Discipline Committee
APEGA understands the importance of a professional regulatory organization and takes its responsibility to maintain the integrity of such very seriously. The theme of the 2023 annual report is regulating the professions, protecting the public . It is interesting to note that one of the summation statements in its 2022 annual report is entitled Why We Exist and reads, “APEGA safeguards the public welfare of Albertans by proactively regulating the practices of engineering and geoscience.” Such continuity from one year to the next underscores how such beliefs and practices are embedded in the organization. The Discipline Committee is one of the well-defined practices of APEGA that supports this theme. The committee must render responsible decisions. Given the responsibility of the committee and the complexity of the issues that come before it, committee members are experienced engineers and geoscientists who have a thorough understanding of what can be defined as unskilled practice, unprofessional conduct, and unethical behaviour. The committee as a whole meets four times a year, at which times decisions that have been made are shared so there is consistency among the subcommittees. There is also a strong educational component at each meeting to update members on current practices, be they legal or government requirements. Concerns about a member’s practice are filed through the registrar. If the issue is not resolved at that level, it is referred to the Investigative Committee (IC) for further investigation. The IC can issue a recommended discipline order to the Discipline Committee to be facilitated by an APEGA member of that committee or refer the case to a formal hearing to be held by a subcommittee. Many thanks are due to the staff members who support the Discipline Committee and its work by scheduling hearings, organizing the material to be considered (which in some instances is voluminous), and providing technical support (especially for virtual hearings). It has been my pleasure to continue as the public member on this committee. I have been able to participate fully in the discussions and the decision making. The interest of the public has been the utmost consideration of this committee and APEGA as a whole.
Muriel Dunnigan, M.Ed. Public Member
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2023 ANNUAL REPORT
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