What's New!!!
GREAT GLASSES UPDATE – August 24, 2010
On August 23, 2010, the College of Opticians of Ontario attended before Justice
Turnbull in Hamilton to listen to the Sentencing Submissions of Mr. Bruce Bergez. Also
in attendance were the College of Optometrists of Ontario, the Attorney General,
counsel for the individual store operators, and counsel for Eyelogic.
Click here to read the complete update [PDF]
Council Meetings:
Council Meeting - Tuesday August 31, 2010
Time: 9:30am-4:30pm
AGM Meeting - Tuesday August 31, 2010
Time: 4:30pm
Council meetings are typically held at the College of Opticians of Ontario, Toronto. Please check with the office beforehand for the latest time(s).
Location: College of Opticians of Ontario – Boardroom.
Council meetings are open for observation by the public.
Space is limited; please call 1.800.990.9793 or 416.368.3616 ext. 200, 48 hours prior to the meeting date to confirm your attendance.
GREAT GLASSES UPDATE – July 21, 2010
On Friday July 2nd, 2010 Justice Turnbull released his 94 page decision (plus appendices and schedules) in the court case against SHS Optical Ltd. et al., including “Great Glasses” franchises, Mr. Bruce Bergez and Mrs. Joanne Bergez, referred to collectively as the Respondents.
In summary, Justice Turnbull ordered the following:
- Deloitte & Touche Inc. is appointed as receiver of the assets, undertakings and properties of Great Glasses, Bruce Bergez, Joanne Bergez, SHS Optical Ltd. and Dundurn Optical Ltd. pursuant to the terms of the receivership order presented to the court by the Attorney General of Ontario (the receivership order is very detailed and is contained in a schedule of Justice Turnbull's decision);
- The Receiver shall report to the court on August 23, 2010 with respect to the status of the matter. The Receiver is at liberty to report earlier than that date, on notice to the parties, if he deems it necessary;
- It is important to note that the Receiver does not have possession or control of the bulk of the defendants' assets and does not have a mandate to manage or operate the businesses, although any material disposition of property requires the Receiver's approval;
- Eyelogic equipment held in the Great Glasses outlets has been removed by order of the Court.
- Bruce and Joanne Bergez are guilty of civil and criminal contempt of the orders of the court;
- Submissions from the respondents with respect to penalties for the Bergez' convictions of criminal contempt and civil contempt of court will be heard on August 23, 2010 immediately after the interim report of the Receiver is received by the court;
- The Respondents are ordered to fully co-operate with the Receiver and its employees in performing its tasks as ordered by the court; and
- The College of Optometrists, the College of Opticians and the Attorney General of Ontario shall be reimbursed for the costs they've incurred in these proceedings to this stage on a substantial indemnity (i.e., “full recovery”) basis.
The applicants to the legal action included Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General, the College of Opticians of Ontario and the College of Optometrists of Ontario. The three jointly recommended strong actions against Great Glasses and its founder Bruce Bergez and his spouse Joanne Bergez, including closing down the stores, imprisonment and the appointment of a Receiver.
The Courts have repeatedly ordered that Great Glasses outlets require prescriptions from Optometrists or Physicians and that they must not allow any Great Glasses employees who are not Opticians, Physicians or Optometrists to dispense eyewear or contact lenses except in accordance with ss. 27 and 28 of the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA).
Mr. Bergez' registration as a Registered Optician was revoked by this College in Februaryof 2010. As of Monday July 5th, 2010 the College of Opticians attended all 20 of Great Glasses locations to assist with the court order to remove all eye examination equipment. During the following weeks the Court-appointed Receiver will examine the business structure of Great Glasses and report back to the Courts on August 23rd prior to sentencing of Bruce and Joanne Bergez. The College is aware that the majority of Great Glasses continue to operate without Opticians registered with this College. As there is no member to bring to the discipline process, the College is pursuing other alternatives.
The College of Opticians of Ontario has raised the matter with the Minister of Health and Long Term Care and will be looking for ways to address it in both the short in the long term. In the meantime, this situation emphasizes why the public should patronize only those retail outlets that have a registered and licensed Optician on-site. Anyone purchasing eyewear or contact lenses from any retail outlet should confirm that an Optician is, in fact, on site. The names of registered Opticians and the locations where they practise are available on the College website at www.coptont.org.
The College will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Click here to read the media release (PDF)
GREAT GLASSES UPDATE
The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed applications for leave to appeal by Bruce Bergez and Joanne Bergez and associated companies from two decisions of the Ontario Court of Appeal, which upheld findings of contempt of court against them. They were found in contempt of court for operating Great Glasses optical stores in violation of the Judgment of Justice Harris of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice who had ordered them to comply with the Regulated Health Professions Act. (Justice Crane dated November 24, 2006 and Justice Fedak, dated December 14, 2007). Substantial fines were ordered to be paid by them as a result of the findings of contempt. With the dismissal of their applications for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, they have exhausted all of their appeal rights. Enforcement of the Court Orders is now in the hands of the Attorney General of Ontario, with the support of the College of Opticians and the College of Optometrists. Click here to read the Judgments of the Courts (PDF).
BRUCE BERGEZ DISCIPLINE HEARING UPDATE
On February 12, 2010, a panel of the Discipline Committee of the College of Opticians of Ontario revoked Bruce Bergezs certificate of registration as an optician in Ontario, following a finding of professional misconduct against him. Bruce Bergez had been under an interim suspension order by the Executive Committee of the College before that date. Click here to read the decision of the Discipline Committee of the College of Opticians of Ontario.
National Public Awareness Campaign
 Legislative amendments to the Regulated Health Professions Act 1991, includes an object for colleges “To promote and enhance relations between the College and its members, other health profession colleges, key stakeholders, and the public”. This college supports a public awareness campaign initiative with the best interest of serving and protecting the public in mind as it relates to Ontario Opticians. The College of Opticians of Ontario has piloted this project through the beginning stages with the intent to educate. The college in conjunction with National Opticianry Groups will use our website, newsletter and events to promote ongoing updates and progress. This college continues to be mindful of our Mission and Vision statements. The College’s mission is to serve and protect the public interest through effective regulation of the practice of Opticianry. The college’s vision is to be recognized and valued as a progressive accessible organization that ensures the public’s right to quality vision care while providing accountable leadership in the self regulation of Opticians.
Protect yourself and your family
Choose only a qualified Licensed Optician; an Optician Registered in good standing with this College.
Look for:
• Your Optician's Photo ID Badge, administered by the College
• Your Optician's certificate displayed prominently
College Holiday Operational Update
(Regular Office Hours - Monday – Friday 8:30am-4:30pm)
The College Viewpoint
Newsletter - March 2010
Seneca College – Spring Refresher Courses
For April 2010 National Exam Candidates [PDF]
2009 Fair Registration Practices Report
The College 2009 Annual Report
Click here to read the 2009 Annual Report in PDF format.
The Public Register
The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) sets out that the College will maintain a list of all Registered members of the College of Opticians of Ontario. The RHPA and College by-laws specify what information about each optician is to be kept and made available to the public. We call this the public register.
COO 2010 Executive Committee Announcement [PDF]
HPRAC Report – March 2010
A Report to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on Interprofessional Collaboration Among Eye Care Health Professionals [PDF]
COO Response; HPRAC Eye Care Sector Review:
In response to an eye care sector review being conducted by the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC), the College of Opticians of Ontario’s report including response to a questionnaire received can be viewed below. The response contributes to practicable, constructive and solution-based approaches towards collaboration among the eye care health professions in the public interest.
News Update
Canadian takes over Presidency of International Council of Regulators |
Home
