March 2007 ISSUE
council briefs
One Act, Two Associations Model Goes to Members
The following news items were gathered from the Feb. 22 APEGGA Council meeting in Edmonton. The next meeting is April 27 in Calgary.
Members are ready and the timing is right for a special ballot on the proposed one Act, two Associations regulatory model, Council decided. APEGGA members are being sent the mail-in ballot now with their 2007 Council elections ballot.
ASET members are being sent a ballot with identical wording on the model. If the model makes it into provincial legislation, it will result in a new designation for technologists under The Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act.
Background is available at www.apegga.org. ASET and APEGGA have also sent out electronic notification of the special ballot. Information is also available on the front page of this month’s PEGG, including a new set of frequently asked questions.
Please note that this is a mail-in ballot. Members will receive a pre-addressed envelope in their election package. No APEGGA ballots received after April 8, 2007, will be considered.
Following is the exact wording of the ballot going to members of ASET and APEGGA.
Special Ballot
ASET and APEGGA have been discussing a one Act, two Associations regulatory model to regulate engineers, geologists, geophysicists and technologists in Alberta. The principles of this new regulatory model are described in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated December 18, 2006 which can be found at www.apegga.org/ASET/ASET-APEGGA-MOU.pdf and in the February 2007 issue of The PEGG. The MOU was unanimously endorsed by the APEGGA Council and the ASET Council on January 25, 2007.
Should The Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act be amended to create a one Act, two Associations regulatory model, as per the Memorandum of Understanding signed by ASET and APEGGA on December 18, 2006?
A poll of ASET Members is being conducted concurrently by ASET using exactly the same question. Results will be announced on the website, in an e-PEGG and in The PEGG.
Alberta/B.C. Trade Agreement
APEGGA already complies with and strongly endorses the gist of a new regional
trade agreement that comes into effect April 1. However, APEGGA and three other
associations in the two western-most provinces do have issues they want to see
their governments address.
The B.C./Alberta Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement begins a transition phase on April 1. The two provincial governments inked the deal a year ago. TILMA removes barriers to trade between Alberta and B.C.
A task force of APEGGA, the Alberta Association of Architects, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia, and the Architectural Institute of British Columbia have discussed how TILMA affects them and their members. The four self-regulatory bodies are concerned that areas of the agreement addressing procurement of professional services will increase bureaucracy, and work against public safety and the public interest.
The four bodies are firmly committed to improving the seamless mobility of professionals in architecture and geoscience between the two provinces. In fact, the task force says, current mobility agreements for engineers and geoscientists result in prompt registration by the hosting associations in 99 per cent of the applications — with no additional requirements imposed. Over 90 per cent of the architectural firms applying for registration between the two provinces are accepted with no further requirements imposed.
The task force also favours the agreement’s requirement of more harmonization. The task force thinks, for example, that continuing professional development legislation might be harmonized.
Audited Statements Approved
Council looked at the closing books for 2006 and approved a motion sending them
to members. Consideration of the audited financial statements is on the agenda
of the 2007 Annual General Meeting, April 28 in Calgary.
The audited financial statements show the year ending with a small surplus. APEGGA’s revenues reached more than $11.6 million, with expenses of under $11.4 million.
Dues are the major revenue source for APEGGA, at more than $7.7 million in 2006. Salaries account for about $4.55 million in spending. The audit found no major control deficiencies.
The financial statements will be published in the 2006 APEGGA Annual Report and in the April PEGG.
Foundation Recommendations
APEGGA Council is recommending five high-profile members to the APEGGA Education
Foundation Board, in the hopes they can help the foundation improve its fundraising.
Council recommended two stalwarts in the professions and in the business of self-regulation, Dan Motyka, P.Eng., and Darrel Danyluk, P.Eng. Both are past presidents of APEGGA. Mr. Motyka is an Alberta director for the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers, and Mr. Danyluk is a past CCPE president.
Also on the list is Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, P.Eng., dean of the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary. Dr. Cannon is a leader in geomatics research and twice a winner in the APEGGA Summit Awards.
Stantec Chairman Ron Triffo, P.Eng., is a former APEGGA councillor and the 2004 winner of the APEGGA Summit Awards Centennial Leadership Award. He also recently received the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement.
Ralph Young, P.Eng., is president and CEO of Melcor Developments Ltd. He chaired the organizing committee for the 2004 Edmonton Centennial and is a former governor on the University of Alberta Board of Governors.
APEGGA can recommend appointees to the foundation board, but the board itself has the final decision on its membership.
Labour Market Strategies
Councillors will have fresh research on the Alberta labour market to help guide
their coming annual strategy sessions. A consultant will research the labour
supply-demand picture and make recommendations on how to reduce the gap.
The consultant will advise staff in the creation of a white paper. Council requested the paper, which will look at the labour market for members over the coming 10 years.
A labour market model already created by Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry will be used in the white paper as well.