Note: This article was originally posted in our Autumn 2018 newsletter, and has not been updated.
The College has decided to invite members of the public to join our committees as non-council members. Read below to learn our implementation plan.
In the College’s 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, Public Participation and Engagement was identified as one of our strategic priorities.
One initiative we are taking to achieve this is to allow members of the public who are not on our Council to be appointed to College Committees.
The appointment of non-Council public members exemplifies the College’s commitment to public engagement by including the voices of members of the public in decision making processes.
Who will be eligible?
The College will use similar eligibility criteria that Ontario’s Public Appointments Secretariat requires of public appointees, including requiring all applicants to be:
• A resident of Ontario
• Proficient in either English or French
• Able to attend meetings in Ontario.
All applicants are also required to submit a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement which includes disclosing any real or perceived conflict of interest and consent to a police record check.
What are we looking for?
As documented in the College’s by-laws, in making an appointment to a College committee, the Council shall take into consideration location of residence, experience, expertise, availability, and other qualifications and characteristics of the candidate for appointment in order to complement the collective competencies of other Committee members. A document of relevant Council & Committee competencies will be available for reference and applicants will be encouraged to highlight in their letters of interest any details relevant to these considerations.
The College is committed to creating space and access for members of marginalized communities to participate in the governance work of its statutory committees. Those who self-identify as a member of an equity seeking group are encouraged to apply.
How will we find public members?
We will use a variety of recruitment strategies depending on the demand for appointments. Consistently, we will use social media and email notices and liaise with practices, community health centres, and clinics to advertise openings.
What is our appointment process?
All applications will be reviewed by the Executive Committee and recommendations for appointment will be presented to Council. This appointment process for Public non-Council committee members follows the same process of professional non-Council appointments.