Pubdate: Wed, 01 Feb 2017
Source: Intelligencer, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017, The Belleville Intelligencer
Contact: http://www.intelligencer.ca/letters
Website: http://www.intelligencer.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2332
Author: Jason Miller
Page: A2

PRE-TRIAL FOR POT DOC

Hearings for Rob Kamermans have been scheduled for February

Court proceedings are taking another step toward trial this week for a
former Coe Hill physician whose certificate to practise medicine was
revoked in July.

Court officials confirmed what is expected to be a round of extensive
pre-trial hearings is scheduled for Feb. 2 in the case of embattled
former doctor, Rob Kamermans, who has been on bail since he was
charged in 2012.

In July 2016, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
disciplinary committee revoked Dr. Kamermans' certificate of
registration.

They also ruled Kamermans pay costs to the college in the amount of
$28,098 within six months of the date that the order was finalized.

Kamermans refuted the punishment.

"On Aug. 24, 2016, Dr. Kamermans appealed the Discipline Committee' s
decision to the Divisional Court of the Ontario Superior Court of
Justice," the disciplinary committee stated.

"The hearing that will consider allegations related to Dr. Kamermans'
medical marijuana practice was adjourned pending the outcome of the
criminal proceeding," said Kathryn Clarke, a senior communications
co-ordinator for the college. "In the meantime, as you know, his
licence to practise medicine has been revoked."

Locally, lawyers are working toward a trial date for Kamermans, who,
following a preliminary hearing, has been committed to stand trial for
a raft of charges including forging medical marijuana prescriptions
across several provinces.

There are no tentative trial dates on the table until the pre-trial
matters are addressed.

Appeal hearings, disputing some of the counts, snarled the case
despite Kamermans being committed to stand trial following a
preliminary hearing which concluded in 2014.

"Judge Stephen Hunter didn't commit (to stand trial) on the forgeries
and once I won that they (defence counsel) appealed it," prosecutor
Jodi Whyte told The Intelligencer in the summer about how the process
was slowed by appeals. "It went to the Court of Appeal. They sent it
back. Justice Hunter reconsidered and committed him on those charges."

Kamermans' defence made fruitless attempts to kibosh Whyte's bid to
indict Kamermans on forgery linked to documents signed on behalf of
the patients.

The family practitioner and his wife, Mary, have been committed to
stand trial for a host of charges including substance trafficking,
fraud, proceeds of crime and money laundering linked to medical marijuana.

"He's facing eight counts," Whyte said.

Whyte said the charges also stretch across several provinces including
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

Kamermans is also accused of defrauding OHIP.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt