ASET Fall 2017 - 8
The codes and standards are, themselves, the "authentication".
APEGA had agreed with us, and no doubt still would, that all
engineering-related work should be regulated. That, indeed,
we suggest, is a matter of public interest. The work which
technologists do, though within codes and standards and
utilizing established engineering principles, is still work which
involves - very often - aspects of public safety. And the public
should know that the people doing it are regulated thoroughly
and appropriately, by their own self-governing body, a body which
knows what technologists do, under a governing statute which
guides the profession.
Any concern with a potential impingement on the scope of
practice of the professional engineer (the language of which is
sufficiently broad that many things could be) must recognise
that anyone can perform work within codes and standards, not
only engineers; moreover, the mere fact that a technologist
is authorised to perform a certain act or undertake a certain
role, within their competency and within their discipline, does
not in itself preclude engineers from doing so also. Consider
the example of the Health Professions Act, which gives a scope
of practice to professionals other than physicians, such as
respiratory technologists, pharmacists, and many others based
on their competencies and their role. They are accountable
and regulated. And none of that takes away anything from the
physician's competence or scope of practice.
It is more than troubling to have learned that, in its unilateral
consultation with its members about our proposal for legislative
change, APEGA represented that "This is not in the public
interest and threatens public safety" (!). They went on to say that
no other province provides an independent scope of practice
to C.E.T.s. (Well, when has that stopped Alberta from taking the
lead, and doing something that needs doing?) AND it is well
to remember that ONLY Alberta has established engineering
technologists as an independent, self-regulating profession
under statute! As for the inflammatory, opinionated language
that "this is not in the public interest and threatens public safety,"
that is an opinion simply not grounded in truth or reality, and
based on a misrepresentation of ASET's proposal. It sounds
a little like the early days of physician opposition to medicare in
Canada, or like physician opposition (sorry physicians!) to nurses,
pharmacists, and health science technologists acquiring scopes
of practice for which they also were eminently qualified, and
which they have been granted. We know how unfounded such
opposition is.
APEGA reported to Engineers Canada, in May of this year, that
our proposal is that "C.E.T.s shall be given independent scopes of
practice without any professional oversight"... willfully disregarding
and misrepresenting the fact that C.E.T.s, by virtue of legislation,
are professionals at law and in practice. Professional oversight,
in a self-regulating profession, means responsibility and
accountability for work. Self-oversight. Oversight by one's
professional self-regulating organization (ASET). In those
sessions and materials, APEGA representatives are holding out
that the "proposed changes are strictly ASET self-interest", and
8 | FALL 2017 | TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA
that "Government and the public can't be expected to understand
the difference between what an engineer is qualified to do and
what a technologist can do". While that reflects an unfortunate
attitude, a paternalistic view of government, the public, and the
technologist profession, one must still submit that what matters
is that a professional engineer understands what she or he
can do, and a technologist understands what she or he can do.
That is the whole point of engineering or technological education,
and self-regulation.
It's time to examine honestly
the simplicity of our proposal.
We are already entitled to do this work, and we do, without
supervision. Many others do too, in fact, though without any
regulation, and it is in the public interest to protect the public
by ensuring there is quality control and accountability through
regulation by ASET of that range of work, or that scope of
practice.
We want the law to reflect modern reality and to recognize this
profession and its ability to protect the public and improve life
in this province. What ASET proposes is in the highest interest
of the public good and public safety, and recognizes in full the
coming of age of this important self-regulated profession.
Albertans should be entitled to know who is qualified and
trusted to do a given thing and to be able to get them to do it.
It is high time.
Barry Cavanaugh
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASET Fall 2017
ASET Fall 2017 - Cover1
ASET Fall 2017 - Cover2
ASET Fall 2017 - A
ASET Fall 2017 - 4
ASET Fall 2017 - 5
ASET Fall 2017 - 6
ASET Fall 2017 - 7
ASET Fall 2017 - 8
ASET Fall 2017 - 9
ASET Fall 2017 - 10
ASET Fall 2017 - 11
ASET Fall 2017 - 12
ASET Fall 2017 - 13
ASET Fall 2017 - 14
ASET Fall 2017 - 15
ASET Fall 2017 - 16
ASET Fall 2017 - 17
ASET Fall 2017 - 18
ASET Fall 2017 - 19
ASET Fall 2017 - 20
ASET Fall 2017 - 21
ASET Fall 2017 - 22
ASET Fall 2017 - 23
ASET Fall 2017 - 24
ASET Fall 2017 - 25
ASET Fall 2017 - 26
ASET Fall 2017 - 27
ASET Fall 2017 - 28
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_summer_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_summer_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_summer_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_summer_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_summer_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_dec2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/aset55anniversary
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_summer_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_winter_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_fall_2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_summer_2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/aset/ta_spring_2015
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com