The Office of the Syndic of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec files disciplinary complaints against two engineers

MONTREAL, Nov. 28, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec is announcing today that the Office of the Syndic has completed some of its inquiries and will file disciplinary complaints against engineers Marie-Claude Gagnon and Jean-François Rioux. These two engineers will have to answer to the Disciplinary Council of their professional order for charges in connection with violations of one section of the Professional Code and several sections of the Code of Ethics of Engineers concerning a professional's duties and obligations to clients.

"The OIQ has committed to deploying the necessary means to ensure that thorough inquiries are carried out and that the engineers who have committed potentially reprehensible acts are judged by their Disciplinary Council. The complaints announced today are examples of the OIQ's continuing efforts to respect its commitment to the public and its 60,000 members," stated Daniel Lebel, Eng., FIC, PMP, President of the OIQ.

All of the complaints announced today are related to exclusive information gathered by the Office of the Syndic during an extensive inquiry that lasted over two years. The evidence that will be submitted to the Disciplinary Council is based on tens of thousands of pages of documents.

In accordance with the professional legislation that applies to all orders, the details of the charges against the two engineers will be made public when the complaints are heard by the Disciplinary Council. At this stage of the disciplinary process, only the sections of the applicable codes are known. None of these complaints are linked to the testimonies heard by the Charbonneau Commission. However, integrity, impartiality and the use of dubious processes are at the heart of the charges. For more details on the charges, please read the appendix to the press release.

It should also be noted that the scheme the OIQ intends to prove in this case has been observed elsewhere in the world by organizations that inventory various types of improper practices related to public construction contracts.

Next step: the Disciplinary Council

The dates for the hearing of the complaints announced today will be made public on the OIQ Disciplinary Council's Hearing Roll. The Disciplinary Council has 15 members: the Chair (an attorney designated by the Québec government) and 14 engineers appointed by the Board of Directors of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. When a hearing is held, three people examine the complaint: the Chair of the Disciplinary Council and two engineers. All hearings are public.

Applicable penalties

The penalties that may be issued by the Disciplinary Council are those set out in the Professional Code, which can include permanently striking an engineer from the OIQ's membership roll. Except in the case of an acquittal, the decisions of the Disciplinary Council concerning the complaints announced today can be consulted on the OIQ's Web site. Furthermore, these decisions may be appealed with the Professions Tribunal or subjected to judicial review.

Interested parties can find more information about all the steps in the disciplinary process on the OIQ's Web site.

About the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec

Founded in 1920, the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec has a membership of more than 60,000 engineering professionals in all fields, except forest engineering. The mission of the OIQ is to ensure the protection of the public by supervising the practice of the profession within the framework of its constituent laws and ensure that the profession serves the public interest. For more information, go to http://www.oiq.qc.ca.

The President of the OIQ, who will hold a press briefing after his speech to the Association des MBA du Québec, will also answer other questions starting at 1:45 p.m. in the Saint-Charles room of the Queen Elizabeth hotel (900 René-Lévesque Blvd., Montreal).

Appendix to the press release

Disciplinary Complaints

Engineers	Registration on the Membership Roll	Offences (Note: the applicable sections are cited after the table)
Marie-Claude Gagnon	1992-09-01	Charge 1: Violation of sections 3.02.01 and 3.02.08 of the Code of Ethics of Engineers Charge 2: Violation of section 3.02.10 of the Code of Ethics of Engineers and section 59.2 of the Professional Code Charge 3: Violation of section 59.2 of the Professional Code
Jean-François Rioux	2005-09-02	Charge 1: Violation of sections 3.02.01 and 3.02.08 of the Code of Ethics of Engineers Charge 2: Violation of section 59.2 of the Professional Code

Professional Code (R.S.Q., c. C-36):

59.2. No professional may engage in an act derogatory to the honour or dignity of his profession or to the discipline of the members of the order, or practise a profession, carry on a trade, enterprise or business or hold an office or function that is inconsistent with the honour, dignity or practice of his profession.

Code of Ethics of Engineers (R.R.Q. 1981, c. I-9, r.6):

	3.02.01. An engineer must fulfill his professional obligations with integrity.
	3.02.08. An engineer shall not resort nor lend himself to nor tolerate dishonest or doubtful practices in the performance of his professional activities.
	3.02.10. An engineer must be impartial in his relations between his client and the contractors, suppliers and other persons doing business with his client.

 

 

 

SOURCE: Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec

Patrick Leblanc
Communications and Public Affairs Department
Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec
Tel.: [phone] or 1 800 461-6141, extension 3253