draft minutes - Engineers Canada
Transcription
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.