Call for Nominations

Posted On: January 5, 2022

Election of Council members in Districts 1 and 3, By-Election in District 2

(January 5, 2022) The College of Naturopaths of Ontario is issuing a formal Call for Nominations for Registrants who wish to stand for election to the position of Council member. Nominations are being sought for Council members in Districts 1 and 3, to be elected for a three-year term and for a Council member in District 2 to be elected to serve the remaining 2 years of the term for the individual that was elected in 2021.

Nomination Process

The nominations process has changed based on by-law modifications approved by the Council in November 2021. Individuals who are interested in seeking nomination must complete the following no later than February 21, 2022:

They must attend an Orientation Session for the Council being held on January 20, 2022 at 10:30 am. This Orientation session is part of a Qualifying Program mandated by the College Council to ensure that individuals elected to the Council are aware of and ready to perform this important role. Click here to register.
Individuals in these three Districts are invited to express their interest in being nominated to the College. In doing so, you will be required to identify two Registrants in your district who are willing to support your nomination (Nominators). Information about yourself and your two nominators must be provided to the College using the on-line Nomination and Consent Form. The information required includes name, registration number and email address.
The following five additional on-line forms must also be completed:

Who can run?

Any Registrant in good standing who holds a certificate of registration in the General Class or the Inactive Class can run for election, with certain restrictions. Some restrictions relate to conduct (e.g., disciplinary or incapacity proceedings, professional misconduct, findings of incompetence or incapacity, etc.) and some others to conflict of interest or holding other roles.

Additional information will be provided during the Orientation Session, and can also be found in the College’s “Election Handbook” which describes the eligibility requirements and a more in-depth description of the process. It can be downloaded from the Resources section of the College website. It is the first item under the “Information” list on that page.

Who should run?

The Naturopathic Doctors on College Council are expected to rise above the interests of the profession and make sound, reasoned judgments that serve the public interest and enhance patient safety.

Elected Council members are voted in by their peers. However, unlike a representative in parliament, they are not beholden to the constituents who elect them but rather to the public of Ontario.

Therefore, the people who should run should be those who are best suited to serve the public interest.

What is the election schedule?

The timelines for the election are set out in the By-laws of the College and summarized in the Election Handbook as follows:

Call for nominations – January 5, 2022.
Orientation Session – January 20, 2022.
Nominations Close – February 21, 2022. Note: This is the date by which all election information noted above must be received.
Confirmation of candidacy for election – March 15, 2022.
Voting by Registrants in the three districts opens – March 23, 2022.
Voting closes – April 7, 2022 at 5:00 pm.
Candidates advise of voting outcomes – April 8, 2022.
Deadline for request for a recount – April 15, 2022.
Recount completion deadline – April 19, 2022.
Election outcomes announced – April 21, 2022.

If elected, when would my first meetings be held?

Newly elected Council members must attend a training session to be held in May 2022. The first meeting of the new Council is May 25, 2022, and subsequent meetings are held on the last Wednesday of July, September, November, January and March.

How much of my time will this involve?

Council members are required to attend six meetings each year. Doing so typically requires one full-day to review the materials and one full-day at the meeting itself. Thus, Council is a 12-day commitment each year.

Council members also sit on at least one committee and as such, a minimum of one full-day and a maximum of two full-days each month can be anticipated. Preparation time can be completed on weekends; however, all committees meet on weekdays.

Finally, you may be asked to sit on a panel of the Discipline Committee. Hearings run for a minimum of one day, but could be as long as eight to ten days. Hearings are scheduled on an as-needed basis and based on availability of Discipline Committee members.

Individuals seeking nomination to be a candidate for election are assumed to be aware of and have accepted these requirements.