MAY 2005 ISSUE
AGM Favours Voting Rights For R.P.T. Members
Registered professional technologists will have the right to hold APEGGA office and vote in its elections, if the Alberta Government adopts EGGP Act, regulation and bylaw amendments that the AGM narrowly approved April 23.
Members at the AGM in Calgary voted 48-36 in favour of the changes, despite some concerns that giving registered professional technologists more power erodes the professions. Others noted, however, that R.P.T.s are already included on professional teams on the job and deserve more value for their membership.
APEGGA has about 140 R.P.T.s and about 31,500 members with full professional status. R.P.T. categories cover engineering, geology and geophysics. An R.P.T., through a combination of experience and education, is allowed to practice unsupervised in a narrow, defined and pre-approved scope.
The AGM also passed motions to move forward regulation and bylaw changes for electronic voting and notification. The changes would allow APEGGA to include electronic voting in elections and other matters put out to a mail vote. Also acceptable would be electronic notice of meetings and other matters.
Members heard that the pace would be slow on any changes, that only proven technology would be used, and that the changes would not mean the end of traditional, non-electronic voting and notice methods.