It is important to say plainly that I did not anticipate serving as Board Chair at this particular moment. To some degree, I am still finding my way. Nonetheless, I want to be clear that I have a thorough understanding of both the responsibility the role carries and the context in which it arises.
I come to this position with a longstanding engagement in many of the issues currently before the College. These are not new conversations for me, and I bring to them a perspective shaped by years of clinical, academic, and regulatory work. At the same time, I am mindful that there are differing鈥攁nd often strongly held鈥攙iews across the profession. My commitment is to approach these matters in a way that is steady, fair, and grounded in CPBAO鈥檚 mandate.
We are currently awaiting further direction from the Ministry of Health on several important matters, including registration modernization and the potential expansion of the scope of practice to include prescribing privileges. These are not incremental changes. They go to the heart of who we are: how psychologists are trained, how competence is defined, and how the profession fits within the broader healthcare system. The Board has spent considerable time on these questions, and we will continue to engage with them carefully as the Ministry鈥檚 direction becomes clearer.
Serving in this role has also given me a closer view of CPBAO鈥檚 day-to-day work and the people who carry it forward. CPBAO staff operate in a complex and, at times, highly scrutinized environment. They are asked to balance competing expectations while maintaining a clear focus on public protection. In my experience, they do this with professionalism, thoughtfulness, and a level of consistency that is not always visible from the outside. It is work that deserves recognition, particularly in periods of heightened attention and change.
As we move forward, there will continue to be active discussion and, at times, disagreement. This reflects a profession that is engaged in its future, and differing views on substance are to be expected. CPBAO鈥檚 role is to ensure that decisions are made in a principled and transparent way, with the public interest at the centre.
I look forward to continuing this work with the Board, the Registrar and staff, and the broader community of registrants.
Peter Bieling, Ph.D., C.Psych.