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Leila Notash, PhD, PEng, FEC For President-Elect A proud PEO volunteer for over 20 years (since 2003) |
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Sample Contributions and Observations: Ø PEO Academic Requirements Committee
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I am committed to the principal object of Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO): “to regulate the practice of professional engineering and to govern its members, holders of certificates of authorization, holders of temporary licences, holders of provisional licences and holders of limited licences … in order that the public interest may be served and protected” I am dedicated to the present and future of self-regulated professional engineering, recognizing the importance of:
My PEO and Engineers Canada volunteer activities include:
I am well-acquainted with the issues from both a Chapter perspective and the PEO governance and operations standpoints. As such, my insights are deeply rooted in PEO's core activity—issuing licenses to practice as Professional Engineers.
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As the Councillor-at-Large, I have participated in the Council discussions. I have been advocating · Trust, transparency and accountability in all Council actions. · Greater member involvement in self-regulation, with a strong respect for PEO members and volunteers, including those serving on Council, committees, chapters and in other volunteer roles. · Value-based decision-making, ensuring that both evidence and values guide our choices, with enhanced stakeholder engagement for more effective self-regulation. · Enhancing the value of the CPD program for highly competent PEO licence holders and the public, while supporting necessary reforms in CPD reporting. · Reinstating the EIT (Engineering Intern) program with increased value and impact. · Valuing the mandates of statutory committees, which are guided by the expertise of member volunteers. · Acknowledging and appreciating the significant impact of volunteers on the success of PEO.
Council must address the fundamental issues facing PEO, including: · The present and future of self-regulated professional engineering. · Establishing modern, fair principles for qualifications and practice that align with the demands of a global society. · Recognizing and licensing emerging disciplines driven by rapid advances in engineering, as well as supporting entrepreneurs, to ensure the continued relevance of the PEng designation. · ...
The following examples illustrate some key issues where past votes have had a significant impact. It is hoped that sharing these examples will highlight the direct benefits of voting, particularly how the election of Council members influences the future direction of the profession, regulatory changes, and licensing procedures; hence emphasizing the importance of member participation in the election process.
Public Interest. Council must ensure that, in all policies and decisions, the public interest takes precedence over the interests of PEO. This requires an outward-looking approach, such as recognizing and licensing emerging disciplines and entrepreneurs, enhancing continuing professional competency for already highly skilled licence holders (focusing on maintaining competency rather than development), and more. I am pleased that at the November 29, 2024, meeting, Council unanimously passed the motion that “PEO request to Engineers Canada that the Future of Engineering Accreditation next steps includes an explicit commitment to the licensure academic standard of a minimum academic depth and breadth requirement for individuals.”
Trust, Transparency, Respect. Council needs to receive all relevant information and documents in advance of discussing or approving any motion, rather than piecemeal or selectively summarized information. Motions have been proposed without meaningful consultations with the pertinent statutory and standing committees (comprising volunteer members). In some cases, requests for additional information have been met with backlash. On multiple occasions, Council has been urged to make hasty, important decisions—once with less than 24 hours' notice—based on the recommendations of a few Councillors and staff/management. Some Councillors have expressed the view that councillors cannot be trusted to receive complete information. When Council rushed to approve changes to the licensing application process in response to FARPACTA (Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades), there was little to no consultation with the relevant statutory and standing committees. As a result, no discussion took place about how these changes might impact the EIT (Engineering Intern) program. Months later, Council learned that the EIT program had to be suspended, Council was told that the Act did not allow for its continuation. There was no prior evaluation of the program’s value or the additional benefits it could offer. After multiple inquiries from Councillors at RPLC and Council meetings since 2023, Council committed in November 2024 to reinstate the EIT Program following targeted engagement with relevant stakeholders. A policy proposal from RPLC is expected no later than April 2025.
In 2019, Council approved an Action Plan that included mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD). However, it remains unclear why Council was not informed at the time that there was a prior motion requiring a membership referendum on mandatory CPD. Council only became aware of this motion months later when an agenda item to rescind the previous motion, which called for a referendum, was proposed.
Trust, Transparency, Respect. Council must respect its members (licence holders) and ensure transparency in its decision-making processes. Recently, Council voted against the Four Vision Statements of Vision for 2050 that were developed through a comprehensive, stakeholder-driven process. This process involved over 2,500 PEngs, students, and other PEO stakeholders, with hundreds of formal meeting hours and numerous additional sub-group discussions. The resulting four statements aimed to be inspiring, goal-oriented, and widely accepted by stakeholders. However, they were dismissed as being 'too member-centric,' and the significant effort, collaboration, and consensus-building that went into crafting these forward-looking vision statements were disregarded. Council did not provide guidance when it voted 'no.' The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) reporting requirement could be transitioned to a three-year rolling cycle, as is standard with many other regulators, rather than the current annual reporting. This would offer a more flexible and structured approach to identifying, planning, learning, and documenting CPD activities. While I personally prefer digital copies of documents, I am pleased that, following numerous requests from Councillors and members and based on the recommendation of the Regulatory Communications consultant, members now have the option to receive a printed copy of Engineering Dimensions. This change ensures inclusivity and helps maintain strong connections with all licence holders, enhancing the effectiveness of PEO communications.
As well, members (licence holders) need all the info on what is discussed at the Council and how each decision is reached, which may not be unanimous. For the past couple of years, only the motions (and comments of the Chairs of the governance committees) are recorded in the minutes. The Disposition of Motions lists the outcome of motions. However, the members (licence holders) are not informed how and why the Council reach the decision. I am pleased that the audio of the Council meetings has now been posted on the PEO page, i.e., the recorded questions/concerns expressed by councillors, following repeated requests by a couple of Councillors over a few years.
Accountability and Respect. Councillors, as well as staff and management, should be held accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the information and data they present to Council. There have been instances of misinformation and miscommunication both within Council and with the governance and statutory committees. When ARC, as a statutory committee, proposed an alternative licensing model in response to FARPACTA (Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades), the Chair of the Regulatory Policy and Legislation Committee (RPLC) refused to allow the committee to discuss the ARC model, despite another model proposed by staff being considered. Initially, the Chair misrepresented the situation, and when challenged, attempted to justify the decision by stating that RPLC had not asked ARC to develop a model. This incident highlights how Council treats volunteer experts and underscores broader issues within the governing committees, including concerns about the impartiality of the Chairs.
The current licensing policy under FARPACTA was approved with minimal or no consultation with the statutory committees, despite concerns raised by the councillors familiar with the licensing process. Since May 2023, all non-CEAB engineering graduates, including those with Master's and PhD degrees in Engineering who have completed graduate-level advanced or applied courses similar to those in CEAB-accredited undergraduate programs, are required to write technical exams. Many of these applicants are now being advised to apply to other provinces, where they are exempt from technical exams based on the courses completed in both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. This approach highlights how Ontario handles international engineering graduates with advanced degrees from Canadian universities. Moreover, it can be seen as a fundamental violation of equity principles, as it undermines fair treatment and access to opportunities—emphasizing that fairness is about equitable, not identical, treatment.
Stakeholder Consultation. Council requires enhanced stakeholder engagement in policy development and decision-making, while staff (or consultants) focus on drafting policies. However, there is a prevailing view within Council that values input from paid experts more than the expertise of volunteer (PEng) professionals serving on the statutory committees. For example, volunteer experts have sometimes been dismissed as biased.
Diversity. I deeply value both cognitive and demographic diversity on Council. I appreciate the importance of Councillors expressing their beliefs through robust debate in an agile Council, leading to well-informed, pertinent policy decisions. Councillors have a responsibility to be knowledgeable about agenda items and to voice dissent when they do not support a decision. I am also mindful of the dangers of 'groupthink,' which can stifle debate, creativity, and individual responsibility. Groupthink can lead to collective rationalization, a lack of personal accountability, and undue pressure to conform."
It is the fiduciary duty of each Councillor to prepare for Council meetings by reviewing relevant documents and asking informed questions when new policies are considered or existing policies are revised. However, there have been attempts during Council meetings to silence critical debate by accusing some Councillors of "not trusting the staff", "being disrespectful to the staff", and similar accusations.
Term Limits and Councillor Compensation. I fully support the implementation of term limits for both the leadership and appointed members of Council, as well as for the leadership of legislated committees. However, it is also essential for Council to rely on the expertise and experience of its members, as well as the organizational memory that extends beyond the PEO archives.
Contrary to what was claimed, term limits not only failed to attract 'fresh blood,' but also excluded experienced Councillors who were familiar with the culture and history of PEO and Council. Additionally, many elected Council positions have been acclaimed since then. Last year, Council had to appoint one of the Regional Councillors due to a lack of candidates.
Like other not-for-profit organizations, PEO Councillors (Board Directors) do not receive remuneration. In order to encourage more candidates to run for Council positions, the Council needs to consider discussing compensation to offset the lost income for any councillor who takes unpaid time off (or uses vacation time) to attend Council meetings.
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As President-Elect, then President, and Past-President for 2025-2028, I will be honored to lead Council in navigating the day-to-day business of the Council, and the crucial discussions that shape the strengths and challenges of PEO. I will ensure we respond promptly to emerging opportunities and threats in a global society, where rapid advancements in engineering are essential to keeping the PEng designation relevant. I am a good listener and an active, informed Councillor. Throughout my career, I have consistently advocated for maintaining PEO's relevance in an ever-evolving world through a commitment to:
Trust, Transparency and Accountability.
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