Cynthia Vezina
Canadian Orthopaedic Association

For many years, the Boards of both organizations have explored the idea of a merger between the Canadian Orthopaedic Association and the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation. It seemed as though each time the idea hit the agenda, it sparked far too many mixed reviews to allow for a merger to take shape. Fears of harming either organization were strong enough to push the idea to the back burner until a plan could be devised that would cause the least amount of political or operational upset.  

Although ensuring the provision of the best possible orthopaedic care for Canadians is primary for both organizations, the two could never fully merge into one for a number of legal and logistical reasons. The two would have to remain somewhat separate entities and the only type of amalgamation that could be considered would be an operational one. With the COA facing a deficit, coupled with the fear that the two organizations are growing apart rather than together, the merger question hit the agenda one more time last year. It was realized that closer relationships between the COA and COF were necessary and both organizations had to make some serious financial changes to ensure their on-going health and vitality.

After reviewing a report provided by a Toronto based consultant which outlined several benefits that would come out of an operational merger, the Boards of both the COA and COF unanimously agreed that an operational merger was in the best interests of the two organizations.

At this time last year, the then Presidents of the COA and COF, Drs. Bill Johnston and Cy Frank posed two questions to the COA membership. They asked the members if they would favour "moving the COA office to Toronto enabling a merger with the COF" or if they preferred "maintaining the COF office in Montreal". Enabling a merger with the COF at that time meant that the Montreal office would have to be closed down and all operations would move to a Toronto based office. This again sparked many mixed reviews among COA members. Several wrote to the Association expressing their views while others brought their opinions to the microphone at the Annual Business Meeting in Edmonton last June. Concerns that member services would suffer from a changeover period, worries about eliminating the historical aspect of the COA by pulling it out of its founding city, apprehension about losing current COA staff members and the political ramifications behind moving the COA office were huge. Would Quebec members feel they could still connect with an organization no longer in their province, would bilingual services still be offered from an Ontario based staff? Dr. Cecil H. Rorabeck attended the Annual Meeting of the Quebec Orthopaedic Association in the early fall to discuss the discomfort that Quebec surgeons had with moving the COA out of Montreal. These concerns along with the "if it ain't broke - don't fix it" arguments raised by surgeons across the country confirmed that a merger which completely moved the COA out of Montreal was not well received.

Despite these concerns, the evidence that an operational merger would greatly benefit the COA was still in black and white and could not be pushed to the back burner due to the circumstances the COA was faced with. Many members agreed that an operational merger was necessary, but they did not agree with moving all operations out of Montreal. The COA Board went back to the drawing board to come up with a solution. How could a merger take place with offices in two different cities?

Before any other decisions could be made, one of the first steps that had to be taken was the appointment of a new CEO for both the COA and COF. Through a joint Search Committee, Doug Thomson was hired in early January as the CEO of both organizations. After extensive discussions with both Boards, after reviewing the comments and concerns expressed by members, and after reviewing the current staff structure of both the COA and COF, Doug was able to discuss with the Executive possible options of how an operational merger could work

This past January, the Executive met during the COA's Mid Winter Meeting in Montreal to discuss next steps. One major consensus was made, the Montreal office did not necessarily have to close shop in order to allow an operational merger to happen. Certain services could be maintained in Montreal while others could be taken up in Toronto. This would allow for a continuance in bilingual services, would maintain the historical aspect of the Association, would allow the COA and COF to have a seat in both French and English Canada, and at the same time, allow for the two organizations to share staff and operations.

Once this decision had been made, Doug was asked by the Board to design a staff and organizational structure for the two offices. Job descriptions were reexamined and rewritten, and an organizational and reporting structure was established. Since the current number of staff persons in the Montreal office has reduced since last year, a smaller office space has been secured within the same building providing a more suitable atmosphere while reducing expenses. The office lease in Toronto expires this coming June and new, ideal space is being acquired for our Ontario colleagues.

So there you have it - the workings of an operational merger between the COA and COF. We have two offices in two cities under one organizational structure, both working simultaneously towards the success of both organizations. Many staff members are now considered employees of both the COA and COF and will provide services for both when necessary. If services can be better performed and offered in one of the two cities, that particular city will house that particular service. Many communications and membership services will be centralized in Montreal to ensure that the bilingual component to these two services is maintained. Whereas corporate development, and many administrative and operations functions and management will be centralized in Toronto.