I recently received a bulletin from the College of Chiropodists of Ontario with current news affecting our profession.
Of particular interest was an article entitled "Ontario Labour Mobility Act-Strengthening the Economy by Opening Provincial Borders to Workers". The article states:
Under the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), certified workers in professions and skilled trades will be able to move freely, to work where opportunities exist or where they choose to live in Canada. Therefore, if a chiropodist or podiatrist is a member in good standing in another regulated Canadian province, they may come into Ontario and will be required to write the Jurisprudence exam. This legislation supports the right of all Canadians to live and work where they want in Canada.
The Ontario Labour Act applies to over 80 regulatory authorities and 300 occupations. Amendments to the RHPA, require the College to incorporate the principles of labour mobility into our Registration Regulation. The deadline for doing so was originally December 15, 2010. However, this deadline was extended to June 2011.
However, a podiatrist, DPM (doctor of podiatric medicine) who is licenced to to practice in Alberta, Quebec or B.C, may not be licenced as a podiatrist in Ontario. He/She must register as a chiropodist, which means that many procedures one is qualified to perform in those provinces, cannot be performed here. I refer to the taking of X-Rays, performing bone surgery (bunions, hammer toes etc.), communicating a diagnosis as well as other rights and privileges afforded only to podiatrist registants.
I must be missing something, because our college governing board seems to think that registering a podiatrist as a chiropodist is some form of equivalency, and in the best interests of Ontarians' foot health needs.
We need podiatrists, registered as podiatrists!