CIPS FELLOWS - MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERS
BACKGROUND
CIPS Fellow status is an earned recognition of significant development or outstanding contribution to the advancement of the profession, computer technology, the ICT sector or the adoption of ICT. The Fellow is the highest class of membership offered by CIPS. Fellow Members have agreed to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professional conduct. They help to promote CIPS National and the Provincial Societies’ initiatives within their sphere of influence.
MESSAGE TO THE CIPS MEMBERSHIP
CIPS Fellows (coast to coast) wish to congratulate the CIPS National Board on their unanimous election of Derek Burt, I.S.P., ITCP as Chair. We are also pleased to extend our congratulations to Derek Burt and to offer our support as he, along with his fellow board members, chart the future course of CIPS as “The Voice of the IT Profession in Canada”.
CIPS Fellows (which include 9 past presidents of CIPS National) support the national board as they focus on a firm governance structure, renewed consultation with member societies, updated service agreements that support society objectives, national and provincial standards, a fresh focus on increasing the value of membership as CIPS prepares to celebrate our 60th anniversary in 2018.
CIPS FELLOWS – MESSAGE TO MEMBERS OF CIPS ONTARIO
We are aware that the CIPS Ontario Board has called an in-person Special General Meeting of all CIPS Ontario members for Thursday December 7th (5:30PM) at the PWC office (26th FL, 18 York Street Toronto).
CIPS Fellows wish to express our view that the possible dissolution of CIPS Ontario is not in the best interest of CIPS, of CIPS Ontario, the IT Practitioners in Ontario, nor of the IT Practitioners across Canada. Further, it is our opinion that information in the notice of the Special General Meeting, disseminated on behalf of the CIPS Ontario Board by Bashir Fancy (after his resignation as Chair, CIPS National) is both factually erroneous and misleading with respect to actions and positions of CIPS Alberta representatives. These errors could be entirely refuted by CIPS Alberta representatives had they been invited to present at the Special General Meeting. To fail to do so shows a disregard for the core values of CIPS and its commitment to professionalism and ethical behavior.
Our preference would be that such a critical meeting to the members of CIPS Ontario would allow for electronic voting, thereby not disenfranchising many CIPS members in the province. Obviously, this would only be supported if the Bylaws of CIPS Ontario permit electronic voting.
We respectfully recommend the following:
- Any motion to dissolve CIPS Ontario be rejected
- CIPS Ontario Members in attendance move a motion to call for new elections of the CIPS Ontario Board within 90 days.
VALUE OF CIPS MEMBERSHIP
A key value is our adherence to our long-established Code of Ethics. All members adhere to the Code; those holding the I.S.P. designation further demonstrate a level of peer-reviewed competence in Information Technology.
In today’s world of so many people working in information and communications technology, knowing who can be trusted to provide competent services and adhere to a Code of Ethics, is invaluable.
Trust is a critical element in all business relationships.
A challenge faced by all professionals is how to demonstrate trustworthiness. Winning the trust of a client or employer requires the practitioner to offer appropriate evidence of their trustworthiness.
Another important aspect of being a professional is to be informed about best practices of the relevant profession. Clients and employers can have confidence the actions of CIPS professionals will always be informed by relevant, established best practices of the IT industry.
CIPS has a mechanism in place to verify our professional members take part in continuing education and have demonstrated our ability to work as professionals for clients or
employers.
Simply said,
“CIPS professional members can be trusted.”
