In most professions a certified person is the one that various agencies consider to be able to speak to, act within, provide services. This is expected to provide protection for those who employ the services.
There have always been outliers who were willing to provide services but not to become licensed. Underground networks have formed in the past for such things as childbirths and death details. In Saskatchewan the latest to arise into the spotlight is the service around legal representation in civil and criminal cases.
In defense of the one employing services, there has long been a tradition to allow that person to “do it on their own”. In construction, auto repair, legal efforts and many other areas the owner is able to do their own work.
But, sometimes the situation has arisen that an “owner” has seen the work of an uncertified person and found it to be more than acceptable. They want the assistance but are strapped with regulations that disqualify that person.
A governing body is called on to provide regulation – they are there for the people. Most often they listen to those in a profession that have studied, practiced and found success in an area. Which then excludes the innovators, the poor who cannot afford to pay for the path to licensing, and even those who have an expert grasp on a situation but do not have the “papers”.
And so, we are called on to examine how we can regulate the regulations. When society becomes all about rules, distrust arises. Trust requires risk. How we can listen to the outliers while maintaining the sacred trust that has been placed upon those who are governing?