Interim CEO’s Message
APEGA
APEGA ELECTION BEGINS And right now, you can vote in the annual APEGA election. Polling is underway for your next President- Elect and Council. You have until March 19 at 12 noon to make your choices. Everything is online, so vote any time of day, at your convenience. If you’ve already decided you’ll vote but haven’t yet, then please go to the election area of the our website now. Learn about the candidates by reading their statements and watching their videos. Make your choices. If you haven’t decided to vote or don’t normally do so, read on and let me continue my case to encourage you to engage with APEGA. I think it’s a good one. While APEGA is not your country, it is your profes- sional community. If you feel no connection whatsoever to APEGA, or you dislike some of the actions APEGA takes on your behalf, or even if you think we’re doing just fine, voting is important. Your ability to vote and your choice to do so are the epitome of self-regulation. Voting is one entry point into engagement with the organization that regulates your work and your profes- sions. If you’re already an engaged Member, voting is a reaffirmation of your commitment to your professions MY ENGAGEMENT JOURNEY Why is engagement so important? It’s a word you hear often from member-based organizations of all kinds, from self-regulators through to credit unions. Let me explain it with my own story. When I first moved to Alberta as a newly graduated engineer, my first thought was, “I ought to register as a Member-in-Training.” After doing that, I signed up to volunteer with APEGA; I felt it was my obligation as an MIT to support my profession, and volunteering was a natural choice. My first engagement with APEGA was through the Peace Region Branch. I made connections with like- minded engineers and geoscientists and aimed to make a difference in my professional and personal commu- nity, first as the Outreach lead and then through many Branch executive positions, including Chair. THE COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE During my term as Chair, I attended Council meetings. This first taste of APEGA governance gave me a
ELECTRONIC VOTING — BE INFORMED, ATTEND AGM
deeper sense of what APEGA is and how it contributes to protecting the public interest. Council meetings were extremely informative, relating to APEGA’s performance against our statutory functions, and I gained awareness of Council’s responsibilities. I remember voting in Council elections, during those early years. Back then, the ballots were paper and the process was slow and tedious. But what motivated me was knowing that my vote, among many others, would shape the composition of APEGA Council — the body that would set direction for APEGA. Again, that sense of purpose, that voting feeling, resonated with me. Years later, the Nominating Committee asked me to consider running for Council. That led to my second engagement with APEGA, when I was elected to a three-year term as a Councillor in 2011. The voting period never felt so important as I waited to see whether I would receive enough support to be elected. I talked with colleagues and reached out to networks to encourage voter turnout. That year, 15.7 per cent of the membership voted. The percentage has fluctuated over the years, and we continue to encourage an increase in voting. My time on Council proved rewarding. I remember discussing issues and learning about the impact of our decisions on the strategic direction of APEGA. “Wow,” I I’d also encourage you to attend the AGM in Calgary on April 28. Consultations are now underway on a subject that could result in a proposed bylaw amendment regarding mail and electronic voting. If we do propose an amendment, it will be put before the AGM for a vote. Take part in consultations that are now underway on the matter, which is before APEGA again after an amendment was defeated at the 2016 AGM. We listened, and we’re giving Members time to discuss the matter. Attend a consultation, attend the AGM. And vote — because your vote is important, and your vote counts.
8 | PEG SPRING 2017
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