Election Overview

The Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) is excited to announce the start of its provincial board of directors’ elections for Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland & Labrador. This is a crucial opportunity for OAC members to have a say in the leadership and future direction of their profession in these provinces.

The election process began May 14, 2024, and will continue until May 21, 2024. During this period, eligible members are encouraged to cast their votes to ensure their voices are heard.

If you are an OAC member practicing in Ontario, Quebec, or Newfoundland & Labrador, you should have received a voting notification from vote@simplyvoting.com. This email contains the necessary information and link to cast your vote securely.  

If you encounter any issues or have questions regarding the election, please do not hesitate to reach out. For any inquiries or if you need the voting link re-sent, contact the OAC at elections@opticians.ca. They are here to support you throughout the voting process.

Get Involved

Your participation in these elections is vital to the continued growth and representation of opticians in your province. Make sure to cast your vote before the deadline and contribute to shaping the future of the Opticians Association of Canada.

Here are the candidates vying for your vote:

Newfoundland and Labrador

It has been my great pleasure to represent the Opticians of this province over the past four years.  I feel that I have been a valuable voice at the national level.  I am passionate about advancing our profession and bringing in-person events to this province. 

The OAC was here this past September and did a mini in person event.  There are plans in the works for something on a much larger scale to happen Fall 2024. 

I respectfully ask for the opportunity to continue building on the relationships I have forged and to further advance Newfoundland and Labrador at the national level.

-Michelle Skinner

I want to help make change for our province and all opticians across Canada.

I’m passionate about what we do and want others to see what great things we can do.

-Cindy Simmons

Québec

I’d like to complete what I’ve been tackling since 1998 with the AOOQ and since 2015 with the OAC:

– Greater participation by Quebec opticians in their association;

– Making them love their profession even more by promoting it more and more, both for the general public and for the opticians themselves.

-Luc Sauvageau

I am interested in joining the OAC Board of Directors. With 6 years as an optician and 3 decades in business management, I offer a unique blend of expertise. My diverse roles as an owner and as an employee have equipped me with skills in client relations, optical technology, and operational management. As a mobile optician in Quebec, I gained insights into regional needs. Being bilingual in French and English, I aim to foster inclusivity. If elected, I’ll contribute to strategic planning and professional development, promoting excellence and patient care standards. Thank you for considering my nomination. I look forward to discussing how I align with the association’s vision.

-Elliott (Eliezer) Spiro

Ontario

I’m interested in joining the board of the Opticians Association as I have been wanting to learn more about our industry. As a licensed optician for the last ten years, I continue to learn more on the job each year and have grown an interest in expanding my presence in the industry.

When I lived in southern Ontario, I would attend Optician events and product sessions, but found that all stopped when I moved up north.

On one of the web seminars I had mentioned the lack of optician events for northerners and I felt my statement was taken seriously. I am so pleased to see that there will be an event coming up for northerners!

I see that the association listens to its members and cares about our input. I would really like to be involved in the association.

– Krysten Halcrow

Thirty years ago, I proudly became a licensed Optician. During this time, I have seen many changes happen in our industry. No matter what knowledge has been gained there is always more to learn. Having the experience of being a Director for the Ontario Opticians Association allowed me to meet so many Opticians from the Province.  

This opportunity allowed me the ability to exchange ideas and information with others and gain different perspectives on how to better care for our patients. The future of Eyewear is bright with the advancements in technology over the years and it’s an exciting time to be an Optician.  With new photochromic advancements in progressive lenses and myopia control education is key to being proactive in our industry. I look forward to meeting more Opticians and increasing my involvement as a director of such a unique group of individuals.

-Rachel Hill

I am excited to apply for the elected position for Ontario on the board of the Opticians Association of Canada, where I aim to leverage my extensive experience in opticianry and my passion for advancing the profession to contribute to the strategic direction and success of the organization in Ontario. I began my Opticianry career as a student Optician studying at Ryerson University in 1973 and became a Licensed Optician in 1975. I began working in Sudbury for an independent optical chain, moving then to Ottawa where I continued to work for another independent chain until 1980. I opened my own company Todd Optical Ltd 1981 and sold my practice in 2021.  During that time, I was honoured to have been elected to the College of Opticians of Ontario and for 27 years served on all committees as Chair and Vice Chair and finally President and Vice President of the College. These positions also afforded me the opportunity to attend numerous national meetings such as NACOR, CNAR and many more which resulted in building valuable relationships with our fellow Opticians from other provinces. From those associations across the country, I gained the knowledge that the concerns of the future of Opticianry are similar in all provinces and that we must continually reinforce our profession and safeguard Opticians from threats such as deregulation. As President of the College, I also co-presented College updates with our Registrar Fazal Khan to the OOA and the AOE. I have travelled internationally on numerous eyeglass missions to Belize, Kenya and Malawi which has enlightened me as to how fortunate we are with the level of eyecare we experience in Canada primarily because of the high quality of Opticians within the profession that serve the public. I would therefore ask for your support and vote for the position of the Ontario representative in the upcoming Opticians Association of Canada election. I have the time and possess experience and most importantly the passion necessary to voice your concerns on a national level.

– Bryan Todd

I have been a licensed optician for 33 years. I began my career in Newfoundland and have been licensed in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario. In the late 90s there was a mandate for national examinations. I participated in the Newfoundland Guild of Opticians debate and recommendations.  The OAC had several provinces leading the way on a national exam, Newfoundland being one of them. I became an examiner. In 2004, I moved to Ontario. This was their first year administering the national exams. Again, I was an examiner and participated in the national exam process for 6 years.

I decided to step away from the politics of opticianry for a few years to concentrate on mu health. Though I had never considered being part of the national opticians association, I feel the time is right for me to get involved in the changes and evolution of our industry. I am a business owner with Specsavers.

-Bernadette Power

I have a passion for helping people, and for helping other opticians. I believe it is important to help one another become the best health care providers we can be, and helping our patients get the best quality care possible.

I think with representing our association it will help me better to help others.

– Jennifer Meloche

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!