ASET Technology Alberta Winter 2021 - 8

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
And yet, we persist
Barry Cavanaugh
WHY DOES ASET CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THE
INCLUSION IN THE ACT OF THE RIGHT TO
PRACTICE? Why does it keep pushing for recognition?
We've been patient and polite, for the nearly six decades
we've existed as a profession... and little or nothing has
come of it in the way of legislation. But in this matter, ASET
will never " go away. " It is especially ironic that APEGA vigorously
resists what we seek, given that at the founding of
ASET - by APEGA leadership no less - the purpose presented
was that a new profession was emerging distinct from
professional engineering, and certainly distinct from being,
as some have called it, a " helper. "
It's been a while now since our legislation came into force,
and ASET became a self-regulating profession with the
same standing as APEGA and others. The Act and Regulations,
as everyone knows by now, gave the profession some
degree of recognition and legitimacy. Technicians and technologists
registered with ASET have achieved the highest
standard of any technical organization in North America
with those rights, and ASET members meet the most rigorous
requirements to gain and keep certification.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the legislative change
was the creation of the professional technologist (engineering)
designation, in engineering and geoscience. That, of
course, gave rights to a C.E.T. with the appropriate experience
to practice engineering or geoscience independently.
This activity is exercised within a scope of practice set by
the Joint ASET/APEGA Board in accordance with the C.E.T.'s
qualifications and experience.
ASET was also granted the right to issue permits to practice
for such members, very similar to the APEGA counterpart.
This right completed that suite of requirements necessary
for genuine independent practice of engineering, in addition
to the sign-off rights held by all holders of the P.Tech.(Eng.)
designation.
Those 800 plus P.Tech.(Eng.) members have amply demonstrated
their fitness and qualification to practice. We know
that many, if not all, have what it takes to practice well beyond
the very limited scope permitted them. But they are
not necessarily being accepted or recognized. In the case of
some codes and statutes, they are still not listed or recognized
as being qualified for the purposes of work authorized
by those codes and statutes - a deficiency and an oversight
from the legislation.
That deficiency is something we have been suggesting the
provincial government needs to rectify, and rectify soon, if the
legislative effort it put into ASET is to have any meaning or
teeth. We have suggested an approach that may work: omnibus
legislation, to state that wherever a code or statute, or a
regulation requires that the work or authorization be completed
by or under a professional engineer, it should be amended
to read " or by a professional technologist in engineering (or
geoscience) with a scope of practice appropriate to the purpose. "
We hope that government will take that seriously - to
remedy a significant oversight in the legislative process and
to give effect to the meaning it intended for our profession.
We would have hoped, moreover, that APEGA would lend its
voice in our support, since those P.Tech.(Eng.) members are
individuals who've had their scope set and experience vetted
by a joint board from APEGA and ASET. Said joint board
has determined these members are qualified to do all those
things, within their scope. We would like more, though, sensibly
and in the public interest. We need to see those P.Tech.
(Eng.) members able to attain the same range of scope
that is presently limited to P.L. (Eng.) members of APEGA.
Doesn't that make sense, if they are vetted and established
by a joint board of ASET and APEGA? Wouldn't it resolve a
lot of red tape issues to clarify things in this manner?
We count on the strong and growing track record of our
P.Tech.(Eng.) and C.E.T. members to wipe away any doubts
- and they will, where they are permitted the opportunity.
ASET technicians and technologists are people who lead
the way in every aspect of applied science and engineering
technology, in innovation and solution, and in their powerful
part in our province's economy.
8 | WINTER 2021 | TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA
ASET Technology Alberta Winter 2021

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