§  The Traditional Chinese Medicine Act, 2006 received Royal Assent in December 2006.

§  The transitional council is implementing the Act which includes exercising the powers of a Council of regulatory College to carry out its statutory objectives.

§  The transitional Council is responsible for establishing the processes and framework for professional governance, developing regulations, and assessing and registering members.

中醫立法過渡委會換屆5舊成員再獲委任

【明報專訊】2年前獲委任的安省中醫師及針灸師管理局過渡委員會委員，剛於上周任期屆滿，安省衛生廳昨日宣布已再度委任其中5名成員出任第2屆的過渡委員會成員，至於其餘空缺的成員職位則會進行公開招募，預期會在10月作出委任。

省衛生廳昨日宣布再度委任首屆的其中5名成員，出任第2屆的過渡委員會委員，當中包括3名專業成員及2名公眾成員。他們都是現任委員會屬下的執行委員會成員。3名專業成員是現任主席張金達，以及傅建平和Joanne Pritchard-Sobhani。2名公眾成員分別是現任副主席、具醫療規管經驗的註冊專業規劃師Lynn Bowering，以及曾任安省專業工程師管理局副註冊總監的伍裕源。

首屆的過渡委員會委員是於2008年6月底時獲委的，其2年的任期剛於上月27日屆滿。省府表示，將會展開替其他空缺職位尋找接替人選的程序，甄選新成員時，會考慮他們的中醫技術、對中醫的認識、是否有領導如管理局等機構的經驗、跟他人共同合作及尋求意見一致的能力。省府將會把空缺職位透過省內的部分媒體及公眾委任秘書處網站中刊登，預期將於10月委任出這些新的人選。

衛生廳長馬修斯(Deb Matthews)指出，省府是要確保一個過渡委員會能夠推進一個管理局的成立。省府並期望加入來自不同背景及帶來新思維的新成員。對於續任後新任期的工作，張金達昨日表示，他期望把過渡委員會的立法工作繼續做好，省府今次再次委任當然是希望可繼續按預定時間表工作，並不想有任何的耽誤情況出現。

New Legislation to Focus on Regulation of Certain Health Professions

New legislation passed through the House of Assembly this week will improve public protection and patient safety by providing for the regulation of a number of health professions, including many that are not currently regulated. The Health Professions Act will establish an umbrella model of governance that brings a number of professions together with shared accountability for professional regulation while maintaining their own identities.

“Our government is committed to providing quality, reliable and safe access to health care throughout the province,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. “The new legislation will provide professional regulation that will ensure protection of the public through the establishment of consistent licensing, quality assurance and discipline processes. Under this new legislation, medical laboratory technologists, acupuncturists, audiologists, dental hygienists, midwives, respiratory therapists, and speech language pathologists will now be regulated.”

Consultations with those professions seeking regulation, aboriginal groups, women’s organizations, other jurisdictions and the Regional Health Authorities were held between November 2009 and January 2010. These consultations guided the drafting of the act and there was significant support expressed for the model of regulation proposed.

Minister Kennedy noted that the regulation of medical laboratory technologists, one of the professions included under the legislation, is consistent with the recommendations contained within the Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing Report, written by Justice Margaret Cameron.

“Our government continues to look at health regulation from a new and different perspective – one that focuses on transparency of the professions, accountability to the public and development of quality assurance programs,” said Minister Kennedy. “This new legislation responds to the concerns of a variety of health disciplines with respect to regulation, as well as addresses the regulation of medical laboratory technologists as recommended by Justice Cameron.”  Taken from: http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2010/health/0618n05.htm

Canada Day! CMAAC celebrated Canada Day with the Toronto Chinese community by showing their CMAAC spirit loud and proud at the parade organized by the National Congress of Chinese Canadians under the theme "I Love Canada: Toronto Chinese Community Celebrates Canada Day". Then CMAAC mingled with fellow Chinese Canadians, the Consulate General, and Mr. Chen, President of the National Congress of Chinese Canadians in a sold-out banquet hall at the Bright Pearl Restaurant in downtown Chinatown. The food was delicious with entertainment of talented singers throughout the evening.

Jane Cheung, DTCM
English Secretary, CMAAC