OSPE - The Voice - Winter 2019 - 7

MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

Two of the most frequently asked
questions that we receive at
OSPE are "why is advocating for
engineers necessary?"
And "why should an advocacy body like OSPE spend its time lobbying for policy
changes on things like climate change and clean energy?" The answer to both
of these questions is that the wellbeing of the engineering profession depends
on the public, government, and media fully understanding just how necessary
engineering expertise is to solving today's problems.
Advocacy for engineers and consulting with governments on policy change
are intrinsically related. While PEO's role as a regulatory body is to safeguard
the interest of the general public, OSPE's primary function is to act as the voice
of Ontario's engineering community. Despite the plethora of contributions
engineers have made to humanity, public perception of the profession is not
always as favourable as we might hope.
A public opinion research survey commissioned by Engineers Canada found
that the public's perception of engineers was lesser than that of many other
professionals, including nurses, doctors, and electricians. The survey asked
respondents to rank professions based on the level of familiarity and trust
they felt towards each one. Engineers were consistently ranked on the mid to
lower range of the list. These findings are not altogether surprising - each of
the professions that scored highly on this list are represented exceptionally well
by advocacy bodies across the country promoting the work they do. In other
words, familiarity breeds trust.
These findings were echoed in a survey conducted on behalf of the
multinational 3M Company. Their countrywide survey found that almost half
of the respondents viewed scientists as elitist, and many respondents discounted
findings that did not align with their own personal beliefs. Unfortunately, this
trend can be seen in numerous areas of science. The anti-vaccine movement,
and the large number of people who continue to discount the reality of climate
change, are perfect examples of this. More encouragingly, however, the survey
also suggested a curiosity and a genuine desire amongst the general public to
learn more about the scientific world.
OSPE has done remarkably well in changing public policy while showcasing
the expertise, passion, and dedication of professional engineers. As applied
scientists, engineers have the skills and expertise to develop solutions to everyday
problems that the government alone simply does not. OSPE's advocacy work
and our efforts to change public policy demonstrate the necessity of having
engineers in conversations around clean energy, climate change, infrastructure,
and so much more. In this way, we are working to keep engineers in the spotlight
in order to educate the public, and remind the media and government, that
engineers are a truly invaluable resource to Ontario.

Sandro Perruzza
Chief exeCutive OffiCer, OSPe

OSPE has done remarkably
well in changing public
policy while showcasing the
expertise, passion,
and dedication of
professional engineers.

Winter 2020

THE VOICE

7
OSPE - The Voice - Winter 2019

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