INNOVATION January-February 2017

p er spect i ve

Self-Regulation: A Privilege, Not a Right

Dr. Ralph Sultan, P.Eng., MLA Although governments recognise that the functioning of our society is completely reliant on the excellence and diligence in the engineering and geoscience professions, in order for us to maintain our self-regulation privilege, it is imperative that we show leadership and take the appropriate steps to hold ourselves to the highest of standards. If we do not, recent examples demonstrate the government may intercede to ensure the public interest is protected. Engineers and geoscientists are significant contributors to our provincial economy and the well- being of our society. The engineering and geoscience professions have a responsibility and great need to live

up to the trust placed in them by the public. While our professions have had some inspiring accomplishments, like any other profession, we are not perfect. When issues arise, society’s faith in us wavers. To assume that we are free to make all of the rules that apply to us and that we, through APEGBC, are the final collective judge for what is in the public interest is simply not true. When the public trust falters, the government can act quite swiftly and authoritatively. We have seen this with the BC Real Estate Council. In announcing the end of self-regulation by the province’s real estate industry, Premier Christy Clark stated that, “The point of regulation is to protect people.” She further added

that, “It’s granted on behalf of the public by government to professions that say they can do the job and prove they can do the job.” The public and government lost confidence in the council’s ability to self-regulate after alleged ethical and legal wrongdoings which led to government intervention. In Quebec, the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec , Quebec’s professional regulatory body for engineers, was placed under trusteeship of the provincial government this summer. This followed a recommendation from the Office des Professions , the authority that oversees all of the province’s professional regulatory bodies. In making that recommendation, it questioned the ability of the OIQ to carry out its primary mission of public protection. All said, APEGBC is doing a wonderful job, but we must remain focused on, and vigilant to, our duty to protect the public interest. Professional self-regulation requires us to adhere to the highest of safety, legal, and ethical standards and any breach to these standards may lead to the government, and the public, asking hard questions about our ability to self-regulate. We need to be aware that government may have a different view of what is best for the public and, when push comes to shove, the government will prevail. As an engineer for over 50 years, I am committed to the betterment of our industry and to ensuring that the community around us trusts our ability to deliver. I also believe that we as professionals are up to the challenge of regulating our own affairs. But to continue to maintain this privilege, we need to ensure we are demonstrating to the public and government we take seriously our number one responsibility to protect the public interest. v Dr. Sultan, P.Eng., MLA, is a long-time engineer. As an MLA, he represents the BC provincial riding of West Vancouver–Capilano.

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