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 duly appointed 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 outside the 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 so that 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 is shocking 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 the last 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 every advantage 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
21 Responses
I was asked to read this by an old colleague of mine. So unfortunate, especially after all the successes the ODA has recently had in the past 5 years.
People are talking about money that was spent, just asked some of the old past presidents what they spent when they where president on dinners and travel. Might make you appreciate, the new board governance system that was put in place. Seriously, please ask some old past presidents.
So i am just curious, what name do i associate with these comments, please help me and choose one. I give you some suggestions: John, Austin, Michael, Adam, Jeff, Laurie. Just curious who keeps running people down.
It would be so nice if people could be courteous. It saddens me looking at this website, which seems to try and hurt people; including some very dedicated staff. Very disappointing.
I hope the people who look at all these web pages see the evil in them. Just look at our world at the moment. Dentistry has always been above it and special. Please don’t let these people ruin what WE have worked so hard for.
Good luck to all the dedicated volunteers and our staff, and thank you.
It is even worse. General council voted in new unqualified board members. Can’t wait till the old board members get back on council and give the CEO his appropriate respect and salary increase. His salary is none of their business anyway. Also,board members work very hard and deserve their nice meals at the Ritz.So it was $15 K or 20K for each meal. Why does it matter. It is the ODA’s money anyway.
What, exactly, has the ODA done for members in the past 5 years?
-Created an $800,000 ad campaign to make the public aware of the CDCP…isn’t that the job of the organization who created the plan?
-Advertising campaign (cost??) that identifies the assistant as the “queen” of the practice, such that everyone hands her things as she sails through the office…seriously? Do we want recruits to view themselves this way? How is this representative of reality?
-Mounting costs (Human Rights hire and investigation) to support a Board member who made inappropriate public posts on social media, marginalizing a sector of our membership, and slandering the current PM and federal government (who he may have to negotiate with over CDCP). Is this a good look? Is this money well spent?
-Mounting legal costs to address 2 human rights complaints…that’s right, the ODA has 2 Human Rights complaints. Instead of asking themselves why these complaints occurred, and consider addressing them in a manner that might ensure no member will ever feel they need to make such a complaint again, leadership has “doubled down” with high priced lawyers to fight such claims.
I am shocked with the posts here.The ODA should revoke the memberships of all the members who are unhappy with the ODA and let them start their own organization. Good reddance.
Dr. Jerry Smith a great President and friend always said general council is made up of morons and treat them according. He is proving to be correct.
I agree,we need to revoke their membership in the ODA. We were better off before these new folks brought their third world politics to the ODA. I hate to say it but the good old days were much better.
If a past president made a remark indicating that “council is made up of morons” and that they should be “treated accordingly”, this speaks to a leader who has contempt for his constituents. Is this the kind of leader we want directing the ODA?
If General Council members are uninformed, that is another matter. It is the responsibility of the ODA Board, who were elected by Council, and the executive staff, who maintain continuity and operate our organization, to educate the voting members. It is the responsibility of the component societies to elect councillors who are engaged, read their material, and pose questions of significance with regards to the agenda items at council. We need strong voices who truly care about the representation of members and fiscal accountability for the money each of us contributes to this organization.
It saddens me that someone would embrace a leader, and philosophy that considers council members “morons”. This is unkind and inaccurate.
This entire site is anonymous. Who set up this site? Identify yourself if you are making gutless, disparaging, posts. That is what is unprofessional here. I have no problem with questions relating to ODA financial discussions, but the personal attacks are outrageous. Sad indeed. Allan Jeffries – 45 year ODA member