Pubdate: Sat, 08 Nov 2014
Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Peterborough Examiner
Contact: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/letters
Website: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616
Author: Jason Miller
Page: B2

COE HILL POT DOC COMMITTED TO TRIAL

Rob and Mary Kamermans Face Series of Charges

BELLEVILLE - A Coe Hill family practitioner and his wife have been 
committed to stand trial for a host of charges including, substance 
trafficking, fraud and money laundering related to his involvement 
with medical marijuana prescriptions.

Rob and Mary Kamermans will face trial for a series of charges 
stemming from his alleged dispensing of marijuana prescriptions to 
patients in jurisdictions across Canada, including his Bancroft 
medical practice, located about 90 minutes north of Belleville.

Both accused where in attendance at the Quinte courthouse in 
Belleville, Thursday, as Justice Stephen Hunter read his reasons for 
committal. Though the couple, via their Toronto lawyer Davin Charney, 
sought to schedule their next appearance in January, Justice Hunter 
insisted he wanted to expedite the matter, settling instead for Dec. 5 date.

"I would like to get it moving," Hunter said about a case he 
estimates won't commence trial until fall 2015.

Kamermans, 68 and coaccused, Mary Kamermans, 66, were charged in 
relation to fraudulent endorsement of Health Canada's medicinal 
marijuana documents in Ontario, New Brunswick, Quebec and British 
Columbia, between January 2011 and April 2012, police said.

"I'm satisfied that the case is made out for committal," Hunter said, 
bringing a close to the preliminary hearing stage, which has a 
primary purpose of determining if there is sufficient evidence to 
warrant a trial against the accused. It has no baring on trial 
proceedings which involves detailed examination of each piece of 
evidence being argued by defence and Crown counsel.

Rob Kamermans and his wife were committed on three counts related to 
defrauding the Ontario Health Insurance Program ( OHIP).

Outside the courtroom, prosecutor Jodi Whyte confirmed, in addition, 
"they have both been committed on ( benefiting from) proceeds of 
crime and money laundering."

"I asked that in addition to the charges before the court, that they 
be committed for ( one count each) trafficking a substance and they 
have both been," said Whyte.

The Crown could move to indicted the Kamermans on fraud instead of 
forgery, linked to documents they signed on behalf of the patients, 
Whyte noted.

"His honour says he doesn't find that it fits within the definition 
of forgery but it does find that they're frauds, if we want to 
indicted them," Whyte said, pointing to Hunter tossing five counts of 
forgery levied against the accused. "They will be recommitted on ( 
one count each of ) fraud instead."

Whyte sided with the judge insisting the matter should be addressed 
in a timely fashion.

"It's been a long haul getting here because of change of counsel and 
all sorts of things," Whyte said. "This thing has drug out."

Dr. Kamermans was charged Aug. 15, 2012, in Sturgeon Falls while his 
wife Mary - a registered nurse - was charged in Bancroft.

Charney removed himself from the record, as the lawyer for the 
Kamermans, but told The Intelligencer he will maintain contact with the couple.

"As of today I took myself off the record but I continue to assist 
them," Charney said.

He also read a prepared statement on the behalf of the Kamermans, 
maintaining their experience.

"Mary and Rob are health care professionals involved in helping sick 
people and saving lives," Charney read from the hand-written note. 
"The only thing they're guilty of is helping thousands of people.

"They feel they're being prosecuted and persecuted," Charney said.

The criminal proceedings is just one side of the Kamermans' ordeal. 
Rob Kamermans is also facing ongoing investigation and scrutiny from 
the College of Physicians and Surgeons, which has already imposed 
numerous limitations on his ability to practise in Ontario.

In part, he has already been banned from prescribing, dispensing or 
the administration of cannabis. The college also found he "committed 
an act of professional misconduct" by failing to maintain the 
standard of practise for more than two dozen patients. As a result of 
the college reprimand he was fined $3,650 and hit with several 
sanctions including operating under strict supervision.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom