october 2009 issue
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Council Briefs
New Tech Designation Enters Fold Soon
The PEGG compiled the following items from the most recent APEGGA Council meeting, Sept. 17 in Lethbridge. The next meeting is Dec. 3 in Edmonton.
Regulatory changes that bring ASET into the self-regulatory fold will likely be approved very soon, Council heard. Executive Director & Registrar Neil Windsor, P.Eng., said there’s been “positive movement” on the provincial government front and that Cabinet could proclaim the amendments any day now.
The changes come out of the One Act, Two Associations model and will create a new Professional Technologist designation. APEGGA and ASET will jointly regulate Professional Technologists, under the Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act.
P.Tech.s will be able to practice independently within an individualized scope of practice — one that involves the routine application of industry recognized codes, standards, procedures and practices that use established engineering or applied science principles and methods of problem solving.
For volunteer opportunities involving the new designation, see page 25. Also, a full description of the P.Tech. designation, covering how the changes affect and fit with other designations, appears on page 20.
Trade Agreements
Ripple Through
To EGGP Act
APEGGA’s hand in the mobility game has been forced — Council has begun the process of bringing the EGGP Act in line with two new Canadian trade agreements. The national Agreement on Internal Trade and the Alberta-B.C. Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement will change the way APEGGA deals with members in good standing from other Canadian jurisdictions seeking licensure in Alberta.
Canada has virtual engineering and geoscience mobility without the trade agreements. In fact on the engineering side, more than 99 per cent of transfers are successful.
Engineering and geoscience self-regulatory associations in Canada have retained the right to apply due diligence and reject any applicant for their own reasons, through clauses in the two Inter-Association Mobility Agreements. APEGGA has long argued that it is required by law to apply this due diligence when it looks at transfers, and that the system creates checks and balances between the provinces — an under-qualified member who slips through one system is caught by another.
The province is saying that APEGGA must go against its duties, as described in Alberta’s own legislation. That’s why the act changes are necessary.
“That battle is behind us,” said President Jim Beckett, P.Eng. “The world has changed. If we’re going to take up that fight again, we’re going to have to do so through political process.”
Council approved a motion to put recommended amendments to the EGGP Act General Regulation before the membership. This is to happen at “the earliest convenience.”
Changes in Process
To Rename
Top Staff Title
The role of APEGGA’s top staff position is best described by the title Chief Executive Officer, Council heard. But the EGGP Act requires that Neil Windsor, P.Eng., go by the title Executive Director & Registrar.
Council has now approved changes of the title to move forward to the membership and the province. The changes would also allow the CEO to designate another person as the Registrar. Now, there’s a Deputy Registrar, a position held by Al Schuld, P.Eng.
Meanwhile, the title called Director, Internal Affairs, no longer exists. Len Shrimpton, P.Eng., is now the Chief Operating Officer. The COO role isn’t described in the act, so no member vote or government action is required for the replacement.
“This is really just about putting the right labels on the right packages of responsibilities,” said Mr. Windsor.
Councillor Questions
Toughness of
Discipline Findings
Is APEGGA tough enough on members who end up with Discipline Committee findings against them? It’s a question at least one councillor thinks is worth asking.
“I realize it’s a statutory committee, but I’ve always been troubled by the minor nature of our sanctions,” said Coun. Ken Porteous, P.Eng. “Invariably, members end up rewriting the Professional Practice Exam, which is relatively minor in my view. Monetary fines tend to be $500 or $1,000, and again these are relatively minor slaps on the wrist for the matters investigated.”
Dr. Porteous also suggested that problems could arise when members continue to practice during a sometimes long investigation and hearing time frame. “The member is still out there practicing and could do something a lot more serious. I don’t think we’re liable because of the EGGP Act, but we sure wouldn’t look good.”
President Jim Beckett, P.Eng., said that the publishing of details with names in The PEGG, which the committee often requires, “is in my mind the most significant punishment.”
Mr. Beckett added that the investigative process is now being sped up, through added staff involvement. It’s not a failsafe way of improving the system, he pointed out. Some members will still exhaust every legal process and any other avenues they can to delay proceedings, and some existing files are still being dealt with under the old system.
APEGGA Operates
Well Within Budget
The economy may be suffering, but a financial report to the end of the second quarter shows that APEGGA is coping well when it comes to operations. In fact the Association is ahead of budget on the revenue side and below budget on expenditures.
The end result could be a shift of about $700,000 to unrestricted assets at the end of the year, to bring that area of the books closer to a target of 15 to 20 per cent of normal operating costs.
The reserve investment fund continues to suffer — but it is showing the first signs of turning around. Return was about 1.8 per cent to the end of the second quarter, and from then until the end of August was about 4.1 per cent.
Meanwhile, Council and the Finance Committee are looking at early indicators of what it will cost to meet strategic objectives and other commitments in 2010. The committee will use the numbers to help prepare a first draft of the budget.
And the committee is also looking ahead to the end of APEGGA’s lease in downtown Edmonton. The Scotia Place lease expires on Dec. 31, 2014. Council must look at possible cost increases and prepare for future space needs.
That means it’s time for staff to investigate three options open to the Association: buy, build or lease. Said Finance Committee Chair Shawn Morrison, P.Eng.: “We have enough time now to build — it would take three or four years. We’re trying to hit the timelines to keep all of our options open.”
Geo Campaign
Would Clash With
Alberta Efforts,
Committee Says
APEGGA should not put its dollars behind a national communications plan in geoscience because of potential clashes with what’s already happening in Alberta, Council heard. The Geoscience Committee is recommending against a $36,275-plus commitment from Alberta to the campaign, which is being put forward by the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists. CCPG directors have voted unanimously in favour of the campaign, which covers such things as a new logo and corporate image.
APEGGA is in the middle of changing its two titles to Professional Geoscientist from Professional Geologist and Professional Geophysicist, with grandfather clauses for those who want to keep the existing titles. That means the national campaign could confuse the issue and dilute APEGGA’s own geoscience campaign.
APEGGA has had considerable success increasing geoscience licensure through one-on-one meetings with top executives of the major players in oil and gas. These and other Alberta efforts could perhaps migrate to the national scene, the Council discussion suggested.
“Maybe we already have what we need here, and it’s just a matter of pulling together best practices rather than spending this kind of money,” said President Jim Beckett, P.Eng.
Geoscience Licensure
Remains High Priority
In New Business Plan
Every spring, Council holds a strategic planning session to adjust APEGGA’s sights on its coming challenges. At least two major documents are directly tied to those sessions — the APEGGA Strategic Plan and each year’s APEGGA Business Plan.
These two documents, in turn, help staff and Council make sure budgets are directly linked to strategy. The business plan even serves as a monitoring system, with managers reporting progress on initiatives to each Council meeting.
The 2010 APEGGA Business Plan is now ready for the coming year, and Council has officially received it. The 39-page plan is built around APEGGA’s mission and vision, eight guiding principles, three broad strategic themes, five 2010 strategic priorities and four operational priorities.
The guiding principles are self-regulation, public interest, professionalism, relevance, trust, fairness, transparency, and communications and consultation. The strategic themes call on APEGGA to serve the public interest through regulation of the professions, to lead the professions, and to uphold members in their professional practices.
The nine strategic and operational priorities for 2010 are
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increase mobility nationally and internationally
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increase geoscience licensure
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remove legislative constraints to regulation of the practices
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increase member engagement
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improve performance of national engineering and geoscience bodies and their relationship with member associations
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complete the third phase of a the new APEGGA Member Management System
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complete the evaluation and implementation of a document management system
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work with the Alberta Government to implement revised legislation
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retain a reliable supply of skilled labour over the long term.
APEGGA Addresses
Overlap in
School Visits
Many Alberta organizations — among them APEGGA — deliver science and math outreach programs to school students. But is this overlapping effort the most efficient and effective way to bring similar messages to children?
After a review of the situation, APEGGA management thinks not. The Association is now negotiating a partnership with another group, the Alberta Science Literacy Association. Its presentations would start accounting for APEGGA’s involvement.
“For over 10 years our ability to make in-class curriculum presentations has been seriously constrained by a lack of volunteers,” says a report to Council. “There are many organizations that do the same thing and many are faced with the same constraints.”
The final partnership will likely involve cash as well as the use of APEGGA volunteers. APEGGA would continue tracking member volunteerism in classrooms and would be involved in helping the science literacy association develop and improve its program.
The change would allow the APEGGA Outreach Program to focus more on its other areas, which cover teacher recognition, scholarships and bursaries, partnerships and sponsorships, and women and Aboriginals in geoscience and engineering.