The PEGG

February 2002

READERS' FORUM

Professional Honour and Trust
Are Best for Specialization

Re: The PEGG, January 2002, President's Notebook, the Trends of Specialization and Certification.

A move to adopt registration by discipline or specialization would undermine the governing authority of APEGGA. Our Association of professionals represents the legal entity already granted the authority to develop and enforce codes of practice.

As members, we have solemnly elected to restrict our work to areas within our individual level of competency. The public has entrusted us to adhere to our comprehensive codes of conduct, ethics and professional practice; and to discipline those members who fail to do so.

There are many analogies that come to mind in these days of deregulation, re-regulation and convoluted regulation. In each case, however, it is difficult to find absolute success in any system burdened with layers upon layers of specific language. Many attempts at clarification sadly result in opening other doors to misinterpretation and further confusion.

Our system designed with trust by the public and honour in our practice stands the best chance of success. I believe that the imposition of registration or certification by specialization would be the beginning of the dissolution of the underlying meaning to our status as professionals.

David Corriveau, P.Eng.
Calgary