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PRESIDENT’S REPORT
20
BRUCE E. BROSTER,
Ph.D., P.Geo., FEC (Hon.)
My year serving as your
President is rapidly
approaching its end
and at this time, it is
customary to look back over our
accomplishments and highlights
for the year.
The position of APEGNB
President is one that requires the
incumbent to dive in and keep
swimming. By the time you
come up for air, it is time for
someone new to take over.
Items surfaced after one day on
the job and within two weeks,
Andrew McLeod, FEC (Hon.), and
I were off to Ottawa to attend
Engineers Canada’s (CCPE) plenary
sessions and discussions of the
Synergy Task Force proposals.
During the year, I attended more
than 50 meetings as part of my
duties as APEGNB President. I was
also active during a transition as
outgoing Geoscientists Canada
(CCPG) Past President to
incoming chair of the Canadian
Geoscience Standards Board.
During the past 10 months, I
have represented your Association
at the annual general meeting of
approximately six of our sister
associations across Canada—
from the Northwest Territories
and Nunavut to Newfoundland
and Labrador. From these travels,
it was clear that the associations
face similar challenges and
THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND GEOSCIENTIST – February 2011
INGÉNIEUR ET GÉOSCIENTIFIQUE – février 2011
goals, which are best served by a
united front through our national
associations of Engineers Canada
and Geoscientists Canada.
The major challenges facing all
associations continue to be:
1. illegal practice by
non-licensed professionals;
2. fair and rapid assessment of
Foreign Trained Professionals
(FTP); and,
3. ease of mobility.
While the Agreement on Internal
Trade (AIT) has facilitated national
mobility for full members, we
face issues on partial or limited
licensure and this will be at the
forefront over the next year.
Our national associations continue
to work towards greater international
mobility on behalf of
all Canadian engineers and
geoscientists. Engineers Canada
has negotiated a recognition
agreement on full professional
practice, the NAFTA Mutual
Recognition Document, to
support greater mobility for
engineers from Canada, Texas
and Mexico. Engineers Canada
has also developed a national
register of qualified Canadian
engineers as part of the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) Engineer Register initiative.
Geoscience Canada is examining
agreements with Ireland, the
United Kingdom, Italy and
Spain. In November, I attended
the National Association of
State Boards of Geology
(ASBOG) Annual Meeting of
30 state boards in St. Louis,
Missouri, and contributed to
their Committee of Examiner
meetings for Fundamental
Monument to the builders of the Gateway Arch at
St. Louis, MO, located in the Visitors Centre under
the arch. The 630-foot high stainless steel arch was
built between 1963-65 to symbolize the city’s
role as ‘Gateway to the West’.
Exams (FG) and Practice Exams
(PG). In the United States,
professional practice is licensed
by individual states—many of
whom require that applicants
pass the ASBOG FG and PG
examinations for approval of
licensure. Some Canadian
associations, especially APEGGA,
are looking at adopting the
ASBOG FG as a requirement for
FTP geoscience applications.
The Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri—symbol of the
city’s position as the gateway to expansion westward
of the Mississippi River.