July 2010

Message from the new President, Engineers Canada

I am proud to be the 75th president of Engineers Canada and am looking forward to the major challenges we will overcome this year with our constituent associations [CAs]. I thank Dan Motyka, FEC, P.Eng., for his tenure as president and I plan to continue to pursue the path of excellence and leadership. His guidance will be of much help as we continue with a number of initiatives to modernize the engineering profession.

Among my personal goals as president is to work closely with the CAs and the profession’s leadership to enhance the engineering profession, improve its responses to the needs of Canadians, and to raise its profile from coast to coast.

One of the ways we plan to do this is through work completed by the Synergy Task Force. The Task Force explored ways in which Engineers Canada can improve its processes to better serve its members, the CAs, and submitted a proposal for a renewed governance model to the Board of Directors at our Annual General Meeting in Vancouver in May. The guiding principles that were kept in mind in establishing the governance recommendations are:   

• provide full and fair representation to the CAs and ensure our commitment and engagement to them;
• provide role clarity on the activities and initiatives where the CAs require Engineers Canada to develop a national consensus and take a lead role when requested;
• ensure open and transparent communications; and,
• ensure timely and committed decision-making.

I am happy to report the Task Force recommendations were accepted by the Board, and implementation of the new governance model will be carried out as soon as possible.

We are also in the process of developing Engineer Canada’s new strategic plan for 2011–2015, in consultation with our CAs. Our objectives include:

• conducting activities in support of our members’ regulatory activities and their efforts to ensure that all people practising engineering are licensed;
• conducting activities to influence government policy and decision-making on matters of our members’ interest;
• creating and utilizing strategic partnerships and alliances in support of our members' interests; and,
• maintaining a governance structure that provides a solid framework for the stewardship of the plans, priorities and resources of Engineers Canada for the efficient conduct of its business and the full engagement of our membership to provide relevant and timely input.

I firmly believe that being part of the public policy debates related to engineering will play a large role in the future of the profession. I also believe that no other profession is as well-positioned as we are to contribute to the 21st century.

I thank our CAs, Board of Directors, and Engineers Canada staff for welcoming me in my new position and for all their support thus far. I look forward to the next year and the exciting changes it will bring to fortify our already strong profession.

Please feel free to contact me at executive.office@engineerscanada.ca if you have any comments on this message. I look forward to hearing from you.

Zaki Ghavitian, FIC, ing.
President

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