Canadian takes over Presidency of International Council of Regulators

TORONTO , Oct. 13 /CNW/ - For the second time in its 30 year history, the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) has elected a Canadian as its President. Caroline MacIsaac-Power, the Registrar of the College of Opticians of Ontario, was inaugurated as CLEAR's President at the end of its annual convention in Denver , Colorado.

"Not only is this a major achievement for Caroline, it's also good for Canada and for Ontario because it recognizes our leadership in professional regulation and how we can all benefit when we collaborate around best practices" stated Deborah Worrad, Registrar of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. Deborah is a long-time CLEAR member and recently finished a full term on its Board of Directors.

Ms. MacIsaac-Power pointed to governments' desire to make it easier for members of professions to move from country to country as one of the priorities CLEAR must address. "Professional mobility among jurisdictions is a good thing, but as regulators we must ensure that professional and occupational standards are maintained and the public interest continues to be protected." MacIsaac-Power also indicated a desire to streamline CLEAR's committee structure in order to ensure the organization remains the premier international regulatory authority.

Representatives from a number of Canadian and Ontario professional regulatory bodies, the Office of the Ontario Fairness Commissioner, the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council and HealthForce Ontario also attended the convention in Denver .

CLEAR promotes excellence in the regulation of professions and occupations and the sharing of best practices through conferences, education programs, publications, networking opportunities and research services. CLEAR is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, USA with an Office of International Affairs located in Bristol , England. It has over 400 members around the world, including government agencies, legislated organizations, associations and individuals involved in professional and occupational regulation.

CLEAR will hold its 30th annual conference in Nashville , Tennessee September 23-25, 2010 where over 400 occupational regulators will learn about best practices in the field. The organization is also planning a Second International Congress on Professional and Occupational Regulation in London , England in the summer of 2011. Visit CLEAR's website at http://www.clearhq.org for more information.

Caroline was appointed President of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) in September, 2009 for a one-year term, after serving on the Board of Directors since 2006. She has been active in CLEAR's initiatives in facilities regulation, National Certified Investigator/Inspector Training (NCIT) and Policy and Administration Subcommittees. In 2008 as the President Elect she led the Strategic Planning project for CLEAR and was the co-chair of the Program Committee.

Caroline is a registered optician and also the Registrar of the College of Opticians of Ontario (COO), a position she has held since 2003. A senior staff member at the College since 1998, she managed several areas including registration, discipline, member services, quality assurance and professional practice. The College is the registering and regulatory body for the profession of opticianry in Ontario. Caroline graduated in 1995 with honours from Georgian College in Barrie Ontario. She holds a post graduate certificate in Teaching and Training Adults and continues her education by pursuing her B.Ed. at Brock University.

An active participant in national opticianry issues, Caroline works closely with the National Association of Canadian Opticianry Regulators (NACOR) which develops quality benchmarks for accreditation standards and processes for Opticianry, monitors and investigates common issues related to the regulation, accreditation and mobility of Opticians, both nationally and internationally. Dialoging and collaborating with colleagues across the country through the work of the Opticians Council of Canada (OCC), a national organization whose membership is comprised of representatives from optician associations, regulatory bodies and educational institutions from across Canada , Caroline is committed to the Opticians Council of Canada's mandate of public awareness and education.

Caroline served two terms on the Executive Committee of the Federation of Health Regulatory Colleges of Ontario (FHRCO); the last year as Vice President. FHRCO represents the province's 22 health regulatory colleges that regulate more than 256,000 health professionals in Ontario.

She lives in the Peterborough area of Ontario with her two daughters.

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For further information: Caroline MacIsaac-Power, ph: [phone]