AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO SHARE WITH YOUR COMPONENT SOCIETY EXECUTIVE
AND TO COMMUNICATE TO YOUR COMPONENT SOCIETY MEMBERS.
THIS IS WITH REGARDS TO THE MOST RECENT GENERAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS:
Many of you have heard the concerns regarding postings on social media coming from anonymous sources. The reason that “anonymity” on correspondence and reporting in the social media has been in effect this year is that retribution, using ODA funds easily buried in the accounting system, is constantly feared. Policies have been put in place to denigrate, exclude and damage the reputations of anyone that does not toe the management line. This includes Board of Directors and staff.
It is reported that more than a $$ MILLION of members’ dues dollars $$ has been spent on harassing, denigrating and eliminating those that question expenses or governance of the ODA. They are also now “banned” from participating in ODA activities for three years and can only return to the fold IF the CEO approves!
Dr. Houston’s case alone was $$ hundreds of thousands of dollars $$ of your money and is not over yet. She is one of two, and possibly four, long-term ODA female leaders who have lodged, or will lodge, Human Rights complaints against the ODA. Thousand dollar-an-hour lawyers are working overtime to quash these concerns. (Two hours of their time is one full membership dues.)
The release of the CEO salary has cost $$ tens of thousands of dollars $$ of investigation legal costs (your money) even though the ODA’s own consultants have advised that the CEO salary should be made available to the membership.
Dr. Brown was asked to resign, by several board members, as President and Chair of the Board. Many pages of governance concerns were presented in support. The Board declined that request. Subsequently, Dr. Art Worth, Dr. Sara Worth and Dr. Manesh Jain moved to ask those concerned members to resign. Retribution for expressing their concerns.
The May General Council meeting was a sham on democracy. The odds of five candidates for the board out of a slate of 20 candidates being elected on the first ballot is estimated to be equivalent to the same person being hit by lightning more than 10 times. If no election interference occurred.
There were two documents produced within days of the General Council meeting. They were placed there by those that prepared the agenda, Dr. Brown and Mr. Bevilacqua. Neither were seen by the Board prior to posting.
They were placed to mislead the Councillors.
1. The Past Presidents letter:
On Wednesday, May 6, a Past Presidents call was coordinated by the ODA in order to strategize on how to produce such a letter and when to produce it to influence the General Councils. Two Past Presidents where not even notified of this planning meeting, Drs. Hoediono and Kutcher. On purpose.
On Saturday, May 9, a Past Presidents meeting was held in person to review the proposed letter to influence General Council. Five of the people that supposedly signed the letter were not even present at that meeting. Five of the Past Presidents that were present did not sign the document. The Board did not see the letter for enclosure in the GC package.
Subsequently, a Past President that signed the letter, upon learning of the scam having been done wrote
” I had to seek out someone at our ASM to give me the site “engageODA.com”. Why didn’t the ODA provide this to all Past-Presidents before our ZOOM meeting? Why were the past-presidents not given more info about the racist posts made by Dr. Johnathan Mayer. Why weren’t we given his Facebook posting site? I feel that I was deliberately kept ignorant of essential information before and during our past-president’s meetings.
And, why were not all past-presidents invited to the ZOOM meeting? At my age, I don’t feel competent enough to effectively deal with this matter. Suffice it to say that I’m very concerned about my ODA and the actions and beliefs of some of our officers.”
2. The letter supposedly written by Mr. Ian Farmer as to why he left his position as CFO of the ODA:
This letter was not signed. It was not dated. Mr. Farmer had virtually no contact with any newly elected Board members that we are aware of. Questions swirl as to why he suddenly left last summer. (He had left before because of internal issues. Details are sketchy.) It was posted to the GC documents by Dr. Brown and Mr. Bevilacqua at the last minute. This was to influence decisions made by the Councilors.
Was Mr. Farmer paid off? Is there a gag order on him? Why did he leave on such short notice? What internal accounts and payments was he forced to accommodate that he no longer could, in good conscience, continue to do? Lots of questions.
Then there is the letter from Dr. Roger Howard sent to at least one Component Society President where he makes allegedly unfounded, prejudicial and factually incorrect statements. He states “dissenters…from within”, including some on the Board of directors, are attacking the ODA. “Leaking confidential information”. “Being disruptive to ODA staff.” These are potentially defamatory comments.
Dr. Howard is showing himself to be petty, disrespectful, and deceitful.
Dr. Christine Moore ran for the Vice President position. She was doing external governance learning and bringing that to the ODA. She, like Dr. Houston, was shunned. She lost to Dr. Ed Busvek, who hardly said a word during his years on the board but was a “company man” and a “drinking buddy” of Dr. Brock Nicolucci. Dr. Busvek has several public RCDSO notices including failure to cooperate with the College and “boundary issues”.
When Dr. Moore ran for re-election at General Council she was not included in the slate that was presented to some of the component society councilors. That was her punishment for asking questions. She challenged the status quo. She was not wanted on the Board.
Dr. Brown despite having on several occasions breached board confidentiality has never been investigated, reprimanded or disciplined. Dr. Houston was publicly crucified for doing — no-one knows.
Dr. Jonathan Mayer’s vote was critical on the Board. Dr. Mayer is a “company man” as well. Not earning much of an income, he has his hand out for the Presidency, which will bring him $250,000 – $300,000+. Your money.
His social media posts have caused huge damage to the ODA reputation. Internally and externally. The ODA continues to receive multiple demands daily for his resignation. Politicians are aware of his antics. He was warned about his posts years ago by two Past Presidents. Yet, he carried on.
The investigation into his media posts has been called a sham. It is said that the conclusion was predetermined by who were chosen to investigate. $$ Tens of thousands of dollars $$. No remorse. Fake tears. His vote remains on the board. That’s where those that control the board want it. (Will he stay given the re-election of status quo board members?)
Democracy at the ODA is in tatters.
A small, concerned group of ODA members have tried to tell you that. They have been condemned by many of those that condemned the “radicals” a dozen years ago. Only now they have been joined by those who have axes to grind, who have complaints against them at the RCDSO, who have complaints lodged against them internally for harassment and bullying and who may be benefiting by protecting the CEO.
Those earlier radicals brought the ODA into proper oversight. New senior staff were hired. Proper oversight resulted. The ODA grew massively financially. A dozen years later, finances are secure, but freedom and democracy have been destroyed. Fear of retribution of questioning the status quo is rampant. The CEO has shown that he will throw endless amounts of money at maintaining secrecy and the status quo.
Members deserve better. The shroud of secrecy and misinformation must disappear.
Unfortunately with the recent elections it is doubtful that adequate reform will occur.
You all have been duped. Congratulations.
Respectfully,
We are Anonymous (We don’t want to lose our jobs).
