The PEGG

July, 2000

PRESIDENT'S NOTEBOOK

Finding the Right Fit
For APEGGA's Future

APEGGA's Mission
To serve society and protect the public by regulating, enhancing and providing leadership in the practice of the professions of engineering, geology and geophysics.

The words of the APEGGA Mission Statement printed above may seem familiar but there is a small but significant difference in the addition of the phrase "protect the public".

APEGGA Council approved the revised text at the June meeting. It is the first recommendation of Council's Relevance Task Force to be implemented.
More could follow. Under the able direction of Councillor Linda Van
Gastel, P.Eng., the Task Force in the past year has examined where APEGGA
is and where it might be headed over the next decade.

Public Protection Still Paramount

Protection of the public has long been a paramount principle for APEGGA and
repeatedly tops the list of the Association's strategic priorities. The
Relevance Task Force has solicited input from members, technical
societies, Permit holders, APEGGA branches, as well as those who use our
professional services and employ our members. The Task Force's hard work
has resulted in a Framework for Action, presented at the last Council
meeting.

Anyone who has tried to forecast the future -- be it of one's personal life,
that of our firms or of our organizations -- knows how difficult it can be. I
must commend Linda, Ron Tenove, P.Eng., and other Councillors who contributed toward the Task Force, for their dedicated efforts.

A Forthright Approach

The Task Force has taken a forthright approach in outlining the threats and
challenges that could undermine our continued existence as a
self-regulating professional Association. The threats include governments
that may respond to pressure either a) to abandon the notion of
self-regulating professions or at the other extreme b) extend the right of self-governance to any discipline or occupation that requests "professional standing".
We know that being a professional is relevant. We fall short in delivering this message.

We recognize that individuals, firms and other stakeholders seek assurance that they receive value from belonging to APEGGA or from employing those registered with the Association. In this regard, it is important that we separate perceived values to ourselves as individual members and the power that we have as a group of individuals. Therein lies a huge value of membership in APEGGA.
An important part of the Task Force's recommendations responds to those concerns.

Retain Traditional Responsibility

Should Council endorse building business and membership value as a key
objective, it admittedly represents a significant shift of emphasis for
APEGGA. I believe that we can undertake such a new directive
without sacrificing our traditional responsibility of protecting the
public. The very deliberate inclusion of the phrase "protect the public"
in our revised Mission Statement emphasizes that we will not discard that
important principle while proceeding to adjust and widen APEGGA's goals in dealing with the business community and government.

The Relevance Task Force in its vision for the year 2010 sees APEGGA
remaining an effective regulator while also becoming a valued business
partner. I welcome your input -- as partners in APEGGA's decision making
-- as we contemplate moving down new paths without abandoning our
traditional responsibilities.