Board Member’s Corner

Public Appointee’s Perspective

By Abigail Fulton, LL.B.

“It is appropriate, therefore, that there is an industry specific regulating body evaluating and overseeing the educational qualifications, experience and professional skills of each practising land surveyor.

There are several professions operating in British Columbia that the government has seen fit to regulate. It is really a badge of honour – a public acknowledgement that the occupation impacts a significant number of people directly and must, therefore, have some rigor around its practice. Very early on in the history of this province land surveying was identified as one of those professions.

Professional land surveyors not only provide services to clients, they play a key role in protecting the fabric of our towns and cities, and in the management of effective land use. They are critical to the success of construction projects, public infrastructure, and land ownership. Highly technical, yet requiring an ability to solve puzzles and decipher the historical boundaries and descriptions of real property, to the general public the land surveyor is both a scientist and an artist. The skill sets learned and practised are essential but somewhat incomprehensible to those of us on the outside looking in. It is appropriate, therefore, that there is an industry specific regulating body evaluating and overseeing the educational qualifications, experience and professional skills of each practising land surveyor. In this province the Association of BC Land Surveyors is the designated regulatory body. The organization has been carrying on its duties for well over a century – in effect overseeing a self-regulation of the profession.

Professional self-regulation is not a new concept, however, increasingly it has become a topic of concern within government and in the public sphere. The primary concern is: are the best interests of the public being considered or are they falling to the wayside in an effort to promote and achieve the goals of the profession? The concern led the BC Government to commission a report in 2018 to review, among other topics, how best to ensure that selfregulating professional organizations in BC were employing best practices to protect the public interest. It was following the release of the report that the Professional Governance Act was enacted, and the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance created. The goal was to provide a consistent governance framework for self-regulating professions and more oversight of their activities.

While the regulatory bodies currently within the scope of this Act do not include the Association of BC Land Surveyors, it is certainly a strong indicator of the direction Government is taking with self-governing professional organizations and the

Association of BC Land Surveyors – sensibly – is paying close attention.

One of the cornerstones of oversight for self-regulating bodies is to ensure that the public is represented on the governing board of the organization. The ABCLS currently has two positions on the sitting board that are appointed by the government to meet this end. I am one of those appointments.

It is a privilege to sit on this board. It is well run and heavily populated with knowledgeable and impressive industry representatives. The appointment brings with it specific responsibilities. My main role on the board is to review decisions being made at the board table through a public lens to help ensure the best interests of the public are being considered.

So, what does that mean? The BC Government is clear in its directives to public appointees and five principles are clearly laid out:

Put the interests of citizens at the centre of decision making.

Which means to ask what is best for those who access the services of a professional land surveyor. How might BC’s citizens be impacted by the decisions made by the ABCLS, and who has been consulted when important decisions impacting the public are made?

Behave with integrity, demonstrate strong commitment to ethical values and respect the rule of law.

Which suggests that when a decision is reached the interest of the public has been considered in a way that is fair and aligned with the ABCLS mandate.

3. Ensure openness and respectful engagement with all citizens.

Does the public know what the ABCLS does, and why? Is the ABCLS as transparent as possible within the confines of existing information and privacy legislation?

4. Strive for outcomes that support healthy communities in British Columbia, including social, economic and environmental well-being.

Consider, how does the organization and the profession it is regulating impact the social, economic, and environmental well-being of BC citizens?

5. Implement actions to achieve the organization’s mandate

For the public appointee, this includes an understanding of what government’s priorities and expectations are within the larger framework and mandate of the ABCLS.

A year has passed since my initial appointment to the ABCLS Board and it is interesting for me to reflect on my experience to date with the board. It has been a busy year, with changes to staff occurring mid-stream and COVID-19 impacting everyone’s lives and businesses for a significant portion of the time. Nevertheless I can say, without reservation, that the governing board of the ABCLS continues to meet its obligations to the general public. All decisions are carefully considered, with integrity, ethics and respect central to the results. I have yet to see an instance where the best interests of the public are not integral to the policies established or regulations enforced. Overall, I feel confident in saying that the public are well served by the ABCLS and, as a self-regulating professional body, they are well positioned to continue protecting the public interest for yet another century! ✥

“I have yet to see an instance where the best interests of the public are not integral to the policies established or regulations enforced.