of the CMTA.

Manitoba:  Manitoba continues their quest to be regulated in the province.  The focus over the last year has been on understanding the needs of their members and building member value. Manitoba also is a non-voting associate member of the CMTA.

A priority of the CMTA continues to be working with the group insurance providers.  This proved to be difficult charting through waters with the sudden decision by Alberta, and Nova Scotia to no longer offer an entrance to practice exam.  Canadian Health and Life Insurance Association (CHLIA) continues to offer support in whatever capacity they can in the regulation of massage therapy therapy throughout Canada.   We continue to discuss with both the Alliance and with the insurance providers, spa sectors, legitimate vs. fraudulent providers, standard receipts, charting, and information.  Clarification on providing patient information “specified injury” vs. full patient files. Brenda Locke and I were speakers representing the CMTA at the Canadian Health Care Anti-fraud Association (CHCAA) event in Moncton in September 2014.  We are pleased to also be speaking with the CHLIA. 

The CMTA responded with a submission to Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose regarding the creation of an Advisory Panel on Healthcare Innovation. This advisory panel was created to look at creative healthcare ideas and approaches that exist in Canada and abroad, identify those that hold the greatest promise for Canada, and offer its recommendations on how the federal government can support them.  This paper can be found on the MTAS website www.saskmassagetherapy.com.

The CMTA has set up some challenging and exciting initiatives this year, including but not limited to:

• Advocacy and resource sharing among the members
• The resurrection of the Massage Therapy Awareness Week program
• National Research Committees
• Two white papers are currently being prepared on “Professional Credibility and Ethical Practice” and "Patient Privacy and Release of Patient Records.” 

So indeed the CMTA is back in full vigor and working together to be a strong advocate for the profession of massage therapy in Canada.

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Financial Statements

Click here to download the audited financial statements.

Bylaw Amendments

Amendment # 1 Bylaw: 4.2 Duties of Officers (a)

To strike “The President shall receive written complaints on behalf of the Board and shall forward any such complaint to the Director responsible for disciplinary matters.”

M. Kerns/G.Giannoutsos

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Amendment #2: to add a final sentence to 10.1

“The discipline committee will continue on after resignation or election if an ongoing investigation is taking place.  A new committee member will not be added to an ongoing case.”

G. Giannoutsos/M. Smith

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Amendment # 3 - 10.2 (2) Investigation and Discipline

(2) Formal Resolution 

To add 10.2 (2) (e)

In the case where the Executive Director or Board is the complainant the written form will be signed by the President and the Executive Director.

G. Giannoutsos/D. Gowan-Moody

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Amendment #4 – 10.13 Investigation and Discipline

1.To strike 10.13 (1) “to the Board”

2.To strike 10.13 (2) “Where the Board is in receipt of a notice of Appeal”

3.To strike (2nd paragraph) “registrar” and replace with Executive Director, and to strike “Board” and replace with "Discipline committee".

4.To strike 10.13 (3) "Board" and replace with "Discipline committee".

5.To strike 10.13 (3) (d) to strike “or”

6.To strike 10.13 (3) (e).

G. Giannoutsos/M. Kerns

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Amendment #5 - Bylaw 11.3 (f)

To add:  Honorary Practicing memberships will be awarded every three (3) years.

C. Lapierre/N. Junop

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Amendment #6 - Bylaw 11.3 (f) (a)

Motion to strike "ten years" and replace it with "twenty (20) years".

C. Lapierre/N. Junop

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Amendment #7 - Honorary Practicing Membership 11.3 (f)

(Paragraph 2) To strike “selection of a candidate” and replace with "recipient".

C. Lapierre/N. Junop

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Amendment # 8 - Record Management 11.8 8

To add 11.8 (e) Members must have on file at the MTAS office or the College of Massage Therapy of Saskatchewan a succession plan for client files. This plan shall contain:

An agreement with another health professional as guardian of the files.
Outline as to how the client files will be destroyed according to the legal requirement of medical health records in the Province of Saskatchewan. 

M. Kerns/M. Fahr

 

Motions from Members

None have been received.

If you would like to put forward a motion, please submit to the MTAS office before noon on Friday, March 27th, using the form here.

AGM Forms

Here are the forms you may need before the AGM:

1. Motions form - click here.
2. Nominations form - click here.
3. Proxy voting form - click here.