Unauthorized Practice Up-date
UPDATE:
SUPREME COURT OF CANADA DECISION – BERGEZ MATTER On June 11, 2009, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed both of Bruce Bergez's two applications to appeal a contempt ruling. As is customary, the Supreme Court gave no reasons for not allowing the appeals to go forward. By refusing to allow Bergez to appeal, the Supreme Court's announcement upholds a number of decisions that have been made against him by Ontario's lower courts. The two colleges (Optometrists and Opticians) will now advise Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General that the government can begin taking action to force Bergez to begin repaying the staggering amounts in fines he now owes. The College of Opticians continues to take a number of Great Glasses franchisees to court, seeking contempt orders similar to the one faced by Bergez.
Please clicks for more http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca:80/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1610311 http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/582004 http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/582967
Disciplinary Hearing for Optician Great Glasses founder faces allegations of professional misconduct Hamilton Spectator, Hamilton, ON click here for details
Court rejects Great Glasses appeal bid. Panel upholds contempt fine
of at least $34 million click here for details
January 15, 2009
The College of Opticians of Ontario is going to court this week in an attempt to begin shutting down Great Glasses franchises.
For more details see: http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/494584
Getting Your Professional Licence in Ontario:
The Experiences of International and Canadian Applicants
Are you interested in sharing your story about getting licensed? The Office of the Fairness Commissioner wants to hear from you.
The office has commissioned a research firm to gather first-hand information—from the applicant’s point of view—about registration and licensing in Ontario’s regulated professions. This study includes focus groups and an online survey.
You can help: Please complete our confidential survey at www.fairnesscommissioner.ca/survey.
We want you to complete the survey whether you were educated in Ontario, in another province or territory, or in another country.
The study will provide solid research about a topic where existing information is often anecdotal,” says Hon. Jean Augustine, PC, Fairness Commissioner. “I encourage people to get involved in this project, whether they are applying to get their licences or are already licensed.”
The Office of the Fairness Commissioner is an arm’s-length agency of the Ontario government. Its mandate is to ensure that certain regulated professions have registration practices that are transparent, objective, impartial and fair.
The office believes that everyone, whether educated here, in another province or territory or elsewhere around the world, deserves fair treatment when applying to become licensed in one of Ontario’s regulated professions.
Membership Drive May - July 2009
Now more than ever it is important for Ontario Opticians to be represented by a strong association. HPRAC has been asked by The Minister Of Health and Long-Term Care to study and advise on issues in the eyecare sector. Other professions have been able to increase their scope of practice.
For the OOA to be fully effective and for our lobbying to have maximum impact we have set a new membership target. Increasing membership is a team effort. We need you on the team. As Opticians who have already made the decision to support the OOA you can play a very important role. We value your commitment to the Ontario Opticians Association.
During this membership drive we ask you to sign up one new member. We all know opticians who are not members. Click below for a membership application. Print it and keep it folded up in your pocket. Make it easy for your friends and colleagues to join. Fill out the form for them if you have to and then fax it to our office.
As an incentive for your efforts you will receive a $20.00 discount on the next renewal invoice. For the first member you sign up it's $20 discount and each consecutive member it’s $10.00 discount. Good luck and thank you for being an Ambassador for your Association.
Link to membership application.
Support Team " The Rolling R.O.'s"
'Ride for Sight", Motorcyclists Fighting Blindness, Saturday June 20, 2009
Ontario Opticians Association Optician Team "The Rolling R.O.'s" are looking for team members and pledges for their ride. Please support their efforts in this great event. If you would like to join the team or make a pledge please contact the OOA office at info@ontario-opticians.com or 905-709-41-41 or 877-709-4141 or you may make a direct contribution on on-line https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/SponsorTeamSearch.aspx?EventID=21815&LangPref=en-CA
The Rolling R.O.'s team captain : Jeff Fernades- Other Team Members: Eli Ovadia, Yvan Bertrand, Tim Schmidt
Ride for Sight, Canada's largest motorcycle charity event will be celebrated on the streets and waterfront of Collingwood, Ontario in 2009. The new "Ride for Sight - Collingwood Waterfront" will take place the weekend of June 19th to 21st, 2009. "Ride for Sight is the longest running motorcycle charity fundraiser in Canada; the first ride began in 1979 in Central Ontario. Since its inception, Ride for Sight has been hosted in many different regions, annually (including Minden, Peterborough, Fenelon Falls, Collingwood).In 2008, eight Ride for Sight events will be enjoyed in seven provinces across the country (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Maritimes, Newfoundland, Central Ontario and Northwestern Ontario); each regional Ride has its own unique features.
Ride for Sight is the single largest private fundraising initiative for vision research in the world. To-date, Ride for Sight has raised more than $17 million in support of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the only organization in Canada whose sole mandate is to fund research for blindness caused by retinal degenerations.
Ontario Optician Association will be holding our annual spring "Neighbourhood Eye Care Fair" at the Ride For Sight, June 20, 2009, Collingwood, Ontario. If you are in the area and you would like to be a volunteer optician please contact Karin at karin@ontario-opticians.com
NEWS FROM HPRAC
Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council advises the Minister on whether unregulated health professions should be regulated, whether regulated professions should no longer be regulated, amendments to the Regulated Health Professions Act, a health profession act or a regulation under those acts, quality assurance and patient relations programs of Ontario's health regulatory Colleges, and on matters referred to it by the Minister.
Members of the Council are appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. In formulating its advice, HPRAC seeks knowledgeable information and comment from members of the public, community organizations, interest groups, health professional regulatory colleges and associations, and conducts extensive research. The Council aims to be accessible and open, and its consultative processes may include written submissions, public hearings, focus groups, research projects and community meetings in order to capture the experience and expertise of those with an interest in the matter.
HPRAC has submitted its latest report, Critical Links: Transforming and Supporting Patient Care to the Minister of Health and Long-term Care. Please click for report. See Chapter 13- Profession of Optometry page 310.
Please click for OOA response to HPRAC's Critical Links Report (see attachment)
Keep up with optical news and network with other Opticians.
