People might find this of interest - scroll down a bit
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/marvin-...anada+Politics
People might find this of interest - scroll down a bit
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/marvin-...anada+Politics
Would be nice to know what this is all about. So I checked and found the following:
Local optician outraged a psychiatrist diagnosed him without meeting him
'He has a medical file on me; I've never met the man': Jay Hakim complains about third-party psych evaluation
By Kelly Bennett, CBC NewsPosted: Aug 25, 2016 5:30 PM ETLast Updated: Aug 25, 2016 5:30 PM ET
source:============>
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilt...-him-1.3734309
If that is it, we would understand what it is all about.
If that is the case he should relax, as this whole thing becomes unimportant soon enough, as the optical retail business in Ontario gets deregulated in the very near future.
November 30, 201612:40 pm,
Web Producer Global News
“It’s strange that the trade organizations opposing these changes have, without exception, long supported the independence and wisdom of the OLRB. They have decades of respected expertise. Let’s continue to trust them with this important public responsibility.”
The amendments, if approved, would impact more than 200,000 certified trades professionals in the province.
Trade associations say changes will also benefit businesses by allowing cheaper, unskilled labour to do complex and potentially dangerous work without certification.
First off, I'm not the plaintiff and I really doubt if the plaintiff needs any support. This is a matter that is before the courts and the court will decide. In the appearances in court so far, the court has been very critical of the college and the plaintiff has won each time including having won a significant amount in costs. The College is facing an enormous liability that will be passed down to the members in even higher fees. Assuming deregulation which I doubt, the College is still a legal entity that is on the hook for its bad behaviour.
Thank you for your posts Revelation.
This thread is the only way to communicate our professional opinions in Canada instantly, and that can be read by anybody that has some interest in it.
In my opinion it is underused by many, that should also participate and use this superb means of instant communication. If you ever check who is on OptiBoard now, you will see at any time, day or night, that there are a few search engines going through the posted messages.
If you doubt a coming deregulation, just think that it has already happened in BC and Quebec very silently, but has opened the territory for online sales that grow larger by the year.
Each pair of glasses they sell has not been sold through the conventional channels and these online sellers advertise on any website they can find the space to do it.
Sounds like this guy has single handedly stood up for opticians rights and human rights everywhere, he's put his money where his mouth is and never backed down and taken on the COO, the CPSO, The Minister of Health and how many lawyers ?
Maybe be its time Opticians thought about the courage it takes to do that. Ontario opticians should give some thought to what this guy has been put through while your license fees have funded this outrage.
Exactly my point, well said. All funded by the members and no progress to date. Good for Jay for standing up and challenging them.
The sad reality is the 5 year statute to settle is fast approaching and may end up being thrown out before it ever reaches a decision or settlement out of court.
Dragging heals to delay is a classic tactic. Sure hope his lawyer is pro-bono.
FYI, the users 'white' and 'paul244' are, in fact, the same person and have violated the forum rules by registering and posting on more than one account.
OptiBoard Administrator
----
OptiBoard has been proudly serving the Eyecare Community since 1995.
Rather unfortunate as it sabotages a good forum discussion.
So now you can just go on OptiBoard if you need the rules in Ontario totally amended in 2016:
College of Opticians of Ontario
By-law under the opticianry act, 1991
last amended by council on December 5, 2016
Here all the rules and more, all updated, 3 month ago in its full text in black and white, all 71 pages of it.
click: ==============>
http://www.coptont.org/docs/Legislat...ws-Dec2016.pdf
Last edited by Chris Ryser; 03-16-2017 at 11:44 AM.
Amended By-laws
On May 30, 2016 Council approved amendments to the College by-laws that resulted in clearer and consistent language throughout the by-laws, sets out an updated registration fees schedule for all classes of registration, and amends articles dealing with Council and committee member obligations and committee composition and appointment and procedures. Please click here to access a summary document highlighting the amendments. If you have any questions relating to these amendments or the by-laws in general please send your inquiry to mail@coptont.org.
College of Optometrists of Ontario and College of Opticians of Ontario
Press Release:
Unregulated Internet-based Dispensing of Eyewear Prompts the College of Opticians of Ontario and the College of Optometrists of Ontario to Seek an Injunction against Essilor Group of Canada Inc./Clearly
TORONTO, ONTARIO (Marketwired – December 14, 2016) – In a move to protect Ontario patients, the College of Opticians of Ontario and the College of Optometrists of Ontario have turned to the courts, seeking an injunction that would prohibit Clearly, owned by Essilor Group of Canada Inc. from dispensing prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses online to the Ontario public, without following Ontario legislation. The College of Opticians of Ontario, and the College of Optometrists of Ontario regulate the practice of opticianry and optometry in Ontario. In Ontario, dispensing prescription eyewear is a controlled act. Dispensing includes the preparation, adaptation and delivery of prescription eyewear. It is illegal for anyone other than an optician, optometrist or physician to dispense prescription eyewear to an Ontario patient except under appropriate supervision or delegation.
As regulatory bodies the Colleges have a responsibility to serve and to protect the public interest. This responsibility includes ensuring that Ontarians are only dispensed their corrective eyewear by an authorized, regulated health professional, which is based on a valid prescription. The Colleges have the power under s. 87 of the Health Professions Procedural Code to apply to a judge of the Ontario Superior Court to bring an injunction to stop any individual, or organization from dispensing in a manner that violates Ontario law. Advances in technology are enabling healthcare providers to offer services that are more accessible and convenient. It is now possible to use the internet to lawfully dispense eyewear to patients in Ontario. Health professionals can follow the updated standards of practice and protocols developed by the Colleges on use of the internet to enable an authorized practitioner to validate and dispense the patient’s prescription eyewear safely.
“Patient choice and convenience is important, but this can’t come at the expense of patient safety” says Dr. Paula Garshowitz, Registrar of the College of Optometrists of Ontario. “This action isn’t about stopping online dispensing. This is about ensuring that Ontarians have full protection under Ontario laws.” Improperly fitted glasses can lead to eyestrain, double vision and headaches. Improperly fitted contact lenses pose an even greater risk and can cause sight-threatening injury such as corneal ulcers and infection. “At the end of the day, our respective Colleges have a duty to serve and protect the public interest,” says Fazal Khan, Registrar of the College of Opticians of Ontario. “That means ensuring the highest standard of vision care for Ontario patients, regardless of where or how they purchase their eyewear.”
As the matter is before the courts, the Colleges will make no further statements at this time. About the College of Opticians of Ontario The COO is one of 26 self-governing health Colleges established by law. It is not a teaching institution. The COO is dedicated to supporting opticians in their delivery of high quality, safe and ethical care to the public of Ontario. One of the ways of ensuring these high standards of care is by establishing standards and guidelines for opticians. http://coptont.org/docs/Legislation/...05-30-2016.pdf http://coptont.org/docs/Legislation/...s-09-28-15.pdf
About the College of Optometrists of Ontario Optometry has been a regulated profession in Ontario since 1919. The College of Optometrists of Ontario is the self-regulatory authority responsible for registering (licensing) and governing optometrists in Ontario. The College’s authority and limitations of its powers can be found in legislation including the Regulated Health Professions Act and the Optometry Act.
College of Optometrists of Ontario- Spectacle Therapy Using the Internet: http://www.collegeoptom.on.ca/member...-internet-2015
Originally Posted by idispense
idispense, you are right again.
I am just wondering now, how long it will take in court until the final judgement is made and Clearly/Coastal and all the others, are legally home free, to roam the optical jungle of the most populated areas of Canada.
Chris, remember when OHIP announced they would stop insuring regular eye exams back in 2004? I remember the industry going into panic mode and how this would certainly buckle the Canadian optical economy. It was all doom and gloom, but low and behold here we are 13 years later and looking back was hardly a bump in the road.
Other than a few OD's no longer having their cottages and boats funded by OHIP, life went on. IMHO nobody (even the colleges) won't be able to stop this new wave of change. Courts seem to be supportive of it (BC & Quebec so far). I'm not partial to it either way, but it will most definitely put a nail in the coffin to those retailers that are years behind, and there are many of them.
And 13 years from now, we will look back, reminisce and wait the for next tidal wave of change to arrive.
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/p...00/bul8089.pdf
Last edited by Lab Insight; 03-20-2017 at 12:38 PM.
Sometimes this year the government's in charge will approve the merger of the 2 largest optical corporations that are both the leading manufacturers of lenses as well as eyeglass frames.
Once concluded, that will put the resulting corporation into a unique controlling position around the globe, with the exception of the European Eastern block of Countries.
My thread started March 17 which should have rang some alarm bells on OptiBoard, had only 169 viewings and not one post making any comments. The theme was the construction of a good Auto Refractor and some good prices for the 3 first solutions as:
"The Three finalists are Adaptive EyeWorks vba, based in Belgium; IPSELIOS SAS, based in France; and TEAMS Design USA Inc., an American company. Each will be awarded $26,592 in cash. Finalists will produce a prototype for an optics solution that will be evaluated by Essilor. Two winners will later be selected and receive an additional $106,368, in addition to a possible development contract with Essilor to build and scale their solutions."
Click: Auto Refractor app challenge by Essilor and the finalists
So we could start seeing the next commercial wave to gain market share. With a good usable autorefractor, and I would not doubt that this corporation would bring a perfect solution on the market which would, or could eliminate basic eye tests by the Optometrists.
The merged corporation will be controlling already 18 established online opticals worldwide, among them, some of them belong to the largest ones.
All this will lead to a much faster increase in online sales if conventional optical retailers let it happen.
Last edited by Chris Ryser; 03-21-2017 at 10:31 AM.
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