draft minutes - Engineers Canada

Constituent Association Presidents’ Group Meeting
Thursday May 22nd, 2014
Spencer Room
Saint John Trade and Convention Centre
Saint John, New Brunswick
1:15 – 4:52 pm
DRAFT MINUTES
The following members were in attendance:
J. Beckett, FEC, P.Eng.
P. Amyotte, FEC, P. Eng.
G. Comrie, MEng, P.Eng., CMC, FEC
S. Bilodeau, ing., PhD
B. Crist, P.Eng.
M. Friesen, Ph.D., P.Eng.
J. Gilliland, PhD, FEC, P.Eng, FGC (Hon)
H. Hayne, P. Eng.
J. Knapp, FEC, P. Eng.
S. LaCour, FEC, P.Eng.
A. Loken, FEC, P.Eng.
C. Plourde, FEC, P.Eng.
S. Wheeler, P.Eng.
R. Kinghorn, FEC, P.Eng.
Secretary
G. Legault, MBA, FCGA, FCPA, CAE
Absent:
D. Adams, P.Eng., MBA, FEC
M. Bapty, FEC, P.Eng.
President, Engineers Canada
President-Elect, Engineers Canada
Vice President, PEO
President, OIQ
President, APEY
President, APEGM
President, APEGA
President, NAPEG
President, APENS
Chair, PEGNL
President, APEGS
President, APEGNB (Meeting Chair)
President, Engineers PEI
Past-President, APEGBC
Vice-President, Business
Development and Services,
Engineers Canada
President, PEO
President, APEGBC
Christine Plourde chaired the meeting.
1.
CALL TO ORDER
2.
INTRODUCTIONS
3.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Moved by Sean LaCour (PEGNL), seconded by Jim Gillliland (APEGA) – Motion
carried
CAs Presidents’ Group
May 22, 2014
Page 2
4.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
Moved by Heather Hayne (NAPEG), seconded by Jeff Knapp (Engineers Nova
Scotia) – Motion carried
5.
BUSINESS ARISING
5.1
Presidents’ Group Terms of Reference
Available on Engineers Canada website at:
http://www.engineerscanada.ca/presidents-group-materials
5.2
Presidents Group Materials on EC Webpage
Documents for the Presidents’ Group will be posted on the Engineers Canada
(EC) website: http://www.engineerscanada.ca/presidents-group-materials
5.3
Revisions to secondary liability insurance coverage
Confirmation from Engineers Canada has been sent to the Constituents
Associations (CAs).
5.4
Update on Request to Admissions Advisory Group to explore an
audit/ accreditation process of CA admission processes
The Presidents discussed the subject to try to clarify whether or not there is clear
consensus on the request to Engineers Canada. There was general consensus
that it is important that the CAs be clear and transparent with their admissions
assessment processes, especially considering the recent human rights case, and
that, in principle, CAs should be open to some sort of monitoring to confirm that
they are following their own stated processes.
What is less clear is what forms this monitoring should take at this time. It was
felt that some type of monitoring or accreditation process against an accepted
best practice would be desirable; however it was recognized that this best
practice standard is not yet in place and may take some time to get to,
considering the different regulatory environments across the country.
It was acknowledged that some work needs to be done to define what this
monitoring process may look like - whether it be internal and/or external
monitoring against each CA's process, or against a best practice, and whether or
not a monitoring or continuous improvement process should be considered as
part of the Canadian Framework for Licensure (CFL)1 process, if it is not already.
In the meantime, the Presidents agreed to answer three sets of questions for the
next meeting:
1
Secretary’s note: CFL has now been renamed the Framework for Regulation.
CAs Presidents’ Group
May 22, 2014
Page 3
1. Do you have a written process for registration?
2. Is the written process available to be shared?
3. Are you following the process and do you have a process in place to confirm
that you are following it?
5.5
OIQ Ethics Course and Exam Module
An update was provided on the possibility of having the OIQ Ethics Course and
Exam Module translated to English for use by other CAs.
In addition to Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and NS, who expressed interest at the
last meeting, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador and NB expressed an interest at
this meeting. OIQ is open to have the course shared and used by other CAs. A
licensing process may be required.
Engineers Canada agreed to assess potential costs associated with having the
course translated and will get back to the Presidents Group within the next few
weeks2.
5.6
Motion regarding Nationally-Regulated Industries
Jim Beckett presented Engineers Canada CEO's Ends Assessment of the motion
using a tool that he developed to help assess the alignment of issues with
Engineers Canada Ends.
Although there was some expression of concern that the ends assessment,
which placed most of the applicable Ends in the yellow range, under-rated the
importance of the request, the Presidents agreed to review the assessment in
more detail and to provide their feedback, through the Chair, to Engineers
Canada within the next couple of weeks.
It was also noted that a Position Statement related to this issue is also being
presented to the Engineers Canada Board at tomorrow's meeting (May 23,
2014).
5.7
Alberta Human Rights Tribunal Ruling Update
Jim Gilliland, APEGA President presented an update on their appeal of the
Alberta Human Rights Tribunal Ruling, indicating that it is APEGA's intention to
follow the process through to the end, regardless of the outcome, although they
feel the outcome should be a successful one.
2
Secretary’s note: EC has held discussions with OIQ staff and is waiting for more information
from OIQ’s supplier which hosts the online course. Preliminary discussion with OIQ indicates that
it may be challenging to translate the course due to the fact that unionized artists have been used in
the video. In addition, the course is based on the OIQ Code of Ethics, not the national one. There
is also a Professionalism and Ethics initiative being pursued at EC, which would address a similar
purpose.
CAs Presidents’ Group
May 22, 2014
Page 4
6.
NEW BUSINESS
6.1
Update from Engineers Canada President (Jim Beckett, FEC, P.Eng.)
Given that the Presidents have access to his written update included in the May
23 EC Board package, President Beckett offered to answer questions.
Regarding discussions between EC and Geoscientists Canada, there has been,
in the past, some attempts to discuss the potential of working together and create
savings. This was not well received by Geoscientists Canada at the time. EC is
not pursuing the issue actively at this time. A number of Presidents will attend
their upcoming AGM in early June.
6.2
Career Focus Update (Guy Legault, Vice-President, Business
Development and Services)
Guy presented an update on the Career Focus program which was launched in
December 2013 and circulated a student brochure and a one-pager (which will
be circulated electronically) including a promotional offer for Presidents to do the
assessment and consultation for free and provide feedback to improve the
product before the full launch in October 2014.
Some Presidents indicated an interest to have their staff work with EC to promote
the program with high schools.
6.3
Governance Process Policy GP-11 - Board Linkage with Ownership.
Task Force to develop ways to improve Board linkage with
Ownership. Comments/ suggestions from CAs?
The recent Monitoring Report on Governance Policy GP-11 - Board Linkage with
Ownership - was circulated to the group and feedback was invited on
suggestions for consideration by the Task Force working to develop ways to
improve the linkage.
Engineers Canada stressed the importance of ownership linkage to the Board.
Perception from many of the Presidents was that, although there are some
processes in place to provide linkage, more can be done - both on the part of
Engineers Canada as well as on the part of the CAs themselves. Despite good
participation of EC Directors at CA council meetings, it was expressed that there
may be some lack of appreciation at some provincial councils of Engineers
Canada's work and outcomes. It was stressed that working to improve
communications by all available channels is key.
6.4
Follow up of the Special Meeting at OIQ (S. Bilodeau, ing., PhD)
President Bilodeau gave an overview of the recent Special Meeting at OIQ,
where approximately 1800 members were in attendance. Many Board decisions
over the years were challenged by the vast majority of those present. The Board
is reviewing the results in preparation for the upcoming AGM in June.
CAs Presidents’ Group
May 22, 2014
Page 5
6.5
Engineers Canada’s 30 by 2030 Goal “Thirty percent of newly
licensed engineers are women by the year 2030”
6.5.1 Will/has your CA endorse(d) the goal? How can CAs help to
move toward the goal across the country?
The group discussed overall support for Engineers Canada's recently updated 30
by 2030 Goal - Thirty percent of "newly" licensed engineers are women by the
year 2030." Most CAs have had discussions and support the goal and some
have officially endorsed it. There was some discussion on the types of things
that various CAs are doing to help move toward the goal. It was stressed that,
while attracting women to the profession is key, retention is also a big issue. It
was also expressed that it is unfortunate that the timing of this year's CCWESTT
conference conflicts with this Engineers Canada Board meeting, and that some
effort should be made to attempt to avoid this next time.
6.6
NAE Engineering Messages - How are you “Changing the
Conversation”? http://www.engineeringmessages.org/
Information was shared on the National Academy of Engineering's engineering
messages.org website, which provides research, reports and examples of model
messaging to help Change and Improve the Conversation about Engineering
amongst engineering professionals and the general public. It was noted that
some of this messaging is apparent in recent communications from Engineers
Canada and it was suggested that the messaging be considered by Engineers
Canada and the CAs in development of communications plans, with the hope
that we will begin to spread a common, clear and consistent message about
Engineering and the Engineering Profession in Canada, which will help to Raise
the Profile of the profession.
6.7
Acceptance of Civil Engineering, Building Design and overlap with
Architecture
A brief round table discussion was held on the various efforts over the years
amongst the various CAs on the subject of practice overlap between Civil
Engineering Building Design and Architecture Building Design.
From experience, some CAs indicated that it is a long process to deal with this
issue. Co-existence and relationships vary across the country, some with
committees or agreements on joint practice, based on respective legislations.
7.
SELECTION OF CHAIR FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENTS’ MEETING
Jim Gilliland, APEGA President agreed to chair the next meeting.
CAs Presidents’ Group
May 22, 2014
Page 6
8.
NEXT MEETING DATE
September 30, 2014 – time to be confirmed3.
9.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 4:52pm.
3
Secretary’s note: 1pm to 4:30pm.