Less than a year has gone by following my election as RAIC’s new Regional Director for Quebec. Since January, I have attended board of directors’ meetings, the Festival of Architecture in Winnipeg, and met with numerous colleagues, interns, students and organizations.
For me, this year has been an opportunity to get acquainted with the remarkably dynamic architecture and design community in Quebec and to bring forth to my colleagues from across Canada the importance of regional events and issues.
In February, the RAIC board unanimously ratified a statement of support for the Idle No More movement. The message to all Canadians is to take action in fully addressing the inequities that affect indigenous people across the country. The RAIC unequivocally supports the goals and aspirations of First Nations to create ‘healthy, just, equitable and sustainable communities’.
In March, the RAIC supported an architecture-student led symposium at Laval University – Succession in Architecture: Where are we going?
Shortly thereafter, the RAIC issued a statement about unpaid student internships, upholding the right of architectural interns to receive payment for their work. A fair wage shows young people that their work is valued and recognizes the contribution they make to an office. Compensation creates respect between present-day architects and future architects. It is an essential, ethical professional practice.
In May, following my meeting with Nathalie Dion, president of the Quebec Order of Architects (OAQ), the RAIC sent a statement in support of an OAQ initiative for a provincial architecture policy. The RAIC understands OAQ’s proposal having prepared in 2005 a Consultation Paper on a Model Architecture Policy.
During the Festival of Architecture in Winnipeg in May, the RAIC honored three Quebec architects with Fellowships: Gavin Affleck, FRAIC, Sylvie Girard, FRAIC and Harry Yaghjian, FRAIC. In July, Maria Cook, RAIC Manager, Communications and Advocacy, David Theodore, MRAIC, and I met with administrators of the Maison de l’Architecture du Québec (MAQ): Sophie Gironnay, MAQ director, and Maïa Djambazian, who oversees development.
We discussed the MAQ’s Young Architectural Critics Competition. The RAIC will take part in this national initiative in 2015. This competition meets RAIC’s objectives of reaching out to youth and stimulating architectural writing.
In August, following my meeting with Lyne Parent, executive director of the Association of Architects in Private Practice in Québec (AAPPQ) , the board of the RAIC enthusiastically endorsed AAPPQ’s call to review the government Order in Council, which regulates the fee tariffs for professional services provided by architects to government. The Order in Council dates back to 1984 and urgently needs to update the description of services provided and increase fees to reflect the complexity of these services.
In October, RAIC partnered with Martin Houle, MRAIC, a Montreal architect, OAQ director and founder of Kollectif, Quebec’s leading architecture-based website. Kollectif gathers in one place the public and professional activities within the architectural community in Quebec such as conferences, exhibitions, and training. The RAIC is pleased that architectural colleagues across Canada will now be affiliated with events in Quebec.
Also in October, the RAIC took part in a conference on historic preservation taking place in Québec City and organized by the Association for Preservation Technology International. Émile Gilbert, FRAIC, co-chaired the conference. Among the presenters and session chairs were RAIC members/fellows: Rosanne Moss, Georges Drolet, John Diodati, Robert Stanley, Mark Brandt, Ralph Wiesbrock, and Susan Ross.
Continuing to grow our membership is essential to strengthening RAIC’s position as the national advocacy voice for the profession across Canada. Through the commitment of those in the profession we are able to tell Canadians, and the world that in Canada – Architecture Matters.
Ewa Bieniecki, MRAIC is the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Regional Director for Quebec. Send comments or question to editor@journalofcommerce.com
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