ASTTBC President Dave Rutherford (l) presentsKerry Jothen with his Honorary Membership atthe ASTTBC 2014 AGM & Conference in May.

ASTTBC Awards HonoraryMembership to Kerry Jothen

AT THE ASTTBC Annual GeneralMeeting & Conference 2014 heldlast May, Honorary Membershipwas conferred on Kerry Jothen, CEO ofHuman Capital Strategies.ASTTBC first worked with Kerry 15years ago when he was CEO of ITAC, ona Trades & Technology career awarenessstrategy. Over the past decade, Kerry hascontinued to work on several projects forthe Association and produced two majorstrategy documents: Technology Skills2020: A Technology Human ResourcesStrategy for British Columbia in 2007,and in 2013: A Strategic Direction forTechnology Education and Skills inBritish Columbia.Currently Kerry is Workforce Advisorto Chevron Canada on its Kitimat LNGProject and also Co-chairs the VancouverBoard of Trades Human Capital TaskForce. He chairs the BC Solid Wood HRCommittee and is consultant to the BCShipbuilding and Ship Repair Board.Kerry continues to promote the impor-tance of applied science technologistsand technicians to the BC economy.I felt very honoured by ASTTBC andI am very proud of my association withy ou r t e am and t h e o r g an i z a t i o n .ASTTBCs recognition of me is indeed atop highlight in my career, said Jothenon receiving his award.

Issue #135 | July December 2014

Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett (center) announcing details of the investigation into the MountPolley tailings pond failure and the inspection of tailing pond facilities in the province.

Mount Polley: People, Regulations, Standards & Practice

THE PEOPLE AND THE STANDARDS they work with will emerge as a keyfocus of the BC Government inquiry into the Mount Polley dam breach,according to John Leech, ASTTBC CEO. Leech noted that engineering andgeoscience technologists and technicians are an integral part of the professional teaminspecting BCs mines.It is critical that all members of the team be fully qualified, registered and account-able, said Leech. Inspecting dams in BC is often a team effort requiring a mix of skillssets, all working to assure public health and safety.ASTTBC is working with the BC Government on a professional reliance model thatwill help identify areas where a registered professional such as a practitioner registeredwith ASTTBC is needed. The professional reliance initiative, a project that includesfive Ministries, has defined the usual requirements of a professional or occupationalbody including such elements as defined standards for certification, code of ethics,complaints process and continuing professional development.ASTTBC is an active participant in this initiative, with technologists and techni-cians and a couple of technical specialist areas listed within the program. One exampleof a technical specialist field that fits within the program is Site ImprovementsSurveys, said Leech.ASTTBC, as the 8th largest professional association in BC with more than 10,000technologists, technicians and technical specialists, is working to assure best practicesto help guide ASTTBC members who are involved in the inspection of dams,whether as part of a team or as an independent practitioner. For example, we arereviewing the APEGBC Dam Safety Guidelines and will consider endorsing this stan-dard as a guide for ASTTBC members practice, said Leech.ASTTBC is also considering who is participating in dam inspections as technolo-gists and technicians, and will report to Government on the numbers who are cur-rently registered with ASTTBC as either an Applied Science Technologist (AScT) orCertified Technician (CTech). I also plan to take this matter to the ASTTBC APEGBC Joint Board for their consideration of how ASTTBC and APEGBC worktogether to assure the highest standards for all practitioners involved with daminspections, added Leech.

ASTTBC was incorporated by the BC Government in 1985to regulate standards of training and practice of, and for, itsmembers and to protect the interests of the public.

Water Sustainability Act:Minister Polak on ASTTBCMembers Role

MINISTER OF EnvironmentMary Polak introduced Bill 18,the Water Sustainability Act,this Spring. The Act is designed to bringBCs water laws into the 21st centurywith a series of common sense changesand updates that balance the needs of allwater users. The new legislation replacedthe Water Act, which has been in placesince 1909. The Bill was applauded byASTTBC and many others.That was not the end of the story. Toconstruct, decommission, deactivate, dis-infect a well of 15 metres or greater, aperson must be qualified (as a well drilleror pump installer) or be under the super-vision of a professional engineer or geo-scientist. There are regulation-makingprovisions that provide the authority todevelop a regulation that may require theoversight of a professional. ASTTBCexpressed concern that, while the legisla-tion does not affect ASTTBC membersright to actually do the work, it willaffect their right to assume responsibilityas a professional. ASTTBC offered theview that ASTTBC members who arecompetent should, in legislation that islooking to the future, be recognized tocarry out work on a well 15 metres orgreater. ASTTBC acknowledges that aLimited Licence through APEGBC willopen the door to members practice at15 metres and greater, however, believes

Bill 18continued on page 3

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PROTECTING THE PUBLIC INTEREST

Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe ASTTBC Code of Ethics and Practice Guidelinessupport protection of the public and the environmentby requiring that members remain abreast of changesand developments in their discipline. Starting January2015, all ASTTBC members will need to record theirContinuing Professional Development (CPD) activi-ties relevant to their practice. A guide helps determinehow many points you can claim for a wide range ofactivities, including earning points for taking or givingtraining sessions, attending conferences, volunteeringand more. An average of 20 CPD points/year over fiveyears is required to comply with the new policy.

ASTTBC members should record their CPD activitiesby logging on to their personal login page and enteringtheir CPD points at www.ASTTBC.org/login

Established in 1958, ASTTBC regulatesstandards of training and practice of tech-nologists, technicians and technical special-ists, to protect the interests of the publicunder the ASTT Act.

for more info, please visit

www.ASTTBC.org

This issue of ASTTBC Connect is printed on PEFC approved paperusing eco-friendly inks and processes

ASTTBC COUNCILNOMINATIONSNOMINATIONS ARE REQUESTED for election tothe Council of ASTTBC. Each nomination must besupported by the signatures of 10 certified members, as wellas the consent and signature of the nominee. Nominationsproperly endorsed must be received by the NominatingCommittee Chair by Saturday, February 21st 2015.

Bill MacPherson, AScTChair, Nominating Committee10767 148th Street, Surrey, BC V3R 0S4FAX: 604.585.2790 | EMAIL: techinfo@asttbc.org

A N N U A L G E N E R A L M E E T I N GFriday, May 22nd 2015

P L E A S E M A R K Y O U R C A L E N D A R

AGM 2015Friday, May 22nd 2015Mark your calendar and makeplans to attend!

Minister of Environment M

ary Po

lak.

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Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray (center) sports an ASTTBC Technology Sizzlesapron presented by ASTTBC CEO John Leech, AScT (r) and ASTTBCCommunity Representative Henry Murphy, AScT (l).

Keeping Government InformedASTTBCs leadership inadvancing technology careersin view of the current skillsshor tage chal lenge was atopic of discussion betweenMLA Mi ch e l l e S t i lw e l l(ParksvilleQualicum) andASTTBC CEO John Leech,AScT, CAE.

Michelle and I explored many topics, some of which connecteddirectly with her roles as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministerof Health for Healthy Living and Parliamentary Secretary to theMinister of Health for Seniors, said ASTTBC CEO JohnLeech. For example, I mentioned SaferHomes and their pro-gram to build single and multiple unit housing to better accom-modate changing needs as people age.The BC Jobs Plan was referenced and the implications fortechnical workers generally with major projects like LNG. Therole of ASTTBC members with regard to issues such as theMount Polley dam breach took the conversation along a verydifferent path. Michelle was interested in local initiatives inhigh technology and the linkage with technology educationand careers and educational institutions, such as VancouverIsland University and North Island College, and the school dis-tricts in her riding.

Consumer ProtectionDeputy Premier Rich Coleman, Minister of Natural GasDevelopment and Minister Responsible for Housing (MLA forFort LangleyAldergrove), met with ASTTBC and two otherassociations providing certification of house inspectors to talkabout changes planned for the licensing of house inspectors.The current government regulation places responsibility forlicensing with Consumer Protection BC (CPBC) and this willnot change, although new regulations to be developed over thenext six months will spell out an expanded role for CPBCaccording to ASTTBC CEO John Leech, AScT.We welcome a more clearly defined and enhanced role forCPBC, working in partnership with professional regulators suchas ASTTBC. The changes proposed by Minister Co