Elect Roger Jones

"The members have spoken and I was defeated in the 2012 election. I have wished the victor every success on Council.

"Over the next year I will develop this election website for the 2013 election, in which I plan to run again for re-election as Councillor-at-Large. The values I was elected on in 2010 have served Council well until the AGM in May 2012. Feel free to email me with any comments or questions you may have. I can be reached at roger_jones@ieee.org (this is an IEEE alias address.)"

Roger Jones, P.Eng, PEO Councillor-At-Large 2010- 2012.

Still an important topic... Is PEO its members, or just another government agency?

I am for a MEMBER-DIRECTED PEO and MEMBER-ELECTED President. In 2012 we won this right!
I am opposed to a STAFF-DIRECTED PEO and COUNCIL-APPOINTED President - and we have won at least the latter!
We must respect members' rights and members' dues... and this is an on-going battle!
It is OUR Association... and so far it still is, but for how long?
See www.ourprofession.ca

Post 2012 election addition:
See more below... to be edited over time. My advisers say that this page is too long and that I should edit it down to suit the new "twitterverse". This concerns me a bit as I believe engineers are thoughtful types who want the full story... yet I know we are all busy. We shall see what transpires! I promise not to insult anyone's intelligence or presume an overly short attention span! "

Below is, mostly, the 2011-12 original, for now...

How I spend my time...
"Since I retired from George KELK Corporation in 2008 as Vice-President Engineering and Chief Engineer, I have occupied myself with volunteer work, including PEO, current affairs (municipal, provincial and federal) and my hobbies, which includes playing the piano and restoring vintage radio and audio gear. Most of this is covered below..."

"Respect members' dues. Respect members' right to elect our President. It is our Association!"

"What I've done since being elected to PEO Council...
"I'm obligated to give members an accounting of my activities as Councillor-at-Large. For the year 2012-2013, while I am off Council, I will continue my PEO Committee work. To date my work for PEO has included the following:

Contributed to two years of Council meetings.
Attended and contributed to Standing Committee meetings as a member of:

Finance Committee (FIC) My focus is on cutting uneccessary and/or wasteful expenditures, also respecting and mimimizing member's dues paid. Proposed 'zero-based' budgeting for the 2012 budget and, I hope, all future budgets. Through the FIC, froze fees for 2012 and proposed rebuilding our low reserves and reducing our unfunded liabilities by more prudent operational expenditures (see below.) Completed 2012 budget for Council, November 28, 2011.
Professional Standards Committee (PSC) My focus is on maintaining the competence and integrity of our members and the profession.
Emerging Disciplines Task Force (EDTF) (may be renamed as a standing committee), on both CIE (Communications Infrastructure Engineering) and NME (Nano-Materials Engineering) sub-committees (for 2010-2012/5 I ws designated Council Liaison person.) Presented the EDTF report at #472 Council, well received.

Attended the 2010 AGM, May 2010, Toronto and 2011 AGM in Ottawa (by phone - had the 'flu!)
Witnessed a key discipline hearing at our Head Office as an observer.
Attended chapter events at Willowdale-Thornhill, Scarborough and East Toronto chapters.
Participated in the 2010 and 2011 Councillor's Workshops at Lake Rosseau on governance, training, etc. (two and a half days.) In 2011 presented SME's "Take Back Manufacturing" proposals and garnered PEO support (see below).
Attended OSPE's Mid-Summer BBQ at Milne Park (by OSPE invitation, representing Council.)
Represented the engineering viewpoint at several Economic Policy Political Action Committee 2011 meetings at the Queen's Park legislature. Submitted six economic policy intiatives with five making the short list.
OCEPP New technologies meeting: attended Nano-Materials Engineering address (at Hart House, U of T.)
Contributed to Building Code and Drinking Water practice text.
Attended November 2010 Engineering Awards Gala at the International Centre, Toronto.
Attended the January 18, 2011, Town Hall on the HST organized by Willowdale-Thornhill Chapter.
Attended several Chapter AGM's
Attended PEO's 2011 Engineering Innovation Forum at the Toronto Science Centre.
Attended and spoke at several Chapter License awarding ceremonies and addressed new licencees on engineering values.
Attended the founding meeting of Ontario Engineers for Democracy on Council.
Participated in Finance Committee's Building Finance review, March 24, 2011
Attended the March 2011 Town Halls on PEO governance. Supported democracy on Council, viz:, election of the President by the all members.
Attended part of 2011 AGM by phone (I was laid low by Asian 'flu caught in Japan the week before!) Voted for democracy on Council but we did not win all the votes (but we were vindicated by 2011 Council election results.)
As PEO's representative, attended the Society of Manufacturing Engineers June 9th forum on bringing manufacturing back to Ontario, aka "Take Back Manufacturing" (TBM for short)
Attended PEO Councillors Workshop (June 2011)... Topics included an Engineering Labour Market study presentation. I presented SME's "TBM" initiative to Councillors - was widely supported, Council motion planned.
Proposed a motion at #472 Council that PEO supports SME in its "Take Back Manufacturing" initiative. Carried. We will work with SME and OSPE on this file (within the Engineering Act, as the regulator in a support role - SME is "prime".)
Attended Japanese Nuclear Disaster presentatiion at U of T (August 3, 2011)
Attended East Central Regional Chapter Congress, September 8, 2011.
Attended a provincial election "All Candidates Meeting", September 20, 2011, organized by our Willowdale-Thornhill Chapter. Only two of a nominal dozen or so candidates from the two provincial ridings turned up, but our member turn-out was good. I announced PEO's support for "TBM", see above.
Attended Canadian Manufacturing Technologies Show (Toronto, October 2011) and SME's TBM presentation as the representative of PEO.
Attended MPP swearing in at Queen's Park, November 2011, see GLP report, 2011-11-07.
Initiated and prepared FIC motion for Council that specified accounting transfers be made to the PEO reserves (too low) and towards unfunded liabilities (too high) Vote was split 11 to 11 with several abstentions; Chairman ruled as "defeated" under Wainberg. However, President Dave Adams, Chairman of FIC, and CEO Kim Allen are now determined to present a reduced expenditure budget to Council in December (see below.)
Attended PEO Townhall at 40 Sheppard (November 16, 2011)
Appeared before GLC committee to explain "Take Back Manufacturing" (November 17, 2011)
Attended Conference of engineering Presidents and CEO's in Charlottowne, PEI, November 24-26, 2011.
Spoke in favour of rebuilding PEO cash reserves at Special Council, Dec 15, 2011. Motion lost ("tax and spend" Councillors voted it down.)
Gave keynote address at SME's Christmas Dinner, Dec 16, 2011. Spoke of PEO's support of TBM and the licencing requirements now that the "Industrial Exception" has gone. Talk was well received.
January 2012, attended West central and East Central Chapter AGM's. Gave brief report from Council.
Attended Foundation for Education presentation event at U of T, February 8, 2012.
Represented PEO at Society of Manufacturing Engineers' seminar on Innovation, February 16, 2012
Was formally appointed PEO's official representative to SME on TBM.
Attended "Innovation in Mining" as Council representative, March 7, 2012, Ontario Science Centre.
Spoke at West Central licence ceremony, March 10, 2012
March 15, 2012, SME meeting at their offices, TBM discussion.
March 20, 2012, attended FABTECH show business breakfast, supported SME on TBM.
Made presentation to the Repeal of the Industrial Exception Task Force (RIETF) on SME's TBM inititaive, March 27, 2012.
Attended OCEPP meeting at Hart House (U of T) on Commercialization of innovations.
PEO Committee chair's workshop, April 12, 2012
Foundation for Education meeting (as board member), April 13, 2012.
Assigned Chairman of Profesional Standards Sub-committee on Industry
SME meeting on TBM, April 19, 2012.
PEO-OSPE reception and dinner, May 1, 2012
OCEPP public policy conference, May 11, 2012
PEO-OSPE Order of Honour gala, May 11, 2012
Final PEO AGM for this term as Councillor-at-Large, May 12, 2012

"I will add more activity 'as it happens'... in this font."

"Now, for the 2013 election, here's the rest of my election page!"

Roger's profile...
    Roger Jones has a wide experience in hands-on engineering and engineering management. From his first degree in electrical engineering to his last position in corporate Canada as VP Engineering and Chief Engineer, he has focused on excellence in engineering, the promotion of engineering values and the sound management of engineering departments. Here is a summary of his technical education and career.

Education
    B.Sc(Eng) – Imperial College, London University, England (Electrical Engineering)
    Dipl. Management, McGill University
    DIC, (Diploma of Imperial College), London University, England.
    M.Phil. - Imperial College, London University, England (Sampled Data Control Systems)
    MBA – McGilll University (Finance and International Business)

Employment
    George KELK Corporation, Toronto (Vice-President Engineering & Chief Engineer, now retired)
    Noranda Technology Centre, Montreal (Manager, Control Systems)
    Cowan-Lavelin, Montreal (Manager, Control Systems & Instrumentation)
    Foxboro, Montreal. (Industrial Instrumentation & Control systems)
    Sandwell & SDK&H, Montreal. (Engineering Consultants)
    GEC, London, UK (Computer process control)
    Ferranti, UK, (Aerospace, inertial navigation)

Professional
    Member PEO (1999 to date),
    Former member OIQ in Quebec (1973-1999),
    ACGI (Associate of the City & Guilds of London Institute)
    Member OSPE.
    Former C.Eng (1963 to 2009) and MIET (circa 1965 to 2009, inclusive), the UK engineering institution.
    Life/Senior MIEEE
    Over 35 technical papers and articles published.

Career
    Roger has served in many engineering roles over a long engineering career. After graduation in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College (IC), London, he joined Ferranti's Aircraft Equipment Division and worked for a year on inertial navigation systems. Desiring to learn more about system theory, he returned to the Imperial College EE department to pursue a graduate degree in Control Systems Engineering. After this he joined GEC Limited in London to work on computer-based process control – one of the pioneers in this field with applications in the paper, cement, chemical and oil refining industries. A few years later he emigrated to Canada.

    His single longest serving position was with Foxboro Canada Inc (FCI) in Montreal where, over 16 years, he went from Systems Engineer to Manager, Industry Systems, the latter responsible for all digital product applications for the company's process industry clients. After FCI, a spell with the Lavelin Group (EPCM consultants) preceded six years with Noranda at the Noranda Technology Centre (NTC) near Montreal as Manager, Control Systems in NTC's Manufacturing Division where he lead a primarily sensor development R&D department.

    Given the opportunity to join George KELK Corporation (GKC) as Vice-president Engineering and Chief Engineer, in 1999 Roger and Lorna moved to Thornhill, just north of Toronto. Nine years later he retired from GKC and now works from his home office in Thornhill, just north of Toronto.

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Personal
    We all like to know with whom we are dealing. Here is a brief outline of Roger's non-engineering side...

    Roger and Lorna (a retired physiotherapist) live in the pleasant suburb of Thornhill, Ontario, (nestled between the towns of Markham and Vaughan, just north of Toronto.)

    In his spare time Roger plays the piano, as a returning student. He says: “It's very hard work to getting back into it... If you learned a musical instrument as a youngster, don't give it up!”

    Another hobby... Roger also restores vintage radios and high-fidelity tube-based audio amplifiers. “They're the ones with those glowing vacuum tubes in them!” He is a member of the Ontario VIntage Radio Association (OVRA) where he has given several addresses on vintage radio and audio design and restoration. He'll be happy to send you the PowerPoint presentations if you are interested!

    Complementing a long time aviation interest (he's a former pilot), Roger is a member of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWH) in Hamilton and volunteers at the Canadian Air & Space Museum (CASM) working on original, vintage avionics in aircraft restoration. He says: “I used to fly light aircraft but when I started my MBA at McGill I ran out of time and money, so I let my pilot's licence lapse... now I really wish I had kept it up! At CASM, I am helping rebuild a WW2 Canadian Lancaster bomber for static display. It will have working, original avionics. Incidentally, CWH has a flying Lancaster, one of only two left in the world but, of course, it has modern radios and nav-aids. I make sure to fly every year in either their DC3, aka the C-47 'Dakota' or their Beech 18, aka the C-45 'Expeditor' ”

    Roger and Lorna also serve the community on the Thornhill Festival Committee where he is in charge of Historical Reenactments and Lorna looks after the childrens and teens entertainment program.

    Roge is also a Board Member of Heintzman House in Thornhill (community centre and historic building) and keeps a close eye on Markham municipal politics.

    He is also a Director of Ontario Professional Engineers Foundation for Education, a group affiliated with PEO.

    Interested in Canadian and world-wide current affairs, Roger is also a long-time member of the Thornhill Federal and Provincial Riding Associations. He was also a member of the 2011 Economic Political Action Committee at Queen's Park, also for 2012. "Engineers must be heard and influence public policy", he says, and supports the PEO's GLP program and our OCEPP division "but they need measurable objectives".

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The Engineering Profession

Roger says:

“Over my entire working life, I have been personally committed to competence in all endeavors. It is not only a moral obligation to undertake our life-calling to the highest quality but it's also a means to ensure that the status for the engineering profession is at least comparable to professions such as medicine, accounting and the law which tend to get the 'best press'.

“Excellence requires the competence and integrity of each of us as practitioners. I talk frequently to new Canadian licencees and I invariably ask them to remember the immortal words of Rudyard Kipling who wrote The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer. Check it out! This is the obligation given at the Iron Ring ceremony. These words still make wonderfully good sense today and have guided me well in my career.

Here's the modern era stainless steel iron ring from around the 1970's to this day. The older one was carbon steel... you still see some on the finger of older engineers! They are the corroded looking ones... the rings, I mean! And, no, they were never made from "that bridge"... a nice idea but an urban myth!

As Kipling wrote about us in a poem...

   "It is their care, in all the ages,
    To take the buffet and cushion the shock.
    It is their care that the gear engages.
    It is their care that the switches lock ".

    "By the way, Canada had a neat "iron ring" postage stamp a while back... when postage was 46 cents!
Pop quiz: when was that? Email me if you know!

    "Anyway, here are a couple of nice pictures...

    "The ethics of the profession is captured by the Iron Ring ceremony. It deals with our obligation to be competent in our practice (no 'bad workmanship', no 'faulty materials' and 'stability and perfection of [our] works'), to deal honourably with our peers, to protect our reputation, and to take fair recompense for our work. It recognizes our 'assured failures' but guides us back on track ('... aid, comfort and restrain'.) Thus, after all these years, I still wear my iron ring with pride.

    "This value is made tangible by the Engineering Licence. We must recognize our privilige as licensed professionals and consistently bring to our practice the highest technical and ethical standards."

    "At Chapter licencing ceremonies I speak to young engineers on competence, professional development and the value of continuing education. I invoke the motto: "Be the best you can be".

    "Since Spring 2010 I have served PEO and our members as Councillor-At-Large. In 2012 I lost the election (was runner up.) I plan to am running again in 2013 for a second term to continue this work."

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New technologies and the present realities of Engineering

    “PEO is evolving to addresses current realities of new technologies, including the required engineering skills development. This needs input from experienced practitioners in such fields as Software Engineering, Communications, Embedded Systems, Control Systems, Automation, Process & equipment engineering, Nano-technology... to name but a few. Some of these are emerging technologies - see PEO's Emerging Disciplines Task Force (EDTF) on which I serve These disciplines all have quality and safety issues requiring diligent practice and regulation by PEO via licencing. PEO must not be just a traditional 'civil, mechanical and power electrical' regulatory body or it risks becoming irrelevant in today's fast-moving, high-tech world.

    “A good example of modern engineering reality are the specializations required for the planned TTC subway extensions into the cities of Markham and Vaughan (unfortunately, the Markhan side is on-hold for money reasons.) In addition to classic excavation, tunnel boring, civil and mechanical construction there is electrical distribution & traction, real-time software, embedded systems, automatic train control, communications infrastucture and other engineering specialties... all of which affect cost, performance and safety. In 2010 Toyota was in the news regarding a brake actuating embedded system. And let's not forget what pioneer astronaut, the late Walter Schirra, said many years ago about a particular Mercury rocket launch... Asked what he thought while sitting in the capsule at the top of a Mercury rocket after a nerve-wracking rocket-motor glitch on the launch pad, Capt. Schirra replied: "I was thinking that [all] this was all put together by the lowest bidder.”

    “Within new, and not so new, specializations, PEO must address public safety, quality assurance, knowledge and competence in professional practice so that we deal properly and fully with the current reality of new technologies in engineering. Related to this is continuing education (CE) and professional development (PD.) Here we must liaise with OSPE and promote their programs for CE and PD.

    "As mentioned, I serve on the Emerging Disciplines Task Force and have contributed in a modest way to both the Nano Technology & Materials Engineering and Communications Insfrastucture Engineering projects - our new engineering disciplines as of 2011.

    "PEO should ecourage internships in industry for final year undergraduates as a precursor to licencing. My own experience is that internships are a valuable means for helping soon-to-be graduates embrace the new technologies used by industry today. Internships also benefit the companies which run them. In my company, we had our interns contributing to mechanical, electronic and embedded system design in our hi-tech products. Supervised by licenced senior engineers, they made a valuable contribution. PEO must give recognition to appropriate internships as an adjunct of the EIT program. Note: EIT now stands for "Engineering InTern".

    "Another reality of our profession is the need to integrate competent foreign trained engineering graduates and experienced immigrant engineering professionals, i.e. facilitate their PEO licence application. Vital issues include validation of credentials, quality of the foreign engineering school, individual competence and professional experience. As VP Engineering, I recruited several foreign-trained, experienced engineering professionals for my company and helped them qualify for the P.Eng. licence. All that did have done well and became a credit to the company's engineering department."

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Accountability and Consultation

    “PEO must be accountable to its members as well as to government. This requires member participation in our self-governance, the contribution of Chapters to PEO regulatory affairs and Chapters advancing motions to Council. Thus, I advocate that Chapters be stengthened and communication with them improved. Consultation requires good communication between PEO and all its members - also with the public so that it is aware of the value added by the engineering profession.

    "Specifically, I support the election of the President and Vice-president by the members at large, as has been the case since our inception in 1922. I will continue to oppose any mis-informed revocation of this practice by Council (under the guise of "improved governance" - no, it's not!.) PEO must remain member directed. We weaken this link at our peril.

    “We must never ignore the contribution of the “front end” of the profession. We need more informed involvement by Universities (Engineering faculty), Students and EITs in PEO affairs. Many years ago I was fortunate to be advised by the late Sir Willis Jackson (Engineer and Head of the EE department at Imperial College, later Lord Jackson) to “join the (then) IEE to 'serve the profession'. I followed his advice and became a graduate member, later an associate member and, in due course, a full member of the IEE (later IEE was renamed IET.)

    "Volunteers are an important part of PEO. We must recruit and encourage them, and respect their valuable contribution. We need "new blood" on PEO committees. Non-profit organizations live or die on how they treat volunteers! In short, volunteers are 'gold'.

    “As a PEO Councillor, I advocate leadership through consensus, openness, transparency and inclusiveness, and I strongly defend self-governance of the engineering profession and respect for our members and the dues they pay."

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Relations with OSPE

    "OSPE is charged with the advocacy of engineering and engineers. OSPE's advocacy role complements PEO's regulatory role.

    "OSPE can help PEO improve engineers' visibility to the general public, and vice versa. This helps improve public perception of engineering and the recognition of its 'added value' to the economy.

    "PEO's objectives are complemented by OSPE's Professional Development programs. Together, PEO and OSPE must ensure that these PD programs are well aligned with the goals of the engineering profession, government and industry.

    "Although separate, PEO and OSPE are synergistic. As Councillor-At-Large I have always supported good relations with OSPE for our common good and to minimize functional overlap. OSPE is vital to the wellbeing of our profession and individual engineers, but it needs to recruit a larger membership. Being voluntary, not a mandated licence like PEO, that's a tough goal."

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Governance... both PEO's and public policy

PEO governance - an important, on-going topic...

"I am for a MEMBER-DIRECTED PEO and MEMBER-ELECTED President. We have won this!
"I am opposed to a STAFF-DIRECTED PEO and COUNCIL-APPOINTED President. No change in my views!
"We must respect members' rights in the Association. Getting better with the new, 2012 Council!
"We must respect members' dues..." Still work to be done...

    “I support full compliance with the Professional Engineers Act and Regulations, including diligent monitoring of licencing, the important “reserve of title” and professional self-governance. It is vital to uphold all of this diligently and proactively. We have addressed the Industrial Exception – and this has now been repealed in part in the new Engineering Act. (Sept 2010: Bill 68)

    "PEO must also contribute to public policy. Who better to guide public policy than profesional engineers trained in problem solving? We engineers don't do things just to look good. We know how things work and we make things that work.

    “Indeed, good science and engineering is a base for sound public policy. As the regulator, we must acquire and maintain a close relationship with governments so that PEO can contribute to public policy at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. We must work with Ontario MP's and MPP's to ensure these public servants are made aware of issues facing Canadians from an engineering perspective. I would take this to local City Councillors, too (whose ear I sometimes bend in Markham!) For too long our parliamentarians have been mostly on the receiving end of comments and 'advice' from the aformentioned 'chattering and scribbling classes', much less so from engineers! We need a informed, competent and respected engineering lobby with the ear of government. As a Councillor, I have advanced this idea at every opportunity, using my previous provincial political experience to this end.

    "To quote Pat Quinn, P.Eng. (Engineering Dimensions, November 2009) 'Self-regulated professions must retain positive relations with political overseers to avoid misunderstanding, and to head off legislative proposals that might be at odds with self-regulation.' "

Manufacturing
    "A recovery of manufacturing in Ontario (and, of course, Canada-wide) is vital but it will be slow to happen. Ontario lost some 30,000 maufacturing jobs over the five years to 2008 and too few have come back. Manufacturing is a driver of innovation, good engineering jobs and satisfying engineering careers... and it pays taxes locally! It is strategic to our economic progress - there is no prosperity from "taking in each other's washing". While much of the future of manufacturing in Canada is in the hands of industry, politicians and bankers, PEO and OSPE obviously have an important role to play. Engineers make the innovations, do the R&D, design and build tangible products... ensuring highest functionality, safety and competitive success.

    The Society of Maufacturing Engineers have started an initiative on this, called "Take Back Manufacturing". Council has supported this by passing my motion on this topic at Council #472 on September 23, 2011. This ensures PEO support.

For example, If we are going to build windmills, we should build them here, not buy from Samsung for several billion dollars!

    "A word on the 'Green products and power'... Canada (and Ontario) can benefit from "greener" products, processes and energy sources - to use and, importantly, to export, but we need validated science, good engineering and a solid economic justification. The opportunities for engineers are enormous. While "wind" (intermittent), "solar" (expensive), "wave" (low density), "tidal" (denser than wave) and geothermal (very promising) energy are useful additions, we must watch the capital costs and "up time"... and they require a stronger grid for power distribution. But we still need base-load power generation. Nuclear and fossil fuel stations do this and will be with us for many years. Natural gas is in good supply and is relatively inexpensive. Engineers can make nuclear and fossil sources safe and non-polluting. I support the development of "greener" products, processes and energy when they result in more choices, better products, lower costs, less pollution, longer life for our fossil fuel reserves, safer and cheaper energy sources... Please email me with your ideas...! PEO must have a strong regulatory role in all these activities, starting with R&D - see below.

    “Regarding PEO and Ontario's industrial R&D: as Vice President Engineering in a manufacturing company, I was responsible for our Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) program. This is a valuable federal government program that provides tax credits for qualified industrial R&D.

    However, government should mandate that SR&ED engineering projects be only managed by licenced engineers to qualify for the tax credit. On Council, I will advocate that PEO raise this matter with the federal government. For the record, at KELK, I signed off personally on all our SR&ED projects as 'VP Engineering & Chief Engineer' and, of course, with 'P.Eng' clearly stated. The same should also apply to IRAP projects (NRC's valuable Industrial Research Assistance Program.)"

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Accounting and Economics

    “My MBA studies of finance and economics, plus my engineering and managerial experience in industry, have given me good insight as to how PEO regulation can be most effective in advancing the engineering economic domain in addition to public safety. This backgound can also help us avoid the unintended consequences of poorly conceived public policies.

PEO...
    "PEO fiscal responsibility is important to our members. Members' dues must be respected. PEO does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.

    "I serve on PEO's Finance Committee (FIC). We have a lot of work to do to make PEO finances and the new building sustainable in difficult economic times and to minimize any increase in the members' dues and other licence fees. However, the new building costs are well over-budget - a challenge (to put it mildly!) Also, your reserve fund must be rebuilt and unfunded liabilities reduced (see my Council #473 motion.)

    "On the FIC, I am working to ensure that increases in PEO's operating expenses are controlled and that a specified amount goes to rebuilding reserves and towards unfunded liabilities. My motion to this end was defeated at Council #474 (11 for, 11 against, several abstentions), close... but it failed by default under Wainberg's rules. FIC continues to push for fiscal reponsibility. Members' fees are frozen for 2012 and members must now be consulted on any future increase. Thus, the FIC has made vital progress on members' financial interests in 2011 and will continue to do so
in 2012.

Membership...
    "Too few qualified, "should-be engineers" are unlicensed by omission or indifference. Of course, a good deal of this relates to the Industrial Exception (see above) - too many qualified staff have openly said to me 'I don't need the P.Eng, I don't sign drawings.' Well, professionally they do need it! In industry I always encouraged my qualified staff to pursue their P.Eng. licence... with some success. We'll see how this plays out...

Canada...
    “A very important Canadian economic policy objective is to reduce inter-provincial barriers in trade and labour. This benefits both engineers and the wider Canadian economy. There are more barriers to commerce between the provinces than there are between Canada and the USA. This must be corrected by our governments. Fortunately, we may be getting new federal-provincial initiatives in this direction - we shall see how well they work out.

    "Regardless, it is vital that PEO and the other provincial licensing bodies be part of this process. However, government mandated engineering mobility must not impair the self-regulation of the profession or PEO's standards - PEO is already addressing this,  for example, see Engineering Dimensions, November 2009.

    "See also R&D, above. The Government's tax-supported engineering R&D programs in the public and private sector (SR&ED and IRAP) must be managed by licenced engineers to ensure the wise use of taxpayer's money (the tax credit), to get the best project management and the highest performing product or process development result."

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An award!

"I was very pleased that the company where I was VP Engineering and Chief Engineer from 1999 to 2008 (George KELK Corporation) was awarded a "50 Best managed Companies" award, see "50 best". This was in no small part due to the company's aggressive R&D program, product excellence and the quality of the Engineering department, all of which were my direct responsibility.

"And again! February 6, 2010: National Post newspaper announces that KELK has again been awarded the designation of one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies. I congratulate my successors for continuing the good work! And again... this status was yet again renewed in February 2011. It looks like my old team is still on the ball !"

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A final word... and thanks for reading so far!

    “During my engineering career I have been fortunate to work with some very good companies, some outstanding people and on some very interesting projects, processes and technologies. As a 'hands-on' engineer, even when in management, I have found the whole experience most gratifying. Whatever I have contributed is on the record but I still have the desire to further my contribution to the profession, particularly to our EIT's and younger practitioners. As a PEO Councillor I am trying to do this.

    “Engineers' contributions must be recognized positively by society, industry and all levels of government. A value I have always encouraged in my staff and colleagues is teamwork and I apply this personal value in Council. With your support I pledge to continue to bring my varied, practical industrial experience to bear on these objectives for a profession we can continue to be proud of. My philosophy can be summarized as "strive to be the best you can be", bringing others along with you or, indeed, beyond... as they are able. It behooves PEO to strive to be the best it can be, too.

    "My sincere thanks to you for reading my 2013 election platform. I ask for your vote again in 2013 and, if re-elected, will continue with what I have started and supported in my first term, viz: respect for members, for a member-directed association and respect for members dues."

Re-elect Roger in 2013! "My sincere thanks to all supporters!"

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Q&A and Contact

    If you have any questions on Roger's PEO election platform, or if you have have any suggestions, do not hesitate to contact him at roger_jones@ieee.org (this is an IEEE alias address) or at roger.jones@peo.on.ca "I'd like to hear from as many members as possible", he says.

Post Script:
    "Please don't hestitate to contact me on any Chapter or other PEO issues that are on your mind. I will undertake to bring them to Council and/or to the notice of PEO staff.

    "During the Summer of 2011 these was a fierce debate underway on how we should elect the President and VP of PEO in 2013, i.e. by our members, as now, or by Council. Many members advocate that members should continue to elect the President and VP - this is stated clearly here: http://www.ourprofession.ca/ The 2011 election results and 2012 referendum ratified this and it also had my full support as a Councillor. I voted for election of the President by the members... a large majority of you agreed! Let us never forget what Sir Winston Churchill said: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

    "As Councillor-At-Large, and after the 2012 AGM, former Councillor-At-Large, I need to hear members' opinions. Please email me (addresss above.) I will add more to this page as things happen..."

Roger Jones, P.Eng.