THE DISCIPLINE FILE
Case No. 16-010-FH continued
The Hearing Panel also found that the blog postings made by Mr. Drover on a blog that he commenced in February 2016 included the same allegations made by Mr. Drover in his emails and communications with various parties that were dealt with in the previous charges. However, the blog also included new materials and further articles and comments, expanding on Mr. Drover’s allegations and attempting to set out a narrative that purported to expose an elaborate fraud, and the many individuals and companies and agencies that were alleged to be complicit in the alleged fraud. The blog made clear that Mr. Drover was attempting to publicize as broadly as possible the names, LinkedIn profiles, pictures, and correspondence of all the individuals, corporations, judge, lawyers, government agencies, and politicians that he alleged were involved in a broad-based conspiracy centring on the alleged illegal activities of [Company B] and [Complainant A] in an attempt to cause as much damage to the reputations of everyone named. After receiving submissions from the Investigative Committee and Mr. Drover, the Hearing Panel found that Mr. Drover was ungovernable. It noted that Mr. Drover’s actions and his ongoing statements made clear that he refused to be governed by APEGA. It found that a Member who was ungovernable could not be permitted to remain as a Member of the profession and noted that if APEGA could not govern Mr. Drover, then Mr. Drover could not be permitted to be a mem- ber of APEGA. The Hearing Panel then made the following orders: a. an order that Mr. Drover’s registration is cancelled; b. an order that Mr. Drover is ineligible permanently for registration with APEGA, unless an order is made by the Council reinstating Mr. Drover pursuant to section 75(3) of the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act and section 47 of the General Regulation; c. an order that Mr. Drover pay a fine of $10,000; d. an order that Mr. Drover pay costs of the proceedings totaling $129,502.25 plus GST; e. an order that this decision and the orders on
Mr. Drover of incompetence, stupidity, misconduct, collusion with [Complainant A], conspiracy to cover up illegal activity, and suggestions of responding to political interference were groundless and showed a blatant disrespect for his professional regulating body and demonstrated a lack of integrity and objectivity. The Hearing Panel found that this conduct harmed the honour, dignity, and reputation of APEGA by rejecting and insulting the authority of APEGA and by attempting to limit or restrict APEGA’s public duty to carry out its investigation of the complaints against Mr. Drover. In respect to emails sent to agencies including APEGA, the RCMP, Alberta Treasury Branches, the Alberta Securities Commission, the Office of the Premier, and the Prime Minister of Canada, the Hearing Panel found that Mr. Drover expanded his allegations concerning [Complainant A] to almost everyone who had any form of relationship with [Complainant A] or [Company B]. The Hearing Panel found that Mr. Drover showed a clear pattern of seeking out individuals who he believed had some connection with [Complainant A] or [Company B] and then sending emails to their employers or associates that suggested that they were involved in a $100-million fraud. The Hearing Panel also found that when various agencies refused to accept Mr. Drover’s allegations, he made serious allegations against these agencies, alleging cover-ups and complicity in fraudulent activity without any objective facts to support his suspicions and allegations. The Hearing Panel noted that where anyone did not agree with Mr. Drover’s allegations, they became, in his view, part of a large conspiracy to cover up fraudulent and illegal activities. The Hearing Panel also found that Mr. Drover was guilty of unprofessional conduct for making very serious allegations of misconduct against a fellow professional, questioning that professional’s competence and integrity based on suspicions and assumptions without adequate investigation or information, with a clear intent to injure the reputation and interests of that professional. It also found that Mr. Drover engaged in abusive, harassing, and vulgar conduct before and after a business meeting.
sanctions be published in full, including Mr. Drover’s name, in The PEG magazine, on the APEGA website, and distributed to all other
72 | PEG WINTER 2017
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