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Louise Nesterenko, FCGA
Chair, CGA-Canada |
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Anthony Ariganello, FCGA, CPA (Delaware)
President and CEO, CGA-Canada |
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We are pleased to present the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada Annual Report for the fiscal year 2004-2005.
This year, the designation grew nationally and internationally. Changes to the certification model were implemented in the education program, offering even more learning opportunities for our students. Two more research reports were launched. The ongoing issue of CGAs’ access to practice public accounting saw progress, and CGA volunteers were recognized by appointments to national and international boards. CGA Online, a portal-based Web site, was launched, and PD Network, our innovative professional development resource, was updated. We have built many new relationships and strengthened existing ones. Overall, this has been a productive and successful year.
This year witnessed the first graduates from the Laurentian University online Honours Bachelor of Commerce program, a partnership we developed in 2002. We look forward to this fall, when Laurentian University’s online MBA program will graduate its first CGA MBAs.
Throughout the year, particular attention was paid to developing our senior academic program. CGA-Canada offers senior academics working in the field of accountancy a fast-track to the CGA designation. As part of an innovative new approach to the well-establishedCGA-Canada Senior Academic Program, 12 PhDs from across Canada convened at a retreat in Kananaskis, Alberta in May of this year.
The weekend session was a great success and gave participants an opportunity to exchange ideas with their peers and to complete required assignments together. At the end of the qualification process, we will have 12 new CGAs who are already well established in the academic accounting community.
Our relationship with the international accounting community continues to foster new opportunities. This year, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) nominated Dany Girard, FCGA, CGA-Canada’s First Vice-Chair, to the International Accounting Standards Board’s (IASB) working group on Accounting Standards for SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). In April of this year, he was subsequently appointed by IASB to the working group to help develop financial reporting standards suitable for the specific requirements of SMEs.
And later this year, Pierre Barnès, BIBC, BSC, FCGA, will be nominated for the prestigious position of President of the Interamerican Accounting Association (IAA). As future international opportunities present themselves, the Association will continue to prosper in its ever-expanding network of international delegates and representatives.
The successful Economic News Luncheon program in Ottawa continued to thrive in 2004-2005. CGA-Canada hosted six events, attracting members of the national media, federal politicians, and key members of the business community to hear noteworthy speakers address issues of public policy.
We struck a chord with many Canadians when CGA-Canada’s Research and Standards department responded to nation-wide issues of concern in two research reports dealing with pensions and Canada’s aging population. Visibility of the Association increased significantly with media coverage of these ground-breaking research reports.
These and many other accomplishments are detailed in this report. But in reviewing the year, one result jumps to the forefront – that is, that while our Canadian competitors struggled this year to resolve issues arising from a proposed merger, we continue to push ahead and are proud to say that the CGA designation continues to thrive as the fastest growing accounting designation in Canada.
In conclusion, we would like to recognize the work of CGA volunteers, whose contributions, as always, are invaluable. The designation will continue to grow and prosper, but it is only with the commitment of the dedicated CGAs across Canada who represent the Association nationally and internationally, that we are able to, year after year, grow even stronger.
Thank you for your dedication to the CGA designation.
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