President's Message
In recent years a few professions across the country have had their privilege of self-regulation removed. Looking into why this privilege has been removed we see that some organizations have deviated from their core requirements as defined by their Acts and Bylaws. APEGS firmly believes that we are best positioned to regulate the practices of professional engineering and professional geoscience for the protection of the public. As such, we need to be sure that what we do is within the bounds of our Act and Bylaws.
e had a number of events this June focused on reviewing how well we are aligned to the Objects of the Association: The New Councillor Orientation. June Council Meeting and Council Planning Session were conducted in Yorkton as part of the APEGS Annual Planning Cycle. During the Continuing Professional Development and Competency Based Assessment town halls earlier this year, we found that our members appreciate local contact. As a result, we are working on various ways to interact with our members in their local communities. Part of that local contact included holding the previously mentioned events outside of Saskatoon and Regina and inviting the local members to attend.
This year was the first time we held a New Councillor Orientation session. This idea was garnered from one of our sister associations during a visit to their Annual Meeting. The orientation was a chance to help inform our new councillors on current and future issues to be discussed at council meetings, the APEGS organizational structure and the board and committee structure. Our new councillors also received guidance regarding their role as a councillor as well as many other items. The sessions provided them with an opportunity to network with each other and senior APEGS staff. This event will help our councillors understand how their work fits within the APEGS acts and bylaws. APEGS Strategic Planning is laid out in the APEGS Value Proposition (AVP), which embodies the strategic and operational direction for our association. Anchoring the AVP are the Objects of the Association, found in Section 5 of The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act:
(a) to ensure the proficiency and competency of members in the practice of professional engineering or the practice of professional geoscience in order to safeguard the public;
(b) to regulate the practice of professional engineering and the practice of professional geoscience by members in accordance with this act and the bylaws;
(c) to promote and improve the proficiency and competency of members;
(d) to foster the practice of professional engineering and the practice of professional geoscience by members in a manner that is in the public interest.
During the Council Planning Session, which was attended by many of the committee chairs, several factors discussed revealed the need for a review of the APEGS Council, Board and Committee organizational structure. Reviewing the committee’s Terms of Reference has indicated possible misalignments with the Objects.
Over the past year, the APEGS Communication Manager has provided a view of how our structure is working and the tools to develop and implement a communications plan. Finally, a review of the council electoral groups indicates that some disciplines represented are no longer current. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of the review process and sharing the results with our membership.
