Government Relations
In 2004-2005, CGA-Canada pursued an assertive program of government relations to establish a presence for CGAs in the development of public policies.
The Association played a significant role in defending public accounting rights for Certified General Accountants in Canada and consolidated strong relationships with the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB). Other major initiatives were illustrated through the successful Economic News Luncheons Series, and the development of sponsorships and partnerships.
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Public Practice Rights
In January 2005, Bill 17, the Public Accounting and Auditing Act, was proclaimed in Prince Edward Island, giving CGAs in this province the long-awaited right to practice public accounting.
In Ontario, we continue to await proclamation of Bill 94 (the Public Accounting Act, 2004), which was passed unanimously by the Ontario Legislature on June 10, 2004, and received Royal Assent soon thereafter, and which ended a 42 year-old monopoly in licensed public accounting that had limited access to only one accounting designation.
In addition to granting CGAs in Ontario professional equity, the Ontario government will charge a new Public Accountants Council (PAC), comprised of representatives from the accounting bodies and the public, with protecting the public interest by establishing the highest possible public accounting standards. This is a challenge CGA Ontario proudly accepts, working with the public representatives and their accounting colleagues on the new PAC, and it continues to anxiously await proclamation.
With the support of the national association, CGA New Brunswick initiated proceedings against the Government of Quebec under the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), because Quebec legislation restricts public accounting in some circumstances to Chartered Accountants (CAs). As a result, CGAs who practice public accounting in New Brunswick are unable to fully practice public accounting in Quebec.
As a reminder, the AIT requires Quebec to enable a public accountant from New Brunswick to practice public accounting in Quebec based on competence, not on the person’s professional designation. A panel established under the dispute resolution provisions of the AIT was convened. Its conclusions are expected to be made public in the fall of 2005.
On the federal front, it is CGA-Canada’s view that the new legislation governing the not-for-profit sector, Bill C-21, the Canada Not-for-Profit Act, unnecessarily restricts auditor choice for not-for-profit organizations, limits the pool of available auditors, and increases costs. The Association presented its position to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology in March 2005.
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Canadian Public Accountability Board
In March 2005, the CGA-Canada Board of Directors agreed that the Association should continue lobbying the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB) for reforms based on principles of transparency, public accountability, inclusiveness, and legislative authority, and that the Association would maintain dialogue with other stakeholders within Canada to encourage change. CPAB has now entered into agreements with at least one provincial affiliate to conduct practice inspections of participating firms.
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Federal Budget
In November 2004, CGA-Canada had the honour of participating in the federal budget consultations of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. Based on the
$8.9 billion projected surplus,
CGA-Canada suggested personal and corporate tax cuts, shifting taxes from an income to a consumption base, and increased corporate tax reductions to encourage business and improve competitiveness.
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Economic News Luncheons
Pursuing the successful Economic News Luncheons series in 2004-2005, CGA-Canada hosted six luncheons in Ottawa in partnership with the National Press Club. These events provided an opportunity to discuss business and government issues, and were primarily targeted to public policy makers.
Speakers included Charles-Antoine St-Jean, Comptroller General of Canada; Paul Cellucci, the former U.S. Ambassador to Canada; Scott Brison, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Receiver General of Canada; Paul Jenkins, Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada; and Mauril Bélanger, Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal, Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Minister Responsible for Official Languages, and Associate Minister of National Defence.
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Public Affairs
Public Affairs is active in communications, media relations, and support for the Association’s public policy initiatives. This year, activities included national and international speeches, media campaigns to support the launch of CGA-Canada research reports, the President’s platform program, and broad external communications activities to promote the CGA designation and the Association’s activities.
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President’s Platforms and Other Speeches Well Received
The successful President’s platform program continued in 2004-2005, with an event in Vancouver in November. Anthony Ariganello, President and CEO of CGA-Canada, addressed senior business leaders as part of the Vancouver Board of Trade’s Distinguished Speaker series on the importance of clarity and transparency in financial reporting.
Mr. Ariganello also delivered similar presentations at the CGA Barbados annual conference and convocation ceremony in Barbados in May 2005, and at the Institute of Internal Auditors corporate governance conference in Winnipeg in March. At the Canadian Association for Business Economics (CABE) Spring Policy Conference in Ottawa, he addressed a group of senior economists on the topic of pensions.
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Media Relations
CGA-Canada’s research report Growing up: The Social and Economic Implications of an Aging Population was publicly launched in January 2005.
Canadian media responded positively to the report. Canadian Press filed a story, as did Broadcast News. More than nine additional print outlets, including the Globe and Mail, the Vancouver Sun, the Ottawa Sun, and the Winnipeg Free Press wrote and ran their own stories. In addition, there was significant coverage in local and national broadcast media. Media impressions for print totalled 4,537,798.
Audience reach figures for broadcast totalled 400,000, resulting in more than 47 minutes of television and radio air time. Total media impressions (print and broadcast) for this major launch reached 4,937,798.
In June, the Association publicly launched another successful report, Measuring Up: A Study on Corporate Sustainability Reporting in Canada. Overall, this report generated a total of 994,000 impressions.
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International Speeches and Presentations
Throughout the year, CGA staff and volunteers made the following presentations:
- Michel Guindon, FCGA, participated in “Ethics Education in Accounting – A Panel Discussion” at the International Association for Accounting Education and Research (IAAER) and South African Accounting Association (SAAA) conference in Durban, South Africa
- Sylvie Voghel, FCGA, delivered “A Shining Opportunity for Change: SME/SMP Issues and the Edinburgh Group” to the Eastern Central and Southern African Federation of Accountants (ECSAFA) Conference in Gaboronne, Botswana
- Pierre Barnès, FCGA, participated in “Corporate Ethics and the Accounting Profession: A panel discussion” at the Seminario International Cumbre de las Americas in Lima, Peru
- Sylvie Voghel, FCGA, chaired the IFAC Consultative Conference on SME, SMP, and Developing Nations in Prague, the Czech Republic
- Anthony Ariganello, FCGA, delivered a presentation at the CGA Barbados annual conference and convocation ceremony in Barbados
- Lyle Handfield, FCGA, delivered “Regulation of the Profession” to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) in Belize
- David McPeak, CGA, delivered “Validating Competencies Underlying a Professional Accounting Credential” at the Association for Business Economics Research (ABER) 3rd Global Conference on Business and Economics in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Other Recognition Activities
CGA-Canada’s Web Presence
This year, the CGA Online Services Corporation launched its new portal-based Web site, CGA Online. In partnership with ACCPAC International, a Best Software Company, this consortium was created to develop a coordinated Web presence for the Association. CGA-Canada and most of the CGA affiliates are members of the consortium. With coordinated access to local, regional, national, and international content and Web-based services, participating affiliates benefit from sharing information while retaining their individual identity and control of their Web sites.
CGA-Canada’s Web site within the new portal is located at www.cga-online.org/canada and features an innovative new look, fresh content, and user-friendly navigation. CGA-Canada continues to work with affiliates to share content to ensure efficiency in Web-based delivery of information.
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