sDuring the last parliamentary session, the official opposition called on the Minister responsible for enforcing professional laws, Ms. Danielle McCann, to confirm that updating the law is an important matter, and that the Quebec Professions Office (the Office) is currently reviewing the matter in order to update the law. The Bureau decided that it was advisable to kill two birds with one stone and that updating the law could be done concurrently with that aimed at our fellow agronomists. We are pleased to be able to work with the agricultural engineering sector to update our founding statutes. However, we must prevent discussions about the modernization of the peasant law to occupy all the space, and our goal of dissolution and relegation to the second place of the minister’s priorities.

Our law dates back to 1964. In light of scientific and technological progress, we consider that the risks of harm to the population in connection with the illegal practice of chemistry have increased significantly in recent decades. The risks inherent in chemicals, whether in terms of handling, transportation or management, are significant and can be a source of significant harm. Chemists and biochemists are experts in protecting against risks to health and the environment. We also wish to relax and simplify the legislative provisions of the Act to allow OCQ to easily incorporate immigrant chemists.

We believe that chemistry is a serious matter and that legislative change is absolutely necessary in order to adequately ensure our role in relation to the public that we must protect. This position is shared by various stakeholders who have shown their support for the modernization of the law.

We have publicly intervened in recent months on topics ranging from the level of lead in school water to air quality in classrooms in Quebec, including the manufacture of alcohol gels. OCQ and its members work on many fronts to protect the public. Let us hope that the results of the next parliamentary session will be as positive as the results of the last session in terms of amending our law. All we ask for is the tools we need to do our job right and fast!