LONDON ENGINEER APPOINTED AS A MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF CANADA

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1 January 10, 2011 Table of Contents 1. Breaking News Engineer Appointed to Order of Canada 2. Events Attended/Held Canadian Club Holds 2011 Economic Outlook 3. Work in Progress HST Town Hall Jan 18 Attracting Big Names 4. Upcoming Events 20 Upcoming Events Breaking News LONDON ENGINEER APPOINTED AS A MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF CANADA His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, announced 54 new appointments to the Order of Canada on December 30 including long-time community activist Hanny Hassan, P.Eng. It is typically unusual for engineers to be recognized in this way and Professional Engineers Ontario commends Mr. Hassan on his achievements. For more information on the story please go to the Governor General's web site at The appointment has also garnered media coverage in the Western News and the London Free Press. GREG SORBARA MPP PARTICIPATES IN PEO WESTERN REGION GOVERNMENT LIAISON PROGRAM (GLP) ACADEMY Greg Sorbara MPP (Vaughan), former Finance Minister and Liberal Campaign Chair was a guest speaker at the first Western Region Government Liaison Program Academy on January 8. 1 P a g e

2 The event was hosted by the PEO Hamilton-Burlington Chapter under the leaderships of Chapter GLP Chair Wayne Kershaw, P.Eng., at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, in Hamilton. Mr. Sorbara spent close to two hours mingling with engineers interested in getting more involved in public policy and remarked that there is no substitute for the work of a healthy government liaison program. The event brought together 13 engineers from across Western Ontario to discuss ways to become more involved in public policy, the role of media in increasing awareness, how to host an MPP and how to get involved in the community. Speakers included PEO Chapters Manager Matthew Ng, P.Eng., PEO Government Relations Consultant Howard Brown, Engineers Canada Government Relations Manager Alana Lavoie and Gabriel Tse, P.Eng. Engineers who participated in the academy were: Matt Thomas, P.Eng., from Chatham-Kent Rup Dhawan, P.Eng., from Georgian Bay Brian Breukelman, P.Eng., from Georgian Bay Andrew Dowie, P.Eng., from Windsor Richard Chmura, P.Eng., from London Jesse Asaf, P.Eng., from Hamilton-Burlington Susana Toma, P.Eng., from Hamilton-Burlington Wayne Kershaw, P.Eng., from Hamilton-Burlington Thomas Chong, P.Eng., from PEO Council ENGINEERS CANADA TO REACH OUT TO NEW MINISTERS AFTER JANUARY 4 FEDERAL CABINET SHUFFLE A minor Federal Cabinet shuffle occurred on January 4 resulting in the appointment of four new Ministers including: Peter Kent MP (Thornhill) as the Minister of the Environment, Diane Ablonczy MP (Calgary-Nose Hill) as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), Julian Fantino MP (Vaughan) as the Minister of State for Seniors and Ted Menzies MP (MacLeod) as the Minister of State for Finance. Under the leadership of Manager of Government Relations, Alana Lavoie, Engineers Canada will be reaching out to the Ministers in their new capacity in the coming weeks. 2. Events Attended/Held 2 P a g e

3 ENGINEER AND FEDERAL CANDIDATE HOSTS POLITICAL MOVIE SCREENING Omar Alghabra, P.Eng., Federal Liberal candidate for Mississauga-Erindale, held a screening of the inspiring documentary of Barack Obama s presidential campaign on Sunday, January 9 th. The film, "By the People, the Election of Barack Obama, followed Obama and key campaign organizers throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, revealing many intimate and insightful moments. The screening was held by invitation only, with approximately 70 people in attendance, including PEO Engineering Intern Programs Officer Jeannette Chau, P.Eng., and Jose Diaz, P.Eng. Prior to the documentary, a sample animation video profiling Omar, developed by the marketing group, Pink Elephant, was presented to the audience. EDITOR OF THE TORONTO STAR RETIRES AFTER SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS JOURNALIST After 30 years at the Toronto Star, Ian Urquhart is leaving the paper to write a book. His departure was celebrated with a retirement party on January 7 th where staff and supporters honoured his work. Over the years, he has served as Ottawa bureau chief, national editor, editorial page editor (twice) and managing editor. Last year, PEO CEO/Registrar Kim Allen, P.Eng., and PEO Government Relations Consultant Howard Brown had lunch with Mr. Urquhart to talk about the contributions engineers were making to public life. Mr. Brown was in attendance at the retirement party to thank Mr. Urquhart for meeting with PEO and also spoke to Toronto Star reporter Rob Ferguson about PEO s campaign to have 11 engineers elected in the 2011 legislature. CANADIAN CLUB ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FORCASTS WHAT S TO COME IN 2011 Warren Jestin, President and Chief Economist at Scotiabank participated in a panel discussion with Terence Corcoran of the Financial Post, Diane Francis of the Financial Post and John Ivison of the National Post at the Canadian Club on January 4 that deliberated the economic outlook for The discussion was moderated by CBC business correspondent Amanda Lang. David Zimmer MPP (Willowdale) Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General and PEO Government Relations Consultant Howard Brown attended the event. Mr. Brown sat with five senior staff 3 P a g e

4 from the Ontario Power Authority and has discussions on a number of issues including an internship program they have for engineers. 3. Work in Progress MINISTER OF REVENUE TO DISCUSS IMPACT OF HST ON ENGINEERING & ONTARIO FAMILIES JANUARY 18 Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) Willowdale/Thornhill Chapter and the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) are hosting a town hall entitled, HST: Bitter or Sweet? The Impact of the HST on Ontario Engineers, with special guest, Minister of Revenue Sophia Aggelonitis MPP (Hamilton Mountain). The event will run from 6:30 8:30pm at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, 7095 Woodbine Ave in Markham. PEO President Diane Freeman, P.Eng., OSPE President John Schindler, P.Eng., Consulting Engineers Ontario President Barry Steinberg, P.Eng., Changiz Sadr, Chair of Willowdale/ Thornhill Chapter will participate in the panel with the Minister Aggelonitis. Nanda Lwin, P.Eng., Vice-Chair of PEO Willowdale/Thornhill Chapter will be the Master of Ceremonies and Michael Chan, P.Eng., will introduce the Minister. Bob Laramy, CGA, Assistant Deputy Minister, Sales and Corporate Tax Transformation will participate in the panel as well. This week, PEO Government Relations Consultant Howard Brown spoke to Tracy Hall from the Ministry of Revenue HST Communications group and Michael Coe, Special Assistant to the Minister regarding scheduling, program timing, speakers and other details. For more information or to register go to PEO PRESIDENT AND CEO/REGISTRAR TO SPEAK AT ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS CONFERENCE The 10 th Annual Engineers Without Borders Conference set for this January is themed Kumvana, which is a Chichewa word meaning Unite So We May Discuss and Understand. The event will be Canada s largest international development conference with over 1500 delegates. It is being held at the Allstream Centre, 105 Princes Blvd., Toronto. 4 P a g e

5 PEO President Diane Freeman, P.Eng., is speaking to delegates on Friday about her experience as a Waterloo city Council and engineer and PEO CEO/Registrar Kim Allen, P.Eng., is also scheduled to speak. Special guests include Dr. Carolyn Bennett MP (St. Paul s), Dean Allison MP (Niagara West- Glanbrook) Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, John Rafferty MP (Thunder Bay-Rainy River), Dr. Hedy Fry MP (Vancouver Centre), Peter Goldring MP (Edmonton East), Jim Karygiannis MP (Scarborough-Agincourt), Olivia Chow MP (Trinity Spadina), Martha Hall Findlay MP (Willowdale), Wayne Marston MP (Hamilton East- Stoney Creek) and Rob Oliphant MP (Don Valley West). The gala event will be on January 15 at 8 p.m. There will be a showcase of fair trade and ethical products, a reflection on Engineers Without Borders first 10 years and a look to the future. For further information go to CONSULTING ENGINEERS ONTARIO MEETS WITH MINISTER OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND HOUSING Barry Steinberg, P.Eng., President of the Consulting Engineers Ontario (CEO), Bill De Angelis, P.Eng., Vice-Chair of the CEO Board of Directors and Mike Stocks, P.Eng., Secretary of the CEO Board of Directors met with Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rick Bartolucci MPP (Sudbury) and his staff on January 6. The group discussed a number of issues including the Ontario Building Code and municipal infrastructure issues such as full cost water pricing and municipal asset management. Denise Evans, Acting Director of the Building and Development Branch responsible for Ontario Building Code was in attendance along with Vince Fabiilli, Regional Director and Acting ADM, Shane Gallagher, Senior Policy Advisor and other members of the Minister s staff. It appears that an agreement may be close regarding the Ontario Building Code and Professional Design. The Ministry presented a proposal that appears to satisfy the needs of PEO, CEO and building officials. 5 P a g e

6 ESSCO AND MCMASTER INVITE PEO TO SPEAK TO STUDENTS ABOUT GOVERNMENT LIAISON PROGRAM The Engineering Student Societies Council of Ontario (ESSCO) is holding its Annual First Year Integration Conference at the University of Guelph on January 29. Each year the conference aims to bring first year engineering students together in an effort to help educate new students about ESSCO. This year, PEO Government Relations Consultant Howard Brown will speak to students about first time voting, how to take action on issues at a young age (getting involved in school politics) and opportunities to get involved in community and with politics. ESSCO is hard at work organizing other events to engage students in public policy including organizing an event to host a government official to engage students in the public policy process and creating a 'Public Policy Mentorship' program that would connect engineering students with public and private sector professionals. Mr. Brown will also be speaking to Master s students at the McMaster Centre for Engineering and Public Policy on February 2 about the PEO Government Liaison Program the role of engineering in public policy. CELEBRATE ENGINEERING MONTH WITH PEO WILLOWDALE/THORNHILL CHAPTER PEO Willowdale/Thornhill Chapter is hosting a Bridge Competition to celebrate Engineering Month. The event will be held on February 26 at 1pm at Newtonbrook Secondary School. The final stage of the competition will include a ceremony and prize presentation. Organizers have invited David Zimmer MPP (Willowdale) Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General to make a speech in support of engineering month. Additional details will follow in the coming weeks. MINISTER OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND SPORT SUPPORTS HEALTHY LIVING IN THE NEW YEAR Ontario s Minister of Health Promotion and Sport, Margarett Best, MPP launched a Healthy Living Campaign that encourages Ontarians to get active in Click here to learn about ways to help keep 2011 s New Year s health resolutions. 6 P a g e

7 OSPE PROVIDES FEEDBACK ON ONTARIO ENERGY POLICIES In September 2010, Ontario s Minister of Energy Brad Duguid MPP (Scarborough Centre) asked OSPE to craft a guiding document that will provide energy planning decision makers with guidelines to help ensure electrical power reliability and costs remain a competitive advantage to Ontario industries. A draft of Ontario Electrical Grid and Project Requirements for Nuclear Plants was approved by OSPE s Board of Directors at its November 2010 meeting. In December 2010, OSPE asked members and other stakeholders in the energy sector to share their feedback on the draft. The final document will be posted on the OPSE website once available. ENGINEERING ASSOCIATIONS TEAM UP TO OFFER CLIMATE CHANGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKSHOP Engineers Canada will be presenting a series of one-day workshops at PEO s offices to provide engineers and geoscientists with information about the effects of future climate change on Ontario infrastructure. The workshop will aim to help professionals assess the associated risks and act accordingly. The first workshop will be held on February 4 and it will include lectures, case studies and a hands-on simulation. Details and registration information will be available soon. The presentations are being offered in partnership with Professional Engineers Ontario, Consulting Engineers of Ontario, the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers and the Ontario Centre for Engineering and Public Policy. The workshop is based on the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) Engineering Protocol developed by Engineers Canada, in partnership with Natural Resources Canada. Likely to become a national engineering guideline, the protocol is a systematic process to assess and document fully the vulnerability of infrastructure to the impact of a changing climate. To date, Engineers Canada has delivered 10 PIEVC workshops across Canada. Register at FEE: $100 (HST included) 7 P a g e

8 STUDENT ESSAY COMPETITION UNDERWAY Engineering students throughout Ontario are encouraged to sharpen their research and writing skills and enter OCEPP's 2011 Student Essay Competition. The annual contest is open to undergraduate and graduate students registered in any engineering discipline at any Ontario university and who are also enrolled in Professional Engineers Ontario s Student Membership or Engineering Intern (EIT) program. If you know of any eligible students, please let them know about the competition. The winner will receive a $1,000 award and be invited to present his or her paper at the centre's 2011 Public Policy Conference on May 6. The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2011 and details are available at 6. Upcoming Events *MP and MPP receptions/donations are entitled to up to 75% tax credit on the first $400. For more information see Elections Ontario or Elections Canada websites. POLICY ENGAGEMENT SERIES - CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE The Ontario Centre for Engineering and Public Policy (OCEPP Civil infrastructure and climate change Policy Engagement Series seminar at Hart House, University of Toronto, from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 10, 2011 with guest speaker David Lapp, P.Eng., manager, professional practice, at Engineers Canada. Lunch is included and registration is required by February 7 (5 p.m.). Register by January 14 (5 p.m.) and save. For details or to register, please visit: Fee $50 (HST included) - Saturday January 15 from 1-3pm Don Valley West New Year s Levee with Minister of Transportation Kathleen Wynne MPP (Don Valley West) and Rob Oliphant MP (Don Valley West) at the Toronto Botanical Gardens, Floral Room, 777 Lawrence Ave. E., at Leslie St. RSVP at or kwynne.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org - Making Money from Solar Energy, Glebe Environmental Fair on January 15, 2011 at the Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Avenue. Doors open at 12 pm the event will run from 1-4pm. Co-hosted by Yasir Naqvi MPP (Ottawa Centre). For more information or to RSVP or ynaqvi.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org or 8 P a g e

9 - The Celebrating African Partnerships Gala will toast 10 years of Engineers Without Borders on January 15, 2011 at the Allstream Centre in Toronto. The event features a performance by Somali-born and internationally acclaimed artist, K naan, along with other special guests. For more information, please contact conference2011@ewb.ca - Democratic Renewal Roundtable with Carolyn Bennett MP (St. Paul s) on January 16 from 1:30pm to 4pm at Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street with special guest Ursula Franklin and Matthew Mendelsohn. - Donna Cansfield MPP (Etobicoke Centre) Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, will hold a Holiday Levee and Community Recognition Award Ceremony on Sunday January 16 from 1-3pm at Neilson Park Creative Centre, 56 Neilson Drive, Etobicoke. - Monte Kwinter MPP (York Centre) Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development and Trade will hold a New Year s Levee on Sunday January 16, 2011 from 1-3pm. The event is being held at the Northwood Neighbourhood Centre, 15 Clubhouse Court. Refreshments and food will be served. For more information call The Empire Club of Canada presents an event with Duncan Hawthorne, President & CEO, Bruce Power entitled, The Critical Decade: The Continuing Role of Nuclear Power in Ontario on January 20 in the Royal York Ballroom at 12:00PM. For more information go to: DD?event_id= Sweet Saturday Afternoon with Lui & Loretta Temelkovski on Saturday January 22rd from 2 to 4pm at 56 Soho Crescent. RSVP Food Bank Donations Welcome. - Celebrate the New Year with Peter Fonseca MPP (Mississauga East-Cooksville) at his New Year Levee Celebration on January 23, 2011 from 3-5pm. The event is being held at the Mississauga Valley Community Centre, Larry Taylor Room, 1275 Mississauga Boulevard, Mississauga, ON. Dinner will be served and space is limited. RSVP to P a g e

10 - Dr. Helena Jaczek, MPP (Oak Ridges-Markham), New Years Community Levee on January 23 rd from 2pm to 4pm at Stouffville Creek Retirement Residence- 40 Freel Lane, Stouffville. For more information, call Cristina at (905) The Mayoral Harmony Fundraising Dinner with 2010 Mayoral candidates Sarah Thompson, George Smitherman, Rocco Rossi, Mayor Rob Ford and special guest Matt Dusk. The event will be held on January 27, 2011 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building 255 Front Street West, Toronto. Dinner will be served at 7pm. Tickets are $250. For more information or to RSVP go to - PEO York Chapter Breakfast Session with special guest Dr. Helena Jaczek MPP (Oak Ridges Markham) on Friday, January 28 th at 7am at the Sheraton Parkway Hotel, 600 Highway 7 East, Richmond Hill. - Premiere theatre performance of Famous People Players, She did What?!!!, at the Black Light Dine & Dream Theatre on Evans Ave on January 28 th, with special guest Michael Ignatieff MP (Etobicoke Lakeshore). The tickets for dinner and the show are $100 and tax receipts will be issued. Call for tickets. - A Canadian Club event with Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews, MPP on January 31, 2011 at 11:45am in the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Ballroom. Tickets are $75/$65 for members. RSVP at - A Walter Gordon Circle Event at the University Club on February 17, 2011 with Justin Trudeau MP (Papineau Quebec) Official Opposition Critic for Youth and Immigration. Cocktails at 6:30 pm, Dinner at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $90. RSVP to rsvp@universitycluboftoronto.com. - Family Day Skate with Dr. Helena Jaczek, MPP (Oak Ridges-Markham) on February 21 at Bond Lake Arena, 70 Old Colony Road, Richmond Hill from 1pm to 3pm. For more information, call Cristina at (905) The Canadian Nuclear Association s Annual Conference and Trade Show at the Westin Hotel on February 23 to 25, 2011 in Ottawa, Ontario. This year s theme is, Competing in World Markets Strategies for Growth. Visit to register today. 10 P a g e

11 - The Celebration Gala in support of the new Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Credit Valley Hospital celebrating 25 years of caring for people. The event is being held on April 1, 2011 at the Mississauga Convention Centre, 75 Derry Road West, Mississauga, ON. Cocktails at 5:30pm, dinner at 7pm. Early bird tickets are available until February 14 at $400 each and $450 after that date. Black tie attire, complimentary valet parking. RSVP to Ashlee Sorochan at or - Tim Hudak Toronto Dinner on April 13 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building. Reception at 6pm, dinner at 7pm. Tickets are $1200 for friends and $1500 for leader s tickets. RSVP to or torontodinner@ontariopc.net. (If you have any comments, additions, or questions, please do not hesitate to call: Howard Brown, President Brown & Cohen Communications & Public Affairs Inc. 321 Brooke Avenue Toronto, ON M5M 2L4 Direct line: Cell: howard@brown-cohen.com 11 P a g e