Professional Accountability - Complaints and the Complaints Process

As professional geoscientists we appear to be exceptional at what we do because there has not been a complaint against one of APGO's members in almost 2 years. When I first set up the training process for the complaints review panel, I made inquiries with other self-regulating organizations (SRO) with regards to their processes and complaint statistics. Given our size, it was anticipated there could be up to four complaints a year. Although I am not encouraging frivolous complaints, it has been suggested that perhaps complaints have not been received because the complaints process is not well understood or perceived as easily accessed.

The ability for any member of the public and the professional membership themselves to file a complaint is a mandatory process that every SRO must provide. Previously, a complaint against a registered APGO member could be filed with the registrar through a written submission. The launch of the new APGO website will simplify the process for filing a complaint by providing access to process documentation and a new complaints form. The "Complaints" menu on the website provides access to the background material and the complaint form. There is no fee to file a complaint.

A complaint is a very serious action as it alleges that the registered member or certificate holder has made an unprofessional or unethical decision related to their work. The complaints process deals with concerns about the actions and conduct of registered practitioners to ensure that the public interest, welfare and safety are protected, however, the complaints procedure cannot be used to obtain financial redress from a member or certificate holder.

Complaints are made about registered members or certificate holders of the Association as opposed to non-members who misrepresent themselves as geoscientists. Non-members, either individuals or companies offering geoscience services, are a matter of enforcement and compliance. Such individuals or companies may be reported to the registrar through a written submission, email, or by utilizing the online compliance form "Report a Non-licensed Geoscientist" (available at www.apgo.net after the launch of the new website).

Given the size of our organization, our process is much different than that of the larger SROs. We have no full-time staff to process the complaint and there are no lawyers on retainer. The complaint review panellists and I are all volunteers. The initial complaint is filed with the registrar who then acknowledges the receipt of the complaint, informs the person or entity complained about, and then refers the complaint to the Complaints Committee. A three-stage process for dealing with the administrative tasks that any complaints committee has to undergo has been established and documented. Timelines for executing each stage have also been established, but even with established timelines the entire process will still take several months in order to ensure fair and due process for all concerned.

To all APGO members and the public in general, should you encounter unprofessional and/or unethical behaviour with respect to work conducted by a registered APGO member, I encourage you to file a complaint. Unprofessional behaviour puts the public, the environment and also the reputation of the profession of geoscience at risk. To all those members who conduct their work in a professional and ethical manner on a daily basis, I say keep up the good work - you are a credit to the profession.

For further information, please visit www.apgo.net or contact the APGO office at 416-203- APGO (2746), Toll free 1-877-557-APGO (2746) or by email at info@apgo.net.

For more information on APGO, please contact info@apgo.net

Delivery Notice: This newsletter is issued 6 times per year to all APGO members. Non-members may also subscribe and receive the newsletter with access to non-member-only content. For more information, please see www.apgo.net.

Field Notes is published by APGO and is edited by Wendy Diaz, P.Geo. If you have comments or wish to contribute material to this newsletter, please contact Wendy Diaz, P.Geo., or Andrea Waldie, P.Geo., Executive Director/Registar.

Copyright 2008, Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO)