The Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec makes professional ethics and the future of Québec engineering electoral campaign issues

MONTREAL, March 26, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec took advantage of the current electoral campaign to invite candidates from the three main political parties to share their views on the issues of ethics, the legal framework governing the profession and the future of Québec engineering. M^e Bertrand St-Arnaud, Minister of Justice and Parti Québécois candidate in Chambly, M^e Gilles Ouimet, Liberal Party candidate in Fabre, and Richard Campeau, Eng., Coalition Avenir Québec candidate in Anjou-Louis-Riel, represented their respective parties for this event.

In front of an audience that included a few dozen decision-makers and OIQ members, the candidates were made aware of the importance of updating the law that governs the practice of engineering, the Engineers Act, given that two bills designed to update it have died on the Order Paper since 2012. New OIQ President Stéphane Bilodeau, Eng., Ph.D., also stressed this point.

"We need to review the Engineers Act. This legislation no longer adequately reflects engineering practice, and the protection of the public suffers as a result. The current Act dates back to the early 1960s and has remained virtually unchanged since then. The OIQ intends to continue its efforts to modernize the legal framework governing the profession so that engineers can fully contribute to the development of Québec society," stated Bilodeau.

In addition, the candidates discussed the solutions implemented or proposed by the OIQ to better protect the public. These included the audit program for consulting engineering firms, which is now being developed, and the idea of creating an independent integrity body so that contract providers are better equipped to make well-informed decisions.

The OIQ's commitment to the public
The OIQ has committed to protect the public through prevention and disciplinary activities, find concrete solutions to meet the profession's current challenges, and ensure transparent management.

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. 

SOURCE: Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec

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