The following items were on the agenda or discussed at the Nov. 26
APEGGA Council Meeting in Calgary.

 

Support for Julie Aitken

The Council meeting opened with a moment of reflection and support for former
APEGGA Councillor Julie Aitken, P.Geoph., whose husband, David, was killed in an
automobile accident near Lake Louise on Nov. 22. Ms. Aitken, who completed a
three-year term on APEGGA Council last April, was also involved in the accident, as
was her young daughter, Jennifer, who was seriously injured.


Membership Dues To Rise to $165

APEGGA Council has approved a membership dues increase of $10 for 1999 _ resulting
in an annual fee for professional members of $165. A number of other fees which are
linked to the professional member fee also will rise, notably the annual fee for life
members and those on disability (set at 25 per cent of the full member fee). The
Permit to Practice application and annual fees rises to $205, from $195. The annual
fee for members-in-training remains $40. The fee for current M.I.T.s applying for
professional standing rises to $125, from $115. The application fee for professional
members joining the association also rises by $10, to $165, as does the fee for
foreign licensees. The application fee for persons already registered in another
Canadian jurisdiction increases to $80, from $75.

The increases were endorsed as part of the 1999 APEGGA budget approved by Council.
The budget projects revenues of $5.7 million in 1999, with the bulk ($4.3 million)
coming through annual dues. Expenditures for the next year are forecast at $5.6
million. Actual revenues for 1998 are expected to come in at $5.2 million, with
anticipated expenditures being just under that figure (Last year's budget had
projected a revenue-to-expenditure shortfall of just over $100,000, with the
difference anticipated to be made up by drawing upon operating reserves. This action
proved unnecessary.)

In outlining the budget, APEGGA Deputy Registrar and Director of Administration Al
Schuld, P.Eng., pointed to a new program of student membership as one area of
increased expenditure. Printing and distribution of a new member-in-training
guideline, added professional development activity (with the addition of one staff
member to this area) and the anticipated hiring of an Assistant Director of
Registration and Compliance (a new position) are among other new initiatives scheduled
for the coming year. Acquisition of some additional office space in Edmonton also is
anticipated.

Major areas of projected expenditure are: general administration ($1.5 million);
communication ($1.6 million); and registration and compliance ($825,422).
The Association continues to maintain a reserve equivalent to approximately six
months of operating expenses.

In presenting the budget, Mr. Schuld noted that even with the dues increase,
APEGGA's fees remain among the lowest in Canada. Based on 1997 levels, only New
Brunswick ($160) and Ontario ($130) are lower. When comparing the number of staff with
the number of members, APEGGA has the lowest staff-to-member ratio (one staff member
for every 730 members). APEGGA staff salaries and benefits (31.4 per cent) as a
percentage of the overall budget are the lowest among the associations, Mr. Schuld
said.

Council was provided with the annual membership dues for 1998 of a number of other
professional associations in Alberta. They are:
Alberta Association of Architects $700;
Alberta Teachers' Association $627;
Alberta Dental Association $2,150;
College of Physicians and Surgeons $790;
Institute of Chartered Accountants $700 (includes national association fees); and
Law Society $750.


Business Plan

In conjunction with the budget approval, Council has adopted APEGGA's 1999 Business
Plan, Toward a New Millennium. It includes adjustments and revisions to the existing
business plan. The latter has its origins in the plans Council developed and approved
in 1996.


Student Membership Program

Council has approved spending $25,000 to research and develop a program that would
create a student member category in APEGGA. While APEGGA currently provides a variety
of support activities, such as student and other events geared toward full-time engine
ering, geology and geophysics students at Alberta universities, students currently are
not members of the Association. Quebec has a such a program and Ontario is developing
one.
APEGGA President Dan Motyka, P.Eng., termed the Quebec program "outstanding",
adding "we in Alberta can learn something from Quebec."
It is not anticipated that students would pay to be members. Possible benefits
include better communication with students, and opportunities to influence
professional development and raise awareness about APEGGA and professional membership.


APEGGA Logo Approved


Council has given its blessing to using as an official APEGGA logo the already
registered triangular design which has gained exposure for several years as the Summit Awards® symbol.

The logo now will be used in publications, pins, letterhead, on Web pages, etc.
The logo can be interpreted as representing the three constituent professions;
representing the mountains of Alberta; as a symbolic "A" for Alberta; and the
outflowing lines can be seen to represent the role that APEGGA plays in society and
for its members.


Pressure Vessels Proposals Approved

Recommendations from the Enforcement Review Committee relating to pressure vessels
will be forwarded to the Alberta Boilers and Pressure Vessel Technical Council by
APEGGA's representative on that council, John Melnick, P.Eng. Based on an examination
of the issues by an ERC task force headed by Coun. Gordon Stewart, P.Eng., the
recommendations call for Alberta Labour to change the Boiler and Pressure Vessels Act
to require a stamp and seal by a responsible professional engineer registered in one
or more jurisdiction in Canada or the United States. The provision would apply except
where the vessel is specifically exempt.

The current system for designing and manufacturing the majority of pressure
vessels fabricated and/or used in Alberta does not mandate involvement by a
professional engineer. The recommendations as forwarded by APEGGA provide for a
specific list of exemptions and would require that documents submitted for design
registration be accompanied by a statutory declaration, stating:



Council Committee Relations

APEGGA Executive Committee will meet the chairs of the Association's five statutory
committees and boards to review the relationship between these bodies and Council. The
five committees and board specified in the Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Pr
ofessions Act are: the Board of Examiners, the Investigative Committee, the Discipline
Committee, the Appeal Board and the Practice Review Board. Some clarification of the
relationship between Council and these boards and committees was considered necessary
following Council's adoption at its June meeting of a policy on publication of
information connected with discipline cases (See Council Briefs, July 1998 PEGG, Page
5).


Revision of Code of Ethics

Following a presentation by a Practice Standards Committee subcommittee developing a
revised Code of Ethics, Council has invited further input by publishing the
subcommittee's draft code in The PEGG (See Page 6, this edition). Comments are
requested by Jan. 20, to permit further consideration at the next APEGGA Council
meeting (Feb. 4). The task force, chaired by Charlie Weir, P.Eng., also will meet with
the CSEG/CSPG/APEGGA Liaison Committee and APEGGA's Investigative Committee.



Climate Change

Council has asked the Environment Committee to consider activities APEGGA might
undertake to inform members and others about global warning and climate-change issues.
The request followed a presentation to Council on climate change and results of the
1997 Kyoto conference, by Coun. Bonnie Stowkowy, P.Eng., who chairs an APEGGA
strategic planning task force on climate change.


Geoscience Task Force


Coun. Neil O'Donnell, P.Eng., P.Geol., reported on a strategic planning task force
examining relations with geoscientists. The task force has begun a series of "brown
bag lunches" to gather earth scientists' views and attitudes toward APEGGA. The task
force also hopes to determine the number of geoscientists in Alberta and the
percentage who are registered to practice.

 


Emerging Technologies

A strategic planning task force chaired by Elizabeth Cannon, P.Eng., PhD, reviewing
emerging technologies, is gathering information from various sources, including the
Canadian Advanced Technologies Alliance (CATA), the Canadian Council of Professional
Engineers, and APEGGA's 1998 general survey to obtain demographic and employment
information on emerging technologies. The task force also intends to gather data from
employers and employees active in new technical areas that could impact the
professions represented in APEGGA.


Don Hoover Thanked

APEGGA President Dan Motyka, P.Eng., thanked Don Hoover, P.Ag., for his
contributions as a Public Member of APEGGA Council during the last six years. Mr.
Hoover plans to step down in the new year. Mr. Motyka noted Mr. Hoover's important
contribution toward development of APEGGA's new governance model. Mr. Hoover said he
had enjoyed his involvement with the Association and "I will treasure what I have
learned."

 

CCPE & CCPG Updates

Former APEGGA President Noel Cleland, P.Eng., a member of the Canadian Council of
Professional Engineers Executive Committee, in reporting to Council said the prospect
of Professional Engineers Ontario withdrawing from CCPE now appears to have
diminished.

Following the cancellation in August of a Memorandum of Understanding between CCPE
and the Canadian Council for Human Resources in the Environment Industry, a
co-operation agreement between CCHREI and CCPE was forwarded to the constituent
associations for consideration and possible endorsement. At the Nov. 26 meeting,
APEGGA Council decided not to endorse the co-operation agreement.

Executive Director and Registrar Neil Windsor, P.Eng., reported that APEGGA is
scheduled to host CCPE's AGM in 2003.

Bob Comer, P.Geoph., Alberta Director to the Canadian Council of Professional
Geoscientists, said that the National Geoscience Standards Board has prepared a report
on standards of geoscience knowledge and work experience for professional practice,
which should prove useful to Boards of Examiners in their deliberations.