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Some APEGGA Responses, Please
It was interesting to read the letter with many concerns
raised by a member of APEGGA in the May 2003 issue of The
PEGG (Has APEGGA Lost its Way? by Merle Wilde, P.Eng.).
Similar and other concerns have been raised in the past
many times by other members.
I am not writing to either affirm or question legitimate
concerns raised by members. It would be natural to expect
that someone knowledgeable in Association affairs, either
from the APEGGA office or Council, would respond to these
concerns. The response could be either through the editor
or in the form of a write-up.
One does not necessarily expect a response to an opinion
expressed through a letter to the editor in a public newspaper.
The PEGG, however, is not a public newspaper, but a magazine
of APEGGA for its eligible members. The members have the
right to expect a response and deserve one.
This will help the silent majority of members with concerns,
and also perhaps encourage more involvement. It is a natural
human tendency to give up and not be involved once one believes
that one's opinion has gone through deaf ears.
I also read with interest another letter, emphasizing members'
responsibility to vote (Voting is Your Responsibility, by
Chrys. L. Dmytruk, P.Eng.). I basically agree, since this
is our democratic system.
However, the 20 or so elected councillors should not assume
that they have been given the full right to vote and decide
on all issues affecting the members. The members at large
should be given the chance to vote on such issues of concern
to a vast majority of members through plebiscites, surveys
etc.
This is not much different from the APEGGA election process.
In the present electronic age, response to the plebiscite
or survey by members electronically through the APEGGA website would be very cost effective. Of course, those who
choose not to vote would have no one to blame but themselves
for the results of their action and hence of the plebiscite.
Canadians have been hoping for many years with limited success
that such a system of seeking majority viewpoint (through
public forums, plebiscites etc.) would be more common at
all levels of government and businesses in our country.
APEGGA can certainly lead the way by taking a small step
forward so that others would follow with a giant leap in
the same direction.
Dr. Raj S.V. Rajan, P.Eng.
Sherwood Park
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