"The intellectual worker, due to his lack of organization, is less well-protected against arbitrariness and exploitation than a member of any other calling."

Other professions have strong advocacy bodies spending millions every year lobbying for their members. Engineers have tended to follow old Martha. As a result, Engineers have had declining relative incomes for the last 40 years.

Emerging disciplines are most adversely affected going back to Electrical and Chemical Engineers of more than 50 years ago. In-spite of the existence of our Licensing body, only a minor fraction of today's engineers have proper Exclusive Rights to Practice with their Licence from PEO.

The hi-tech bust of over 3 years has severely affected the livelihood of many Electrical/Computer/Software Engineering practitioners. Off-shoring is now looming to strike another blow at a Sector already devastated.

Who speaks up for us? Farmers, fishermen, lumberjacks, nurses, actors, big business … you name it, all get handouts and government support. What help are we getting? Who is even asking for such help on our behalf?

The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, OSPE, was created for such a voice. Is it time we use it? OSPE For Engineers, O4E, believes it is!

Peter DeVita has enjoyed a successful and varied career in the sales and marketing of high technology electronic products. He is currently president of DeVita Associates specializing in custom-made computers for high-availability, high performance or industrial systems with harsh environments. More recently, the company has developed a new technology for Access Control and monitoring, referred to as E-Key (Electronic- Key). Peter has both BASc and MASc degrees in engineering from the University of Toronto, specializing in computer and environmental studies, and an MBA from York University, specializing in energy economics and marketing. Peter DeVita was on the board of the Canadian Society for Professional Engineers for 10 years, and was the Society's president from 1984-86. He has been a PEO member since 1975. He was a Lieutenant Governor-in-Council appointee on PEO Council from 1991-97. He served as PEO's President in 2000-2001 preceded by terms as President Elect and VP (elected).