print this page Discipline Case Involving a P.Geo. in Canada By George Wahl, P.Geo. – APGO Councillor The onus lies with members and the professional associations to “draw the line in the sand” by disciplining cases of flagrant unethical practice. Professional jurisdictions across Canada hold disciplinary hearings of members who are abusing this public trust. A recent disciplinary case of a professional member registered in Alberta highlights just such a case. The decision by the Discipline Committee of APEGGA (The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta) was based on two judgments from the Ontario Court of Justice (dated July 21 and Sept. 18, 2000) and one judgment from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (released Jan. 7, 2002). The individual who was found guilty of insider trading and failing to fully disclose all assay results on a gold project in Ghana, was fined the costs of the hearing, and had his professional membership revoked. At the bottom of this article is a link that is also located in the left hand side of this issue of Field Notes in the section entitled, From Far Afield. In future issues of Field Notes, the From Far Afield section will contain professional association articles on disciplinary and other issues of interest to geoscience practitioners from other professional jurisdictions. To view the APEGGA Decision Statement for this disciplinary hearing click here: http://www.apegga.org/whatsnew/peggs/Web01-04/discipline_harper.htm
|
For more information on APGO, please contact info@apgo.net |
eed to keep in mind that the industry is, to a large extent, dependent on maintaining the trust of the investing public. The APGO was borne primarily out of a severe violation of that trust. We all have a shared interest in deterring and disciplining errant members who do a disservice, not only to the public, but to their colleagues. Continued abuse, such as in the case described below, will do nothing but create more regulations, fees and insurance premiums that geoscience practitioners will have to live with in the future.