Our History
The Technology Professions BC Association (TPBC) was incorporated in response to the changing role with the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC as it carries out its professional regulatory responsibilities under the Professional Governance Act (PGA).
TPBC is not a professional regulatory organization, rather it is a ‘professional organization’ as defined in the PGA that advocates for Technology Professionals, in service to the public. TPBC is an independent advocacy organization which has no direct affiliation with ASTTBC or other professional regulatory organization. The Professional Governance Act does not in any way regulate professional organizations such as TPBC or lend authority to advocacy activities conducted by professional organizations.
TPBC anticipates engaging and working with other agencies as it pursues its mandate and these could include professional regulatory organizations, NGOs, employers, educational institutions, governments and other stakeholders.
As part of the work of TPBC we will honour and celebrate the long and rich history of BC Technology Professionals. Toward this end TPBC is currently working with several early members of ASTTBC, notably Doug Duncan (ASTTBC President 1972-1974) and Alan Cheek (ASTTBC Council 1960s and 1970s). Several Past Presidents and others are working with TPBC to pull together the historical contribution of technology professionals from the launch in 1958 of the Society of Architectural and Engineering Technologists of BC (SAETBC).
With ASTTBC Registration #143 and certified as a CTech in the early days of the Association, Alan Cheek was designated a Life Member – and now an Honourary Member due to a policy change at ASTTBC. Doug Duncan, Registration #507, was on the Council and served as President of ASTTBC from 1972 to 1974.
Alan Cheek (left in the photo) is one of the very first members of the Association. Alan had connected with TPBC Board Secretary and former ASTTBC President, Geoff Sale, AScT (Retired) about the very early days of the Association.
First incorporated as the Society of Architectural and Engineering Technologists of BC (SAETBC), the organization later changed its name to the Society of Engineering Technologists of BC (SETBC) and finally, with the ASTT Act in 1985, to the current name, Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC). Alan has written a bit about those early days: check out TPBC Newsletter Summer 2024 for Alan’s reflections on the very early days. Maybe he has some lessons for the early days of TPBC?
Doug Duncan, up until his passing at age 95, was still engaged, providing thoughts about the formation of TPBC. Doug and TPBC CEO John Leech enjoyed a game or two of crib a couple of times a month.
It was 40 years ago that the ASTT Act was brought into law, an historic day for engineering and applied science technologists and technicians. Looking back, the first submission to the BC Government was in 1977, with the thought that Government would move ahead right away and enact the proposed legislation. We were young and naive! Several proposals over about 7 years, much contact with Government, and then John Reynolds, a back-bench MLA at the time, agreed to sponsor a Private Members Bill. While our first choice was a Government Bill, we were not about to turn down the offer to proceed with the Private Bill.
The Bill (the Applied Science Technologists Act) was tabled as a usual form of professional legislation, some 25 pages as we recall. And my goodness did this Bill attract attention. So many organizations, other professional associations, all interested in what was going down, many of whom spoke at the Legislative Committee stage. Concerns like, ‘we don’t believe you should call yourselves professionals’… and ‘what about this scope of practice, we are concerned’… and more.
After all interventions were addressed the Legislative Committee Chair approached Executive Director John Leech and said something like, ‘put your advisors on hold, go home this weekend and come back to the Committee with all issues addressed’. No further direction was required, and John went home on the weekend and re-wrote a draft, which was then reviewed by the volunteer lead, Ron Green (who went on to become President) and with legal counsel. A 7-page draft, the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians (ASTT) Act, was submitted to the BC Government. The drastically modified Bill was reviewed by the Legislative Committee and then tabled in the Legislature, with MLAs wondering whether the Bill was an amended statute or a new statute. Thankfully this minor question did not matter as John Reynolds and the Government were focused on moving the Bill forward.
While Private Member Bills usually have little hope of being enacted, in this case we had built a parade around the Bill to the point where Government was supportive. Voila…! the ASTT Act was passed. On September 26, 1985 the Act was proclaimed by the Lieutenant Governor.