INNOVATION May-June 2016

MAY/JUNE 2016

VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3

v iewpoint

Transparency, accessibility and openness are among my key objectives as APEGBC president. How have we done? I believe that a large portion of our jobs as professional engineers and geoscientists requires significant amounts of communication. This includes two-way dialogue, expressing ideas, listening, problem-solving, and considering alternate points of view. As APEGBC president, I read and respond to every email, telephone call, or letter sent to me. If you write to president@apeg.bc.ca, I either respond directly or alert the department that can help. I also follow up. And if an answer requires more than a simple email, I call you. I am surprised at how many members are astonished that I read and respond to their questions. APEGBC has recently received two written requests for membership ballot votes for Council to reconsider Engineers and Geoscientists Act change requests forwarded to government. The ballot requests are a serious and important issue, but because only 25 member signatures are required to submit a ballot-vote request, I am interested in what the rest of the membership thinks on the issue. When looking at the names in the petition, I noticed that none of the members had reached out to express their concerns directly to me beforehand. I encourage any member to contact me directly to discuss concerns before signing a petition for a ballot. I am listening and available. This relates directly to another matter: If the 25 concerned members feel APEGBC Council is either not accessible or not meeting its duty to uphold public interest, do all of APEGBC’s approximately 34,000 members also feel that way? The question is of great interest to both me and Council. Communication is a two-way street. Effective communication balances active listening with transmission of a message. Yes, I am available to listen to and discuss your concerns, but I can only do so if you reach out. You can do this in several ways. You can email me at president@apeg.bc.ca. You can engage me in person at a Council meeting—they are open to all members. You can contact me via LinkedIn or Twitter. You can also contact a committee or local branch member to explain your concerns and ask them to get in touch with me. Come with ideas and solutions, if possible. If you have a concern, feel frustrated with the association, or have a simple question about the professions, contact any of us. We will respond. I may not have all the answers, but I will be open and honest about why Council is doing things, and I will listen to your concerns. I will even mention them at the next Council meeting. We are listening and working for you to keep our professions progressive and forward-thinking. If you want change, all you need do is reach out.

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 6N2 Tel: 604.430.8035 Fax: 604.430.8085 Email: apeginfo@apeg.bc.ca Internet: apeg.bc.ca Toll free: 1.888.430.8035 2015/2016 COUNCIL, APEGBC P resident D r . M.C. Wrinch, P.Eng., FEC V ice P resident R.P. Stewart, P.Eng. I mmediate P ast P resident Dr. J.J. Clague, P.Geo., FGC, FEC (Hon.) COUNCILLORS C.J.A. Andrewes, P.Eng.; D r . C.D. ‘Lyn Anglin, P.Geo. D.E. Campbell, P.Eng.; R. Farbridge, P.Eng. A. Fernandes, CIM, FCSI; C. Hall, P.Eng./P.Geo. D.I. Harvey, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC; K. Laloge, CPA, CA, TEP S. Martin, P.Eng.; T. Mitha, LLB C. Moser, P.Eng.; C.L. Park, P.Eng. K.V. Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng.; J. Turner, P.Ag. ASSOCIATION STAFF A.J. English, P.Eng. C hief E xecutive O fficer and R egistrar T.M.Y. Chong, P.Eng. C hief R egulatory O fficer and D eputy R egistrar J.Y. Sinclair C hief O perating O fficer M.L. Archibald D irector , C ommunications and S takeholder E ngagement J. Cho, CGA D irector , F inance and A dministration D. Gamble D irector , I nformation S ystems P.R. Mitchell, P.Eng. D irector , P rofessional P ractice , S tandards and D evelopment D. Olychick D irector , M ember S ervices G.M. Pichler, P.Eng. D irector , R egistration

I Am Listening

Dr. Michael Wrinch, P.Eng., FEC President

E. Swartz, LLB D irector , L egislation , E thics and C ompliance V. Lai, CGA A ssociate D irector , F inance and A dministration M.A. Rigolo P.Eng., A ssociate D irector , E ngineering A dmissions M onique K eiran , M anaging E ditor

EDITORIAL BOARD K.C. Chan, P.Eng., CPA; S. Chiu, P.Eng.

D.E. Falkins, Eng.L.; T. George, P.Eng.; H. Ghalibafian, P.Eng. R. Gupta, P.Eng.; S.K. Hayes, P.Eng.; M.A. Klippenstein, P.Eng. A.M. Westin, GIT; M.J. Zieleman, EIT

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president@ apeg.bc.ca

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Subscription rates per issue $4.50; six issues yearly $25.00. Annual subscriptions of association members are apportioned from membership dues in the amount of $15 per member (rates do not include tax). Innovation is published six times a year by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. As the official publication of the association, Innovation is circulated to members of the engineering and geoscience professions, architects, contractors and industry executives. The views expressed in any article contained herein do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Council or membership of this association. Submission Guidelines: Innovation encourages unsolicited articles and photos. By submitting material to Innovation , you grant APEGBC a royalty-free, worldwide licence to publish the material; and you warrant that you have the authority to grant such rights and have obtained waivers of all associated moral rights. Innovation reserves the right to edit material for length, clarity and conformity with our editorial guidelines (apeg.bc.ca/innovation-editorial) and is under no obligation to publish any or all submissions or any portion thereof, including credits. All material is copyright. Please contact the Managing Editor for reprint permission.

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