Member dissatisfaction with our current ODA Board leadership is at an all-time high. This was evident at our last General Council elections where five new board of directors were elected. Since then, fear and paranoia have taken over at the ODA. There is an active campaign to re-elect the old board members (like Dominic Trotti and Todd Plexman, who are subservient to CEO Frank Bevilacqua), prevent new candidates from qualifying to run for open board position, and control who is elected as sitting councillor, alternate councillor, a proxy, or even an observer. The Old Guard at the ODA are fearful of reform and are actively undermining those who are in favour of positive change through various tactics, including by intimidating councillors who are asking the questions that need to be asked. Is OUR association consistently working for the best interests of the working dentists of Ontario, or are other competing interests at play?
Among their strategies:
- Interfering in the Muskoka Simcoe Dental Society election by sending Jonathan Mayer, ODA Vice President, and Past President, Maneesh Jain, to intimidate a potential General Councillor candidate from running.
- Upending the Waterloo Dental Society elections by introducing “alternative candidates” of their choosing at the last minute, and then imposing an ODA-run, “digital” vote, using the platform Survey Monkey. Survey Monkey is controlled by the ODA and allows multiple votes to be sent from a single email, allowing the ODA to manipulate election results so their favoured candidate gets elected to the councillor position. The ODA also sent intimidating emails questioning the society’s choice of General Councillor. They have since offered “support” to other component societies selecting councillors, but the ODA has a hidden agenda, which is to populate council with councillors who will vote for the ODA’s favoured candidates. Component Societies should be free to elect councillors without the ODA’s meddling. This is textbook ELECTION INTERFERENCE, and undermines the Independence of council.
- Inserting themselves into the West Toronto Dental Society to have their executive annul the acclamation of a dulyappointed General Councillor and Vice President. They have also proposed new bylaws and protocols for an independent and self-governing component society.
- Supporting and helping to set up a WhatsApp channel to promote their choice of candidates and disparage others.
- Attempting to change established ODA bylaws to prevent and disqualify new candidates from applying to run for elections by putting forward new and restrictive requirements for candidates wanting to run for the board.
- Launching negative campaigns to disparage potential candidates using members’ dues to fund media and false narratives.
- Silencing and censoring board members who raise legitimate objections to inappropriate actions that undermine our protocol and Procedures Manual, violate democratic principles and Board of Directors best practices, circumvent ODA bylaws and established procedures, and introduce new bylaws designed to prevent newly elected candidates from replacing the entrenched “old boys’ club” on the ODA Board.
AND NOW…..
Attempting to change the actual election DAY from the customary and established FRIDAY of General Council to SATURDAY.
An ODA staffer has indicated that the ODA Board plans on having the elections for the Board positions on SATURDAY instead of the customary first thing on Friday.
Why is this despicable?
ODA elections have always been on the Friday, first thing, because the majority of General Councillors attend on the Friday and fewer attend on the Saturday. Holding the election on Saturday would mean less voting and less potential for change. The ODA has always prided itself on geographic representation. Simply put, those travelling from outsidethe GTA who have already made their travel plans will be denied their democratic right to participate and will be placed at a distinct disadvantage. This is UNFAIR.
Many of the potential candidates have already booked off their patient schedules, hotels, flights, and transportation sothat they can deliver their election speeches on the Friday as is usual and customary. This most recent move by the ODA to manipulate the election by moving election day to Saturday, so that their candidates are given an advantage isshocking and undemocratic. It gives the Board’s choice of candidates an UNFAIR advantage because they will be able to network the day before with councillors. The ODA’s choice of board candidates are being given preferential treatment with councillor, alternate councillor, and observer positions.
Has the ODA given consideration to our Jewish colleagues who observe the Sabbath on Saturday? They may not be able to travel or give their speeches in person.
Such a drastic change really requires input from articles and bylaws, vetting from the Governance and Nominations Committee run by Chair Janet Leith, and then approval of the current Board of Directors. None of these checks and balances have been implemented, and even if they were, the committees and board are chaired by individuals who favor maintaining the status quo. Further, notification should have been given to General Councillors at the last General Council Meeting to adequately prepare members for such a radical change. How could our current Chair of General Council Dr. David Stevenson even go along with this? The current Chair of Council always meets with the Board to set the agenda and review the format. How could he participate and facilitate in the “planted questions” at thelast General Council meeting which were revealed through an email between CEO Frank Bevilacqua and ODA in house counsel Dan Fabiano?
It has become abundantly clear that this current board will do anything to subvert and give themselves everyadvantage to prevent new candidates from running and from being elected to the Board of Directors.
The election day must remain the first day of General Council – Friday
10 Responses
You really must have nothing to do in your life. I question whether or not you are even a dentist. Lets be honest, if you are either you are retired, or have such a poor practice you have so much time on your hands. I have seen you go after the most dedicated people all while you sit there spewing your bullshit. What makes me worried is that my dues are going to dealing with you and your pathetic group who seems to feel they are doing good of the ODA, when we don’t want you. Lets ask the membership if we should revoke your membership and all your friends who are wasting our precious dollars. Someone suggested joining that old OAD group. Good luck, lets see how far you go with them. As someone else said “You Suck”, and I agree you suck!!!!!!!
When you say “we don’t want you”, who is “we”? Are you speaking for the Office of the Chair and CEO?
Let’s get something straight – only the Board could have approved the nearly $1M in legal fees used to remove a director who was simply asking for financial transparency. That is what we call a waste of membership dues.
That… and funding your $1000 per person dinners at the Ritz.
I could not agree more with the above. I have seen some very dedicated people being attacked. Dr. Leith, has helped us so much, especially with the IPAC guidelines. The claims of being investigated by the RCDSO, when I looked and could not find anything. We as dentist take our professional obligations very seriously. We are accountable to the RCDSO, and if there were findings that had to be addressed, we would see them on their website. Yet nothing on any of those listed, including Dr. Leith.
This is extremely concerning as this is a growing pattern of anonymous, unverified claims being presented as facts. This is very destructive to our profession, and I fear what people think outside of our profession. Has the government seen what is being written? Who are you to try and destroy what people have worked so hard for? Personal attacks and speculation only dived our profession. In a time where we need to be stronger, more collegial, you are destroying it. All for a small splinter group that has nothing better to do. Please go away!
I can only hope Dr. Leith and our other ODA leaders focus remains on serving members, strengthening the association, and building our profession.
I would like to say thank you to all our ODA volunteers, and staff that have to deal with this garbage. Hopefully the next general council people will stand up against these rude people, and put an end to this nonsense.
I would like to thank the ODA, if they are holding the elections on the Saturday. Last general council I was so disappointed as the new board members made false claims during their speeches. Only after the board was able to present their material did everything get explained. I do not know why we could not hear from the board first. I along with my other councilors were very disappointed, and expressed our concerns with the board. Hopefully this is true.
I too am a concerned member.
Like you, I’m concerned about how the public and government perceive our profession and association with respect to Dr. Jonathan Mayer’s extreme views on his public social media posts. He blatantly justifies the killing of Palestinian children and denigrates the Muslim community, yet he has neither apologized nor been suspended from the ODA Board. These are things you would expect from any reputable and respected professional organization when a fiduciary makes hurtful (in this case, hate-driven) comments discriminating against a segment of our community.
This is not a personal attack. This is simply Dr. Mayer creating this mess due to his own stupidity. He created this mess by publicly sharing such vile material on his personal facebook account. Yet again, the ODA Board is wasting more money for an investigation that didn’t have to happen… a mess that Dr. Mayer should be paying for, not our members.
And the fact that the ODA Board has still not asked him to resign or suspend him from Board duties pending the so-called “independent” investigation, gives the perception that they accept his disgusting behaviour.
This is yet another shameful chapter in the history of the ODA, and Dr. Brown will be forever remembered as the leader of this disgraceful period.
nothing was”explained”. just word salad and deflection regarding finances and pre planted questions with stock answers. Real questions were just ignored by the speaker Chair Dr. Stevenson. He called on his same old buddies. Just ask Amanda Trotti, Sagar Rau and Brock Nicolucci (currently under investigation).
Wow, this post is so desperate it’s almost comical. Survey Monkey now is controlled by the ODA??? Member dues are used to create a what’s app channel? Are you referring to the ODAG channel that defaced the photo of the current president Dr. Brown? Or the other “GC Council” group that kicked off a respected past president for daring to disagree with the party line and furthermore gleefully directed us to this ridiculous site that harasses colleagues and ODA staff for the general public to see? The “secret” what’s app group that you clowns are so upset about has like 50 councillors and there is zero smack talk. But you wouldn’t know what is actually discussed on there because you’re all jerks and NO ONE WANTS YOU THERE. I appreciate the group admin keeping uninformed fools like you off, they screen for asshats and no one is afraid to talk there for fear of being jumped on or spoken down to. Your negative energy is NOT WELCOME and we can actually have meaningful conversations, even if we disagree.
For all you morons complaining about Dr. Leith, your sorry unappreciative asses went back to work relatively quickly after COVID BECAUSE OF HER AND DAVID STEVENSON. She and the team on HPGR were responsible for working with the government to make IPAC standards more manageable and clear and cohesive. I don’t think you know what that “HPGR” or “IPAC” even means. Maybe you should look it up before you start vetting your board candidates or casting your votes at council.
People are tired of your crap!!! Go away!!!
“Give me a break” is far too many letters for me to type, so let’s just call you “Amanda” for brevity. Amanda, are you saying that defacing a photo of Dr. Brown is not allowed? What happened to your argument of “Freedom of Speech”, which you conveniently use to defend your bestie Dr. Mayer and his anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim social media posts? It’s unbelievable that you would even condone his hateful messages and defend him, when you have so many Muslim dentists in your component society. General Councillors see through your hypocrisy and complete lack of integrity.
You say that this secret 50-Councillor Whatsapp group screens for “asshats” – please share the invitation so that we can all go through the gauntlet of being accepted into this exclusive group. Excluding anyone with differing opinions, despite the ODA consistently pushing its values of being an inclusive organization – Sounds fairly contradictory. The “well-respected” Past President who was removed from the larger (and truly inclusive) Whatsapp Group was rude and disrespectful to others in the chat. He was given warnings, but persisted with his child-like behaviour, and even an option to return. That’s how forgiving and reasonable the larger group is.
Only you would use terms like “You suck”, “You clowns”, “You’re all jerks”, “asshats”, etc… Name calling is evidence of lower IQ and an inability to debate rationally. Please speak intelligently without the name calling. Your comments are the only source of negative energy.
The proposed bylaw amendment only codified what was always in the bylaw.: anyone running for the board should step away from any controlling interest in a non DPC corp/business.
Meaning any board member should not also stay on the board of another company(this does not includes DPC).
This means you can be on the board and still control your DPC.
But not stay the head of a company selling services or products to dentists; like a dental supply company. You’d need to step away from that if you are on the board.
This ensures that board members do not stand to enrich themselves using their position on the ODA board.
If you are short of any examples, see how Trump and his cronies are using the presidency in the US to line their pockets by bolstering their personal interests.
This is common sense.
Now why would anyone be against this proposed bylaw amendment.??
because people don’t read or grasp the GC materials and/or logic and common sense don’t fit the narrative that is being pushed here.
the new proposed ByLaw amendments when read carefully allow ODA staff and the Nominations Committer to determine who can apply for the board. This excludes more than a third of council. Most dentists have some ownership interest in a corp or such entity defined by the new ByLaw Brock. Let all who want to apply do so and then let general council decide (like they did at the last General Council) who they want – not the office of the chair. This new amendment contravenes ONCA. Look it up.