Engineers Canada hosted its annual Contact Day on Parliament Hill on March 8, 2017, as part of its National Engineering Month activities.
From left: Engineers Canada President Chris Roney, Engineers Canada Vice-President of Strategy and Partnerships Jeanette M. Southwood, Omar Alghabra, Marilyn Gladu, the Honourable Steven Blaney, Sukh Dhaliwal, Engineers Canada Interim CEO Stephanie Price and Chair of Engineers Canada’s Bridging Government and Engineers Committee Darryl Ford.
Members of Engineers Canada’s Bridging Government and Engineers Committee, Engineers Canada staff and volunteers, and Deans from some of the engineering faculties met with members of Parliament during Engineers Canada’s Contact Day on March 9, 2017.
Engineers Canada hosted its annual Contact Day on Parliament Hill on March 9, 2017, as part of its National Engineering Month activities.
Members of the Bridging Government and Engineers Committee, Deans of engineering faculties, volunteers and Engineers Canada staff met with 41 members of Parliament to discuss how engineers can provide valuable, evidence-based and unbiased advice in public policy and decision-making. In particular, the meetings addressed the importance of climate-resilient infrastructure, the value of increasing diversity in the engineering profession, and the need for funding for STEM education research.
The full day of meetings was followed by a reception in the afternoon on Parliament Hill, where Engineers Canada marked Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations and the integral role that engineers have played in making Canada what it is today.
“From its infrastructure, to its economy, to the health, safety and prosperity of its citizens, the work of engineers touches on virtually every sector of Canadian society,” said Jeanette M. Southwood, “But as we celebrate our past, we also look toward our next 150 years, and engineers will once again be front and centre in innovation, in driving the economy, in creating solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges, and in improving the quality of life for people in Canada and globally.”
At the reception, Engineers Canada also presented fellowships to four members of Parliament who are professional engineers. Members of Parliament Omar Alghabra, P.Eng., Steven Blaney,ing., Sukh Dhaliwal, P.Eng., and Marilyn Gladu, P.Eng. were each recognized for their accomplishments and for their contributions to the engineering profession by Engineers Canada’s President Chris D. Roney, FEC, P.Eng., BDS.
“I’m very happy to be here this afternoon to present Engineers Canada’s fellowships to four members of the engineering community who embody the engineer’s mandate to serve the public in their roles as elected officials,” Roney said at the reception.
Alghabra was recognized for his work as a mechanical engineer with General Electric Canada, Enbala Power and the Ontario Energy Board. Throughout his career, he was also actively involved within the engineering community, and undoubtedly enriched the education of engineering students through his role as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow with the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Ryerson University.
Blaney was recognized for his contribution to the fields of civil engineering, urban infrastructure and environmental technology and for his time as a consultant, entrepreneur and advisor on these issues.
Dhaliwal demonstrated great entrepreneurship, initiative and perseverance in establishing Dhaliwal and Associates Land Surveying Incorporated. His active involvement with the engineering community throughout his career is also notable.
Gladu is the first female engineer to be elected to the House of Commons. She was a chemical engineer at Dow Chemical, Suncor and Worley Parsons, and she has enriched the education of students through her involvement on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Faculty of Engineering at Queen’s University. She is a great mentor and role model and has demonstrated unflinching support for and dedication to women in engineering.
Alghabra, Blaney, Dhaliwal and Gladu join their fellow engineers and Members of Parliament Marc Garneau and Nick Whalen who had previously been presented with Engineers Canada fellowships for their own accomplishments and contributions to the profession.
