All CCO committees have public appointees and we fill many leadership roles. Personally, I have served on the Quality Assurance, Discipline, Advertising, Office Development, Technology Upgrade and Executive Committees. I have also held senior leadership positions such as Council Parliamentarian, Chair of the Discipline Committee and Vice-President of the Council. I am also particularly proud to note that many public members, including myself, have presided at most of the hearings of the Discipline Committee over the last decade.
CCO’s leadership is unequivocally public interest focused. That is why I have sought three re-appointments as a public member. I can foresee a time when public members on regulatory bodies will make up more than fifty percent of Council members; those appointments being based on skills, experience, and abilities.
I would like to take a moment to call out Dr. Mizel for his excellent, proactive and thoughtful leadership during the extraordinarily difficult situation in which Ontarians find themselves as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his firm guidance CCO has continued to uphold its public interest mandate while providing clear and comprehensive directives to Ontario’s chiropractors to facilitate their compliance with the province’s Emergency Orders and Ministry requirements.
It has not been an easy time. CCO has overcome numerous challenges and remained focused on public safety in no small measure due to the dedication and leadership of its President.
I’ve asked each of the public members to say a few words about their role on CCO Council. The public members make up seven members of CCO’s governing 16-member Council.
SPOTLIGHT ON CCO PUBLIC MEMBERS
Ms Georgia Allan (Smiths Falls) – Public Member Since 2014
During my tenure at CCO, I have had the privilege of serving on all committees except the Discipline Committee. Currently I serve on the Executive Committee, Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) and the Registration Committee.
In my six years on Council as a public member, I have always represented the public and taken into consideration my mandate to serve the public interest. This has meant fulfilling my obligation to attend meetings and to do my preparation to best represent the public. Some Committees may take less preparation time and meet less than others, but I felt that being asked by our government to represent the public, it is my duty to do just that.
I want to thank the CCO staff for their kindness towards me. With my mobility issues, CCO’s Registrar & General Counsel, Ms Jo-Ann Willson, went out of her way to ensure my needs were met as did all the staff who went beyond their duties to help me. I will be eternally grateful for this.
I wish all Council members the best. To the new public members, I can say that the more you give of yourself, the rewards will be multi-fold.
Ms Karoline Bourdeau (Toronto) – Public Member Since 2017
The first time I met with CCO Registrar and General Counsel, Jo-Ann Willson, I was informed that public members were valued and encouraged to take on leadership roles. I also learned quickly that my guide dog Fenton, was afforded much favourable attention from Council members and staff when he wasn’t working.
Through my time on Council, I have been involved in many of the decisions that were important to regulating in the public interest. Those decisions were varied but included the sale and purchase of CCO assets, communication strategy, public outreach, changes to practice directions to the profession, and, most recently, CCO’s management of the pandemic.
I have been fortunate to serve on several committees: Patient Relations (as Chair), Discipline (as Chair), Registration, Quality Assurance, Advertising and, of course, the Executive. I was also honoured to have been the first to chair two on-line discipline hearings via Zoom. I appreciate the confidence in me from both CCO and the Government of Ontario.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have attended the CLEAR (Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation) Conference in Vancouver with Fenton, Dr. Dennis Mizel and Ms Willson. It was fascinating to hear how other countries are managing their regulatory practices and to follow the dialogue among different and like-minded practice groups that may be looking to amalgamate for efficiency and related reasons that serve the public interest.
Thank you to CCO’s staff team for their kindness and support. I also thank all my fellow Council members for the warm welcome and collaboration. Finally, a most heartfelt thanks to Jo-Ann for everything!
Mr. Gagandeep Dhanda (Mississauga) – Public Member since April 2020
My education at Humber College and the University of Toronto focused on business marketing and analysis. Since 2017, I have worked for Rogers Communications Inc. as a Senior Program Analyst and a Digital Specialist and assumed my current role as Program Manager in January 2019.
In 2017, I co-founded a not-for-profit organization dedicated to engaging youth and young adults in fostering teamwork, leadership, and confidence.
Ms Robyn Gravelle (Burlington) – Public Member Since 2019
I am a long-standing public sector employee with a multidisciplinary background in health, social services, finance, asset and data management, policy and public administration. The role of a public member is to protect the public interest and, with my background in public service, this aligns with my passion for serving and protecting the public. My first meeting with the whole of Council was at the 2019 Annual General Meeting where I was welcomed by all and met the fabulous people who make CCO an inclusive, open, professional and enjoyable team to be a part of.
In addition to Council, I have served on the Discipline Committee, Fitness to Practise Committee, and the Executive Committee. As the most recent appointee to the Executive Committee as Treasurer, I look forward to continued work with Council and the team at CCO.
Mr. John Papadakis (Scarborough) – Public Member Since 2019
As a licensed paralegal and former college instructor, I have a broad background in representing clients in court and have served as a City Councilor/Deputy Mayor in East York (Toronto). I also have extensive experience in areas such as developing laws, rules and regulations, formulating and approving policies and programs, and consulting with a broad base of stakeholders.
My volunteer experience spans 30+ years. I enjoy working with people from diverse sectors and organizations, including co-founding the Community Emergency Preparedness Committee (City of Toronto). I have chaired the East York R.I.D.E. Committee, served on the Toronto Board of Trade as a member and, since 2008, I serve as Commander-in-Chief for the Community Emergency Response Teams Canada.
As a public member on Council, I bring a plethora of public sector experience and wisdom that I have acquired over the years and trust this helps support our collective efforts to protect the public.
I look forward to becoming even more involved on CCO committees once the internal elections are held. As a member of the Inquiries, Compliant and Reports Committee, I think it is important to ensure public protection is at the forefront of all decision making, particularly as it relates to complaints from patients about the care and treatment received from CCO members. As a member of the Registration Committee, I’m looking forward to CCO taking a leadership role in developing a fair and transparent registration policy which will allow new graduates to begin their career while deferring successful completion of the CCEB examinations until it is safe to complete the in person components of those exams. There are many important decisions to be made, and I will be adding my voice to other Council members’ to emphasize the importance of focus on CCO ensuring the public of Ontario has competent, ethical chiropractors to provide outstanding health care during what is a challenging time for all.
Mr. Amandeep Singh (Caledon) – Public Member Since June 2020
A self-employed barrister and solicitor since 2009, I bring considerable relevant experience to CCO, including presiding at Tribunal hearings.
I am a long-term volunteer and have, among other activities, promoted sports in the Greater Toronto Area through the Toronto Young Sports Club, including providing legal services.
In Closing…
Throughout the terms of all Council members, elected and appointed, there are ongoing training sessions to ensure a common understanding of the important role which each play on Council. For example, on June 26, 2020 CCO provided a virtual training session for new Council members. Facilitated by Mr. Richard Steinecke (of law firm Steinecke, Maciura, LeBlanc) and Ms Deanna Williams, this was the first of three sessions focused on:
- Foundational aspects of governance;
- Chairing meetings and the challenges associated with virtual meetings (scheduled for July 10, 2020);
- Core Competencies for Council members and Measuring Performance (scheduled for July 24, 2020).
With its spotlight on the roles and responsibilities of Council members, these sessions are engaging and informative, and include time for discussing case studies and asking questions. At the most recent session, participants were reminded about the need for confidentiality while at the same time balancing the need for transparency – and that at all times, the public interest is foremost in all CCO activities.
I would like to thank the public members of CCO Council for their insight, participation and leadership which has been and will continue to be so vital to our continuing success. Thank you for keeping our focus squarely on the mandate of the CCO: protection of the public interest, and the privilege of regulating the chiropractic profession.
Sincerely,