INNOVATION May-June 2017

l et ter s

Letters to the editor containing your views on topics of interest are encouraged. Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily endorsed by APEGBC. Letters should be 300 words or less and can be emailed to innovation@apeg. bc.ca. Find information at apeg.bc.ca/Submitting-to-Innovation.

Ed. Note: Innovation invited Dr. Sultan, P.Eng., to submit the article in question because of his experience both as a B.C. legislator and a professional engineer and the resulting unique insight he could provide into how government views the engineering and geoscience professions and self-regulation in BC. This is a subject members had inquired about in the previous months. At the time, Dr. Sultan was the only APEGBC member serving in the BC Legislature. Conference Locations Increase Greenhouse Gas Output Regarding the recent article, “Positioning APEGBC and Its Members to Respond to Climate Change” (January/February 2017), I want to zero in on “Positioning APEGBC.” Why does our association keep holding annual conferences in such diverse places as Victoria, Kelowna,

and Whistler when the majority of engineers live in the Lower Mainland? I recommend that you consider holding it in a low-cost venue in the Lower Mainland every year, near a rapid transit station and outside of downtown Vancouver. This way you can enter into a 10-year contract for the venue and perhaps obtain much reduced rates for out-of-town visitors. I can guess that you want to give engineers throughout BC the opportunity to attend at low cost. So encourage car pooling or arrange for a bus for the out-of-town attendees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I am a believer in the old adage: “Actions speak louder than words.” —Herbert Vesely, P.Eng. Squamish

Stick to Letters for Members to Express Their Opinions It is not clear to me what the difference between a “Perspective” and a “Letter to the Editor” other than the length—either way, it is one person’s opinion and should be put forward as such. An example is the “Perspective” by Ralph Sultan (January/February 2017). These thoughts are his opinion and should be given the same priority for inclusion in Innovation as any other letter to the editor, and if possible placed in juxtaposition with letters that offer differing opinion. His position as an MLA should not give him priority over others for inclusion. Why don’t you stick with the letters to the editor concept—particularly regarding matters of opinion on the

direction of the profession? —Keith Richardson, P.Eng. North Vancouver, BC

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Mission: Innovation As APEGBC’s official publication, Innovation aims to publish information that is of interest and relevance to the professions, is balanced, objective and impartial, affects the conduct of members, and showcases members. A secondary aim is to provide a forum for the exchange of views among APEGBC members through the publication of letters to the editor. innovative engineering and geoscience work of

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