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Reaching a milestone - Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC

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January 2011<br />

<strong>Reaching</strong> a <strong>milestone</strong><br />

503 <strong>BC</strong> students pass<br />

the 2010 UFE<br />

On the Cover<br />

Meet <strong>BC</strong>’s National Honour<br />

Roll students + see the UFE<br />

2010 results recap and our<br />

list <strong>of</strong> successful candidates<br />

In this issue<br />

Exploring pathways to the CA<br />

CA specialist designations – Part 1<br />

Reportable transactions<br />

A quiz on independence


Our future<br />

Our success<br />

Congratulations to our 42 successful 2010 UFE writers. The Uniform Evaluation requires focus,<br />

dedication and a deep understanding <strong>of</strong> our business. The partners and staff would like to<br />

congratulate all <strong>of</strong> our writers, especially Catherine Wong who has placed on the National<br />

Honour Roll. Soon to be accredited as <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong>, our rising talents include:<br />

Vancouver<br />

Jayden Bourgard<br />

Curtis Budgell<br />

Emily Chan<br />

Sibil Chan<br />

Susie Chang<br />

Ratika Chaudhary<br />

Queenie Chou<br />

Alina Ding<br />

Sandra Ferenz<br />

Bonnie Fung<br />

Sherry Fung<br />

Kim Fussell<br />

Joshua Grubner<br />

Kristal Hamakawa<br />

Nick Hamill<br />

Erika Hirabayashi<br />

Nicholas Ho<br />

Edward Holmes<br />

Irena Jesovnik<br />

Nicole Kelemen<br />

Daisy Kong<br />

Christopher Lim<br />

Winnie Lin<br />

Danny Liu<br />

Michael Lloyd<br />

Nancy Ly<br />

Christy Martin<br />

Martie Rose Mendoza<br />

Rachid Nayel<br />

James Orr<br />

Aaron Shuto<br />

Stefanie So<br />

Jimmy Sum<br />

Adrienne Taylor<br />

Megan Terrill<br />

Sarah Walsh<br />

Andrew Williams<br />

Catherine Wong<br />

Langley<br />

Joanne Lee<br />

Jon Morrison<br />

Prince George<br />

Bryan Albano<br />

Andrew Lee


Congratulations<br />

to our newest generation <strong>of</strong> leaders!<br />

The partners, principals and staff at MacKay LLP Vancouver would like to congratulate our seven<br />

successful writers <strong>of</strong> the 2010 Uniform Evaluation for <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong>. We commend the<br />

hard work, dedication, and focus <strong>of</strong> our team members to achieve such impressive results on the<br />

2010 UFE. A special mention to Mason Bennett who placed on the National Honour Roll.<br />

Mason Bennett<br />

Vancouver<br />

Lee Crighton<br />

Vancouver<br />

Graeme Low Ah Kee<br />

Vancouver<br />

Cindy Liu<br />

Vancouver<br />

Libby MacKenzie<br />

Kelowna<br />

Matija Necemer<br />

Surrey<br />

Rachel Thomas<br />

Surrey<br />

<strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> & Business Advisors<br />

Kelowna<br />

500-1620 Dickson Avenue<br />

Kelowna, <strong>BC</strong> V1Y 9Y2<br />

Tel: (250) 763-5021<br />

Toll Free: 1 (866) 763-5021<br />

Surrey<br />

#112, 7565 - 132nd Street<br />

Surrey, <strong>BC</strong> V3W 1K5<br />

Tel: (604) 591-6181<br />

Vancouver<br />

1100 - 1177 West Hastings Street<br />

Vancouver, <strong>BC</strong> V6E 4T5<br />

Tel: (604) 687-4511<br />

Toll Free: 1 (800) 351-0426<br />

www.mackay.ca


contents<br />

On the Cover<br />

6 Notes from the President<br />

ICA<strong>BC</strong> sponsors new BIV<br />

CFO <strong>of</strong> the Year Awards<br />

8 For the Pr<strong>of</strong>ession<br />

Exploring pathways to the CA<br />

36 Tax Traps & Tips<br />

Reportable transactions<br />

10<br />

Meet <strong>BC</strong>’s UFE<br />

Honour Roll<br />

Students!<br />

13 <strong>BC</strong> students make<br />

the 2010 national<br />

honour roll<br />

24<br />

UFE Results Recap for<br />

<strong>BC</strong> and CASB<br />

+ See the list <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong>’s 503<br />

successful candidates!<br />

30<br />

CA Specialist<br />

Designations<br />

Part 1 <strong>of</strong> a new four-part<br />

series on specialist<br />

designations for CAs<br />

38 PD News<br />

Winter PD Highlights<br />

40 Plugged In<br />

News for and about members<br />

& students<br />

Member announcements<br />

FVCAA event notice<br />

ICA<strong>BC</strong> Social Networking<br />

Group event notice<br />

<strong>BC</strong> AGM notice<br />

Notice to All ICAYT<br />

members<br />

46 Ethical Dilemmas<br />

A quiz on independence<br />

FSC logo RRD<br />

to place<br />

January 2011 ica.bc.ca 5


January 2011, No.492<br />

Published eight times annually by the<br />

<strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong><br />

<strong>of</strong> British Columbia.<br />

Congratulations!<br />

Editor<br />

Michelle McRae<br />

Design<br />

Blindfolio Design<br />

604-761-9212<br />

Advertising<br />

Advertising In Print<br />

Phone: 604-681-1811<br />

Fax: 604-681-0456<br />

Senior Director <strong>of</strong> External Affairs<br />

Lesley MacGregor<br />

<strong>Institute</strong> Council<br />

Peter R. Norwood, FCA<br />

President<br />

Lenard F. Boggio, FCA<br />

1st Vice-President<br />

Gordon Holloway, FCA<br />

2nd Vice-President<br />

Michael Macdonell, CA<br />

Treasurer<br />

Olin Anton, CA<br />

John (Jack) Arnold, CA<br />

Linda Lee Brougham, CA<br />

Kyman Chan, CA<br />

Karen Christiansen, CA<br />

John Crawford, CA<br />

Andrew (Sandy) Hilton, CA<br />

David Hughes<br />

Sheila Nelson, CA<br />

John Sims, FCA<br />

Kenneth Tung<br />

Praveen Vohora, CA<br />

Eric Watt, CA<br />

Chief Executive Officer<br />

Richard Rees, FCA<br />

Beyond Numbers is printed in British Columbia and<br />

mailed eight times annually to more than 9,000<br />

chartered accountants and more than 1,800 CA students<br />

in public practice, industry, education, and government<br />

service throughout <strong>BC</strong>, Canada, and other countries.<br />

Beyond Numbers’ editorial and business <strong>of</strong>fices<br />

are located at:<br />

Suite 500, One Bentall Centre, 505 Burrard St., Box 22<br />

Vancouver, <strong>BC</strong> V7X 1M4<br />

Notes from the President<br />

As we kick <strong>of</strong>f the New Year, I’d like to start by acknowledging<br />

<strong>BC</strong>’s 503 successful UFE writers—13 <strong>of</strong> whom made the National Honour Roll.<br />

Wow! Congratulations on a job well done! Pr<strong>of</strong>iles <strong>of</strong> our honour roll students<br />

appear in this month’s magazine, along with a recap <strong>of</strong> the 2010 results for<br />

CASB students and a complete list <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong>’s successful candidates.<br />

I’d also like to take this opportunity to inform members about a new and<br />

exciting <strong>Institute</strong> partnership designed to celebrate achievement in another<br />

arena: The ICA<strong>BC</strong> is now the presenting sponsor for Business in Vancouver’s<br />

inaugural <strong>BC</strong> CFO <strong>of</strong> the Year Awards. Finalists will be chosen based on their<br />

leadership in finance, contributions to strategic decision-making and growth,<br />

and overall performance and execution. These finalists will be featured in a<br />

special edition <strong>of</strong> Business in Vancouver magazine, and the winners will be<br />

announced at a gala reception in May 2011. Past <strong>Institute</strong> president, Peter<br />

Roberts, FCA, will represent the <strong>Institute</strong> on the judging panel.<br />

Given the breadth <strong>of</strong> our members’ experience, and the number <strong>of</strong> CAs in<br />

CFO—or equivalent—positions, we hope to see significant CA representation<br />

among the nominees. On that note: If you’d like to nominate someone for<br />

a CFO <strong>of</strong> the Year Award, please visit Business in Vancouver’s website at<br />

www.biv.com/cfoawards/index.asp to download more information or submit<br />

a nomination package.<br />

—Peter Norwood, FCA<br />

Phone: 604-681-3264<br />

Toll-free in <strong>BC</strong>: 1-800-663-2677<br />

Fax: 604-681-1523<br />

Internet: www.ica.bc.ca<br />

Opinions expressed are not necessarily<br />

endorsed by the <strong>Institute</strong>.<br />

Beyond Numbers supports the CA pr<strong>of</strong>ession in <strong>BC</strong><br />

by sharing news from the <strong>Institute</strong> and news about<br />

members, by sharing viewpoints on issues <strong>of</strong> specific<br />

interest to members, and by promoting member<br />

involvement in <strong>Institute</strong> activities.<br />

Publications Mail Agreement No: 40062742<br />

6 ica.bc.ca January 2011


CONGRATULATIONS<br />

TO OUR Ufe wRITeRS.<br />

8 TIeS CUT IN 2010!<br />

Left to Right: Daniel Lai, Hussain Haji, George Kovalyov,<br />

Monique Wei, Emily Mahannah, Tiffany Bevan, Jason<br />

Mosberian, and Ketan Vohora<br />

Marine Building, 7th Floor 355 Burrard St. I Vancouver <strong>BC</strong> I V6C 2G8<br />

Tel: 604 687 1231 I Fax: 604 688 4675 I smytheratcliffe.com


For the Pr<strong>of</strong>ession<br />

National discussions are currently underway to<br />

determine how our pr<strong>of</strong>ession can ensure that it<br />

welcomes the right people at the right time<br />

Exploring Additional<br />

Pathways to the CA<br />

By Richard Rees, FCA<br />

CEO<br />

For every CA student who passed the<br />

UFE in 2010—and for those who experienced<br />

the same rite <strong>of</strong> passage in<br />

previous years—the UFE is inextricably linked to<br />

the process <strong>of</strong> becoming a chartered accountant.<br />

For many, this rite <strong>of</strong> passage is what makes the<br />

CA designation truly unique.<br />

The reality, however, is less absolute. While it’s<br />

true that the UFE has been with us since 1939,<br />

the exam has changed significantly over the<br />

years. A case component was added in 1974; the<br />

exam was shortened to three days in 2002; and<br />

the material covered has changed substantially,<br />

correlative to changes in standards (like the<br />

move to IFRS). This means that a member who<br />

wrote the exam in 1955, for example, and a<br />

student who wrote the exam in 2010 can share<br />

the experience <strong>of</strong> having passed the UFE, but not<br />

the experience <strong>of</strong> having passed the same UFE.<br />

Furthermore, the UFE is not a <strong>milestone</strong> for<br />

all <strong>BC</strong> members, as some never write the exam.<br />

How can this be? Simply put: immigration and<br />

reciprocity. The ICA<strong>BC</strong> has mutual recognition<br />

agreements with 15 other countries, which are<br />

recognized as having training and education<br />

substantially equivalent to those <strong>of</strong> Canadian<br />

CAs. As a result, a CPA, for example, can come<br />

to Canada, successfully complete our reciprocity<br />

exam, and join the <strong>BC</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> as a full CA,<br />

with the same rights and responsibilities—and,<br />

we believe, the same skills and knowledge—as a<br />

successful UFE writer.<br />

Clearly, therefore, the notion that every CA in <strong>BC</strong> undergoes the same experience in earning their<br />

designation is a bit <strong>of</strong> a myth. And soon, the paths to the CA may become even more varied.<br />

In today’s world, it is naive to assume that everyone who will eventually become a CA will have<br />

decided on this career path by the time they’ve graduated from high school, and then take the traditional<br />

route through commerce and into a public practice firm. People are now more likely to move to<br />

different countries, shift careers, and change their interests multiple times over the course <strong>of</strong> their<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>essional lives. Therefore, the CA pr<strong>of</strong>ession’s training and qualification paths must recognize that<br />

the best and brightest can come from non-traditional paths and vary in age and life experience. So while<br />

the UFE will remain the backbone <strong>of</strong> the certification process for the foreseeable future, it is time to<br />

explore additional pathways into the pr<strong>of</strong>ession.<br />

With this in mind, national discussions are currently underway to determine how our pr<strong>of</strong>ession can<br />

ensure that it welcomes the right people at the right time. We believe that, for many, the pathway to<br />

the CA will still include a commerce undergraduate degree, an articling position in public practice, and<br />

the writing <strong>of</strong> the UFE. But we know others will join the ranks <strong>of</strong> CAs with non-commerce backgrounds<br />

(in <strong>BC</strong>, 20% <strong>of</strong> our new CAs already come with degrees outside <strong>of</strong> commerce); some will shift into the<br />

CA pr<strong>of</strong>ession from other careers; and others will join the CA pr<strong>of</strong>ession after immigrating to Canada.<br />

We need pathways that welcome them all.<br />

If there is any doubt about the necessity <strong>of</strong> these discussions, we need only look around. We know<br />

that population growth in Canada will come from immigration. We also know that governments across<br />

the country are requiring fair access to the pr<strong>of</strong>essions. In the past, we’ve managed to ensure that CAs<br />

in Canada remain respected the world over by proactively changing our education and training process<br />

amid global trends. Once again, it’s time to consider making changes.<br />

In the coming months, as the discussions about pathways into the pr<strong>of</strong>ession take place, we will keep<br />

you informed about any proposed changes. We hope you will understand that some <strong>of</strong> these changes<br />

might lead to pathways different from your own—pathways that might not include the UFE.<br />

Rest assured that any changes will keep to our very high standards, and that any individuals we<br />

welcome into the pr<strong>of</strong>ession will be ones we are proud to stand beside as colleagues. Just as every<br />

mutual recognition agreement and every change to the Competency Map is based on ensuring that<br />

CAs have the highest pr<strong>of</strong>essional standards, any changes to pathways will ensure that the bar for<br />

entrance remains high. While the UFE is a big part <strong>of</strong> our culture, our standards are most critical to our<br />

brand. These should never be compromised.<br />

8 ica.bc.ca January 2011


The greatest reward<br />

is helping others<br />

achieve success.<br />

Congratulations to our talented team for their recent accomplishment in passing the Uniform Evaluation (UFE) for<br />

chartered accountancy. We’re very proud <strong>of</strong> them—and equally proud <strong>of</strong> those who contributed to their success.<br />

At Grant Thornton LLP, helping others achieve success is our business. It’s also our passion. Whether we’re helping clients<br />

reach their goals, supporting our colleagues in achieving their potential, or volunteering for the community, the desire to<br />

make a difference every day is what motivates our people—that’s the Grant Thornton experience.<br />

Left to right:<br />

Andrew Ingenhorst, Alex Lau, Molika Trueman, Greg Vandergaag, Steven Holden,<br />

Andrew Malashewsky, Susan Inouye, Perry Lawlor, Catherine Lot, Daniel Kim,<br />

Carol Peng, Riley Lefebvre, and Cara-Mia Mitchell.<br />

www.GrantThornton.ca<br />

Audit • Tax • Advisory<br />

Grant Thornton LLP. A Canadian Member <strong>of</strong> Grant Thornton International Ltd


On the Cover<br />

Meet <strong>BC</strong>’s UFE Honour Roll<br />

Students for 2010!<br />

By Michelle McRae, Editor<br />

It is with great pleasure that we introduce the 13 <strong>BC</strong> students who made the National Honour Roll for the 2010 UFE:<br />

Jaleh Afrooze, Douglas Allan, Landon Bailey, Mason Bennett, Wilson Cheung, Asifa Hirji, Albert Ho, Daphne Huang,<br />

James Porter, Christopher Schaufele, Meaghan Vanderlinden, Ei-Lyn (Catherine) Wong, and Ka Yun (Kayan) Yu.<br />

Jaleh Afrooze<br />

Jaleh was born in Shiraz,<br />

Iran, and immigrated to<br />

Canada at the age <strong>of</strong> 15,<br />

settling in <strong>BC</strong>’s Lower<br />

Mainland area. A graduate<br />

<strong>of</strong> Simon Fraser University,<br />

Jaleh earned a<br />

bachelor <strong>of</strong> business administration<br />

with a concentration in accounting<br />

(with honours) in 2008. In 2010, she earned<br />

a master <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional accounting from the<br />

University <strong>of</strong> Saskatchewan.<br />

Jaleh is currently articling with KPMG LLP’s<br />

Burnaby <strong>of</strong>fice, working in the firm’s Enterprise<br />

group. “I’m pursuing the CA for the opportunities<br />

that come with it,” she says. “Also, I want a<br />

designation that will provide job mobility, as I<br />

like exploring different places!”<br />

Describing herself as “super active,” Jaleh lists<br />

a number <strong>of</strong> outdoor activities as favourite<br />

pastimes, including biking, hiking, snowshoeing,<br />

skiing, rock-climbing, swimming, and jogging.<br />

Baking is another beloved hobby, and she also<br />

enjoys spending time with family and friends.<br />

“My parents and my brothers, Sina and Arash,<br />

have been very supportive and understanding<br />

throughout the UFE process,” she says. “Also,<br />

my friend Golnar kept my spirits up with<br />

encouraging phone calls, and my friend Masih<br />

kept me laughing, no matter how stressed I was!”<br />

For her success on the UFE, Jaleh also credits<br />

key individuals at her firm. “First and foremost,<br />

there’s my mentor at KPMG Enterprise, Amrit<br />

Sanghera,” she says. “Her support was invaluable,<br />

and I owe her big time! She was really the best<br />

mentor I could ever have asked for!<br />

“I also have to thank my study buddies at<br />

KPMG—especially Michelle Iorio and Ellen<br />

Liu,” she adds. “Michelle definitely helped me<br />

stay on track with my technical knowledge, and<br />

10 ica.bc.ca January 2011


P L A T I N U M M E M B E R<br />

Ellen helped me stay calm, as she was so great at<br />

doing it herself! I learned a lot from them, and<br />

would not have been able to pass without them.”<br />

Also key to her success, Jaleh says, were the<br />

KPMG national UFE program and the MPAcc<br />

program, and she gives particular thanks to the<br />

instructors.<br />

To future UFE writers, Jaleh says: “Attitude is<br />

everything! Be patient with your progress<br />

throughout the process. It’s an unforgettable<br />

learning experience, and a life experience you<br />

will cherish for the rest <strong>of</strong> your life, so embrace it!”<br />

Doug Allan<br />

Doug was born in<br />

Toronto, Ontario, and<br />

grew up in Vancouver,<br />

<strong>BC</strong>. After high school,<br />

he headed back east to<br />

attend McGill University<br />

in Montreal, where he<br />

majored in accounting,<br />

with a concentration in finance. In 2008, he<br />

graduated with a bachelor <strong>of</strong> commerce degree,<br />

earning honours with great distinction.<br />

Today Doug’s an articling student with Ernst<br />

& Young LLP in Vancouver, working in the<br />

audit practice. “I currently work almost exclusively<br />

with financial services firms,” he says. “I<br />

enjoy the technical challenge <strong>of</strong> the industry, as<br />

well as the people I get to meet and work with<br />

along the way.”<br />

Doug says his decision to pursue the CA<br />

designation was heavily influenced by his<br />

grandfather, William Winspear, CA, and his<br />

now father-in-law, Jim Stuart, CA·CIRP.<br />

“My grandfather had a great lifestyle, both<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>essionally and in terms <strong>of</strong> family, and Jim<br />

10.OBRTurnbullAd1A 11/19/10 11:22 AM Page 1<br />

had the same perfect mix <strong>of</strong> work and play,” he<br />

explains. “I always admired their careers.”<br />

Doug’s grandfather earned the regional gold<br />

medal from the ICAA on the 1957 UFE,* and<br />

now that he himself has made the honour roll,<br />

Doug attributes a lot <strong>of</strong> his success to his family.<br />

“First and foremost, I couldn’t have succeeded<br />

without my wife Michelle,” he says. “She kept<br />

my mind <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> the UFE in the evenings and<br />

on weekends, which was pivotal to keeping me<br />

motivated. Also, without the support <strong>of</strong> my<br />

parents and my brother and sister all these years,<br />

I would have burned out.”<br />

Doug also credits his colleagues at Ernst & Young,<br />

saying: “My study partners, Nevin Lau and Allan<br />

Cheng, helped me stay motivated day after day,<br />

and brought strengths to compliment my<br />

weaknesses. In addition, my UFE mentor, Ashley<br />

Kates, CA, helped me stay focused and confident.”<br />

Doug believes that maintaining a confident<br />

attitude is key to success on the UFE.<br />

“I expected the exam to be a physically<br />

draining experience—one in which my ability to<br />

keep a cool head and stay focused would be more<br />

important than my technical expertise,” he says.<br />

“And that was, more or less, how it turned out.”<br />

He advises future writers to work hard, but<br />

also take time <strong>of</strong>f to recharge. For Doug, this<br />

meant watching movies, listening to music,<br />

barbecuing, and spending time with family.<br />

“Don’t take any chances,” he adds. “Make sure<br />

you walk into the UFE with no regrets.”<br />

*The Alberta <strong>Institute</strong> renamed its UFE gold<br />

medal the Francis G. Winspear FCA Gold Medal<br />

<strong>of</strong> Excellence in 1993, in honour <strong>of</strong> Doug’s great<br />

grandfather.<br />

Landon Bailey<br />

Landon Bailey was born<br />

in Calgary, Alberta, and<br />

grew up in Kelowna,<br />

<strong>BC</strong>. He studied at the<br />

University <strong>of</strong> Victoria,<br />

and earned a bachelor <strong>of</strong><br />

commerce, with a major<br />

in international business,<br />

in 2006.<br />

“I didn’t expect to go into accounting after<br />

that,” Landon says, “but through interaction<br />

with CAs in the workplace and friends in the<br />

program, I was drawn to the blend <strong>of</strong> technical<br />

and business skills, the broad range <strong>of</strong> career<br />

opportunities, and the reputation <strong>of</strong> the CA<br />

designation.”<br />

Today, he’s an articling student with KPMG<br />

LLP in Victoria.<br />

“All <strong>of</strong> my colleagues at the firm went out <strong>of</strong><br />

their way to support and encourage each <strong>of</strong> us<br />

writers throughout the UFE process,” he says.<br />

“I’m grateful for that, and also for the feedback,<br />

encouragement, and humour <strong>of</strong> my study<br />

partners at KPMG, Ryan Finner and Heather<br />

Crow. They helped build my confidence and kept<br />

me going through the summer—GO Bayside!”<br />

Landon’s biggest thanks, however, go to his wife<br />

Samantha. “Samantha supported me through a<br />

career change, then two years <strong>of</strong> CASB leading up<br />

to the UFE,” he says. “And, together with our<br />

two dogs, she helped me stay busy, active, and<br />

balanced throughout the summer.”<br />

He believes this balance was key to his success.<br />

“If you don’t <strong>of</strong>fset the studying with something<br />

you enjoy, you risk feeling overworked<br />

and burned out in the weeks before the UFE,”<br />

he explains. “Mountain biking, surfing, camping,<br />

Protect it. Grow it.<br />

In That Order<br />

odlumbrown.com<br />

Ross Turnbull, CA, CBV, CFA<br />

Director, Portfolio Manager<br />

Tel 604 844 5363<br />

Toll Free 1 888 886 3586<br />

rturnbull@odlumbrown.com<br />

trust • vision • investment integrity<br />

*The Model is an all-equity portfolio established by the Research Department in December 1994, with<br />

a hypothetical investment <strong>of</strong> $250,000. The Model provides a basis with which to measure the quality<br />

<strong>of</strong> our advice and the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> our disciplined investment strategy. Trades are made using the<br />

closing price on the day a change is announced. Past performance is not indicative <strong>of</strong> future performance.<br />

Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund<br />

Higher Return<br />

Lower Return<br />

16% –<br />

12% –<br />

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4% –<br />

15-year risk and return comparison 1<br />

Compound Annual Return (%)<br />

OB Model Portfolio*<br />

S&P/TSX Total<br />

Return Index<br />

CDN Long-term Fixed Income<br />

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Fund Average<br />

Peer Group<br />

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CDN Short-term Fixed<br />

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Index ($C)<br />

Income Peer Group<br />

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Standard Deviation (Volatility %)<br />

0% –<br />

0% 2%<br />

4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%<br />

Lower Risk<br />

Higher Risk<br />

1 For the period ended December 31, 2009. Returns are net <strong>of</strong> fees for peer groups.. For the OB Model Portfolio, an annual 1.5% fee has been<br />

used. Standard Deviation is calculated using the 15 th <strong>of</strong> each month for the OB Model Portfolio and month end for all others.<br />

Source: Bloomberg, PALTrak, Odlum Brown Analysis<br />

January 2011 ica.bc.ca 11


and reading—these hobbies all helped me maintain<br />

some balance during the summer.”<br />

As for the actual writing <strong>of</strong> the UFE, Landon<br />

says it came more naturally than he’d expected.<br />

“I didn’t believe it when past writers told me<br />

this would happen, but after an entire summer<br />

writing practice cases, I found it to be true,” he<br />

recounts. “Nevertheless, I still left the exam with<br />

little idea <strong>of</strong> how I’d actually done, so I had to<br />

trust that my preparations had given me the<br />

skills necessary to be successful.”<br />

Landon advises future writers to maintain<br />

some perspective.<br />

“I think many students are intimidated by the<br />

technical breadth <strong>of</strong> the exam,” he says, “but it’s<br />

important to realize that, at the end <strong>of</strong> the day,<br />

it’s the underlying skills you develop throughout<br />

the study process that will have the greatest<br />

bearing on success in the UFE. Find a proven<br />

study program, trust in it, and then don’t worry<br />

too much about the UFE itself. And relish the<br />

time you spend not studying over the summer,<br />

because that’s important to the process too.”<br />

dap_beyondnumbers_sep09.eps 9/9/2009 1:56:57 PM<br />

Mason Bennett<br />

Mason was born and<br />

raised on Salt Spring<br />

Island, <strong>BC</strong>. He studied<br />

commerce, with a concentration<br />

in accounting,<br />

at the University <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>BC</strong>’s Sauder School <strong>of</strong><br />

Business, and earned a<br />

bachelor <strong>of</strong> commerce degree (with honours) in<br />

2008.<br />

Today, he’s articling with MacKay LLP at the<br />

firm’s Vancouver <strong>of</strong>fice.<br />

“I chose to pursue the CA designation because<br />

I felt that it provided an excellent opportunity<br />

to continue my education while still gaining<br />

practical work experience,” he says. “Ultimately,<br />

this balance <strong>of</strong> education and experience seemed<br />

to be the best way to prepare myself for a career<br />

in the business community.”<br />

Balance also factored into Mason’s study<br />

approach for the UFE. “There were times when<br />

I became concerned about my progress, but I<br />

managed to maintain a balanced schedule during<br />

the summer leading up to the UFE,” he says.<br />

“Because <strong>of</strong> this, I was able to enjoy my free time.”<br />

During this free time, Mason kept his mind<br />

<strong>of</strong>f the UFE by staying active with outdoor<br />

activities such as hiking, and by training for a<br />

triathlon. He advises future UFE writers to find<br />

similar outlets during the stressful months<br />

leading up to the exam.<br />

“Find a hobby or activity that you can focus on<br />

outside <strong>of</strong> studying,” he says. “Know that you<br />

won’t be able to study everything, but have<br />

faith that your study plan will provide a solid<br />

foundation for the UFE.”<br />

Also key to this solid foundation is a good<br />

support network.<br />

“I’m grateful for my loving girlfriend, Shelane<br />

Wiseman, CA, who wrote the UFE in 2009,”<br />

Mason says. “Her support helped me maintain<br />

a level head during the summer. I was also<br />

fortunate to have a great study partner at<br />

MacKay, Graeme Low Ah Kee. Graeme helped<br />

me improve with his constructive feedback, and<br />

also made the summer much more enjoyable.<br />

“Lastly,” he adds, “I want to thank my family<br />

for their support and encouragement.”<br />

With the UFE now behind him, Mason is<br />

focusing on other overarching goals. “I’m looking<br />

forward to continuing my career growth,” he<br />

says. “I plan to become involved in meaningful<br />

ventures that are intellectually challenging and<br />

provide a positive contribution to the community.<br />

Specifically, I’m interested in sustainable business<br />

practices and entrepreneurial development.”<br />

Wilson Cheung<br />

Wilson was born and<br />

raised in Vancouver and<br />

studied at the University<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong>. In 2010, he earned<br />

a bachelor <strong>of</strong> commerce<br />

with a specialization in<br />

accounting. Along the<br />

way, he also completed<br />

the co-op program.<br />

“My original intention when I enrolled at<br />

U<strong>BC</strong> was to specialize in marketing,” he says,<br />

“but as I progressed through my undergrad,<br />

I realized that the CA path provided the<br />

opportunity to keep learning and adapting, and<br />

the opportunity to travel internationally.”<br />

Now an articling student with KPMG LLP in<br />

Vancouver, Wilson is currently working in the<br />

firm’s audit practice, focusing on the information,<br />

communication, and entertainment industry.<br />

“The people at KPMG played a huge role in<br />

my success on the UFE,” he says. “Especially my<br />

mentors, Karen Lo and Danny Gollogly, CA,”<br />

he says. “Their guidance and support gave me<br />

strength and confidence throughout the UFE<br />

process. It took a while to refine my outlining<br />

approach, but we finally found one that worked<br />

for me. Also, the preparation the firm provided<br />

12 ica.bc.ca January 2011


CONGRATULATIONS UFE WRITERS!<br />

We are pleased to congratulate our successful Uniform Evaluation writers in Vancouver and<br />

Langley. We look forward to your continued success as valuable members <strong>of</strong> our team.<br />

Front row: Joy Tou, Liana Lau, Winnie Tong, Tarah Miller, Victoria Lo, Eva Soppit<br />

Back row: Nathan Lau, Reid Duthie, Ankur Merwaha, Peter Wu, Jason Dong, Laura Shiell<br />

Missing: Jack Cartmel, Sean Deissner, Desiree Friesen, Karvin Lee<br />

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through its in-house training program ensured<br />

that I was well equipped for the exam.”<br />

Wilson also attributes his success to his study<br />

partners, Lindsay Chiang (an<br />

articling<br />

student<br />

with Ernst & Young LLP) and Jason Dong<br />

(an<br />

articling student with BDO). “I couldn’t have<br />

done it without them,” he says. “They<br />

made<br />

studying fun, and I’m grateful for all the great<br />

discussions we had.<br />

“I would also like to thank my family<br />

and<br />

friends for their continual support,” he adds.<br />

“I’m sure they’re tired <strong>of</strong> me<br />

talking about the<br />

UFE!”<br />

Even with all <strong>of</strong> this support, Wilson says the<br />

exam was extremely difficult. “It’s is the hardest<br />

exam I’ve ever written in my life,” he says. “I<br />

actually had an epiphany during the third day,<br />

when I thought: this is the last day <strong>of</strong> the UFE.<br />

. I<br />

got quite excited. Then I realized that I wasn’t<br />

actually finished and still had the other half<br />

<strong>of</strong><br />

the exam to write...”<br />

Looking back, Wilson believes time management<br />

is crucial to success on the UFE.<br />

“My advice to future writers is to maintain a<br />

level <strong>of</strong> confidence and tranquility,” he says.<br />

“Don’t start studying in overdrive whenever you<br />

get stressed, because you don’t want to burn out<br />

before the exam. Fill your nights and weekends<br />

with lots <strong>of</strong> activities to keep yourself busy. I<br />

<strong>of</strong>ten went rollerblading or biking, and I also<br />

took up rock climbing. Hanging out with<br />

friends is another great way to combine fun and<br />

relaxation.”<br />

Asifa Hirji<br />

Asifa was born in<br />

Toronto, Ontario, where<br />

she lived until age eight.<br />

After three years in<br />

Calgary, Alberta, her<br />

family finally settled in<br />

Vancouver, <strong>BC</strong>. Asifa<br />

attended Simon Fraser<br />

University, and studied business administration<br />

with concentrations in accounting and finance.<br />

In 2008, she earned a bachelor<br />

<strong>of</strong><br />

business<br />

administration (with honours) and a minor in<br />

economics.<br />

Today, Asifa is<br />

articling with KPMG LLP’s<br />

Burnaby <strong>of</strong>fice,<br />

working in the firm’s Enterprise<br />

group. She says “the challenge” was what drew<br />

her to the CA program: “I like the fact that the<br />

designation forces you to go beyond the black<br />

and white numbers and look at business issues,<br />

rather than just accounting<br />

issues.”<br />

There are few exams more challenging than the<br />

UFE, and Asifa describes the three days <strong>of</strong><br />

the<br />

exam as an “emotional rollercoaster.”<br />

For helping her manage the ups and downs <strong>of</strong><br />

the UFE experience, Asifa gives<br />

a lot<br />

<strong>of</strong> credit to<br />

two <strong>of</strong> her mentors: Ian Mackerricher and Clint<br />

Murphy, CA (both<br />

formerly with KPMG).<br />

“Without Ian, I don’t think I would have<br />

survived the summer before the UFE,” she says.<br />

“He helped me stay focused and was always<br />

available to talk things out. And while Clint<br />

wasn’t directly involved in my CASB or UFE<br />

experience, he taught me to always believe<br />

in myself and in my abilities—this was an<br />

invaluable lesson throughout the stressful and<br />

sometimes de-motivating study period leading<br />

up to the exam.<br />

“It also helped that I studied at the KPMG<br />

Burnaby <strong>of</strong>fice all summer,” she adds. “There<br />

was always someone around to boost my<br />

confidence, provide insightful advice, and tell<br />

me to go home when it was past 5 pm!”<br />

Her friend Shiraz Charania, CA·CBV, also<br />

provided ongoing support. “Shiraz helped me<br />

keep things in perspective,” Asifa says, “and he<br />

continually checked in with me to make sure I<br />

was doing<br />

okay.”<br />

To help take her mind <strong>of</strong>f the exam when not<br />

studying, Asifa relied on her favourite hobbies:


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watching Indian movies, listening to Indian<br />

music, and reading.<br />

Her advice to future UFE writers is to take all<br />

the unsolicited advice they receive, including<br />

her own, and filter, filter, filter.<br />

“Over the UFE summer, you’ll hear a lot <strong>of</strong><br />

different advice from a lot <strong>of</strong> different people,”<br />

she says. “At the end <strong>of</strong> the day, you need to<br />

figure out what is going to work best for you and<br />

just focus on doing that.”<br />

Albert Ho<br />

Though he was born in<br />

Winnipeg, Manitoba,<br />

Albert has lived in <strong>BC</strong><br />

since the age <strong>of</strong> five. He<br />

grew up in Richmond,<br />

where he currently resides,<br />

and attended the Sauder<br />

School <strong>of</strong> Business at the<br />

University <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong>, graduating with an accounting<br />

degree in 2007.<br />

Now an articling student with Johnsen Archer<br />

LLP, Albert works in the firm’s Surrey <strong>of</strong>fice,<br />

providing assurance and tax services to a variety<br />

<strong>of</strong> private enterprises.<br />

“Nothing is set in stone yet,” he says <strong>of</strong> his<br />

plans for the future. “There’s still so much more<br />

for me to learn. My aim is to continue to broaden<br />

my role and experience in public practice. And<br />

with the UFE finally behind me, I’m looking<br />

forward to the many challenges and opportunities<br />

ahead.”<br />

According to Albert, the most difficult aspect<br />

<strong>of</strong> the UFE-writing experience was waiting each<br />

morning for the exam to begin.<br />

“It was nerve-wracking,” he says. “But once the<br />

exam did start, my nerves disappeared, and I was<br />

able to focus. The need to maintain such a high<br />

level <strong>of</strong> focus for three consecutive days was<br />

extremely challenging though. I was so mentally<br />

drained by the end that it took several hours for<br />

the satisfaction and relief to actually kick in.”<br />

Albert advises future UFE writers to prepare<br />

for a rollercoaster ride. “You’ll feel like you’re on<br />

top <strong>of</strong> the world one day, and then have your<br />

confidence shattered the very next day after<br />

writing a tough sim[ulation],” he explains. “This<br />

is a normal part <strong>of</strong> the process, and the key is to<br />

learn from these setbacks so that you can come<br />

back focused and ready the next time around.<br />

“Also,” he adds, “engaging in fun activities<br />

during evenings and weekends will help you<br />

relieve stress and stay mentally sharp.”<br />

For Albert, these fun activities included watching<br />

and playing tennis, and trying out new restaurants<br />

with his girlfriend Fontaine. “I’d like to thank<br />

Fontaine for her support and encouragement<br />

throughout the CASB modules and the UFE<br />

process,” he says. “I would not be where I am<br />

today without her. I’m also grateful for the<br />

constant support <strong>of</strong> my family—they’ve always<br />

had the utmost faith in me.”<br />

Other thanks go to his study buddy at Johnsen<br />

Archer, Tyler Wong. “His endlessly positive<br />

attitude helped guide me through the ups<br />

and downs <strong>of</strong> the UFE summer,” Albert says.<br />

“I’d also like to thank Ryan Calder, CA,* for<br />

implementing the firm’s UFE prep program,<br />

and the rest <strong>of</strong> the staff who assisted with UFE<br />

training and mentoring.”<br />

*2005 UFE Honour Roll.<br />

Daphne Huang<br />

Daphne was born and<br />

raised in Vancouver. She<br />

attended the University<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong>, graduating with<br />

a bachelor <strong>of</strong> arts degree<br />

in classical studies and<br />

psychology in 2006, and<br />

earning a diploma in<br />

accounting in 2008.<br />

Currently articling with PwC LLP in the firm’s<br />

16 ica.bc.ca January 2011


63 reasons<br />

to celebrate<br />

Congratulations to our successful writers <strong>of</strong> the 2010<br />

Uniform Evaluation for <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> in <strong>BC</strong><br />

Special congratulations to Daphne Huang, who achieved a place on the National Honour Roll<br />

Mani Al-Khafaji<br />

Kiran Aujla<br />

Robyn Bell<br />

John Binstead<br />

Andrew Black<br />

Kyle Bunnell<br />

Leigh Burbidge<br />

Serena Chan<br />

Michael Cliff<br />

Joshua Contant<br />

Kelly Cunningham<br />

Brent D’Andrea<br />

Markus Delves<br />

Darren Devine<br />

Harkeet Ghag<br />

Steven Grippo<br />

Connie Guo<br />

Erin Hay<br />

Kristy Hislop<br />

Terry Ho<br />

Robyn Hooper<br />

Daphne Huang<br />

Judy Huang<br />

Idania Huerta Munoz<br />

Allan Hung<br />

Tanner Johnston<br />

Erin Joyner<br />

Jasmin Kohl<br />

Amy Lang<br />

Stephanie Mason<br />

Lucas McLean<br />

David Milligan<br />

Amrit Minhas<br />

Ainslie Muzzin<br />

Jason Nalewanyj<br />

Richard Ormiston<br />

Thomas Philippson<br />

William Pickles<br />

Monica Polonis<br />

Michael Potts<br />

David Rajanayagam<br />

Brent Reimer<br />

Sina Rezai<br />

Teri Robinson<br />

Jessica Rockliff<br />

Joseph Salter<br />

Iqbal Shanghera<br />

Hamid Shekarchi<br />

Corey Shelton<br />

Leja Simpson<br />

Jacqueline Stevens<br />

Andrea Stuart<br />

Jennifer Sung<br />

Stefanny Tam<br />

Ashleigh Taylor<br />

Natalie Timler<br />

Shahed Tootoonian<br />

Jeannette Vergara<br />

Canoles<br />

Crysta Webb<br />

Laura Wensley<br />

Mandy Yip<br />

Sharon M Yuen<br />

Sharon T Yuen<br />

© 2010 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. In this document, “PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership,<br />

which is a member firm <strong>of</strong> PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm <strong>of</strong> which is a separate legal entity. 0704-10 1210


Tax CA Program, Daphne is one <strong>of</strong> 53 CASB<br />

students taking the expanded experience oppor-<br />

tunity (EEO) path in <strong>BC</strong>.<br />

“It’s a fantastic program that has provided me<br />

with the opportunity to go directly into<br />

a<br />

field<br />

that interests me,” she says. “Other CA<br />

students<br />

have asked me whether I thought the lack<br />

<strong>of</strong><br />

audit experience would have a negative impact<br />

on my UFE performance, and now I can<br />

honestly say that it didn’t.”<br />

Daphne believes that a strong support system<br />

was key to her success on the UFE.<br />

“I was very fortunate to have an extensive<br />

support network at PwC,” she says. “My<br />

UFE<br />

mentors, Dmitry Uduman and Grace Tu, were<br />

extremely patient with me. They shared their<br />

study tips and personal experiences, and took<br />

time out <strong>of</strong> their<br />

busy schedules to mark<br />

a<br />

number <strong>of</strong> my cases. Grace also provided me<br />

with the excel template that became my<br />

most<br />

valuable study tool.<br />

Kyla Zhao was also very<br />

willing to listen to my concerns and talk<br />

me<br />

through my bad days.”<br />

Daphne also thanks her study partner at PwC,<br />

Markus Delves, and study partners Christopher<br />

Lee and Emily Mahannah (both articling<br />

with<br />

Smythe Ratcliffe). “They kept me focused and<br />

encouraged me to study harder when I was<br />

lacking motivation,” she says. “My family<br />

and<br />

friends were also incredibly supportive throughout<br />

the whole process, providing me with<br />

encouragement and much needed confidence.”<br />

To celebrate completing the UFE, Daphne<br />

recently took a trip to Asia. Travelling is one <strong>of</strong><br />

her favourite pastimes, along with cooking. She<br />

also enjoys running, and says going to the gym<br />

every afternoon helped her manage her stress<br />

level in the lead-up to the exam.<br />

“It was a great<br />

way to shake <strong>of</strong>f UFE stress and<br />

switch to something enjoyable,” she says. “My<br />

advice to future writers is to set a schedule and<br />

stick to it—take evenings and weekends <strong>of</strong>f.<br />

Pick up<br />

a hobby and do it after your study<br />

sessions, to get your mind <strong>of</strong>f the day.<br />

“Also,” she adds, “I think the most important<br />

thing to realize is that it’s impossible to know<br />

everything that is potentially examinable on the<br />

UFE, so focusing on<br />

how to approach and<br />

answer the questions is a more effective strategy.”<br />

James Porter<br />

James was born and<br />

raised<br />

in Victoria. He attended<br />

Camosun College, and<br />

completed a bachelor <strong>of</strong><br />

business administration<br />

with a focus in account-<br />

ing in 2007 (his was the<br />

third graduating class<br />

from Camosun’s bachelor’s degree program).<br />

In February 2008, James began articling<br />

with<br />

Burkett & Abercrombie, CAs. There, he specializes<br />

in personal, corporate, and trust taxation,<br />

with the majority <strong>of</strong> accounting<br />

engagements<br />

focused on medical/legal pr<strong>of</strong>essionals and<br />

small, family-run businesses.<br />

James says he was “very well prepared” when<br />

it came to writing the UFE, thanks to the<br />

Densmore Consulting UFE prep course. Nevertheless,<br />

he found the three days <strong>of</strong> the exam<br />

surprisingly<br />

draining.<br />

“I knew it would be a draining experience,” he<br />

says, “but I didn’t expect to be so exhausted<br />

when I left the exam room on day<br />

1—especially<br />

because I’d felt particularly well equipped for<br />

that part <strong>of</strong> the exam.”<br />

To recharge and rebuild his confidence, James<br />

went on a long bike ride—just one <strong>of</strong><br />

many<br />

CONGRATULATIONS<br />

to all <strong>of</strong> our successful UFE writers on their individual<br />

achievements and their unprecedented pass rate!<br />

MANNING ELLIOTT CELEBRATES<br />

ITS OUTSTANDING TEAM:<br />

Front Row (L–R): Subash Chand, Rian Sahota,<br />

Daniel Chow, Scott Park, Walter Fawcus<br />

Centre Row (L–R): Alison Collins, Jane Provinciano,<br />

Gwennie Siu, Shahilla Meghani, Nina Turkiewicz<br />

Back Row (L–R): Soni Mand, Gurdev Chandi,<br />

Jessy Dhaliwal, Andrea Armitage, Mirza Rahimani<br />

18 ica.bc.ca January 2011


taken in the summer leading up to the UFE.<br />

“I’d made a habit <strong>of</strong> finishing every study day<br />

with a 25km bike ride, followed by a 1km swim<br />

or a couple hours <strong>of</strong> martial arts (Karate and Kobudo),”<br />

he recounts. “This helped me deal with<br />

the stress <strong>of</strong> the day’s simulations, and helped<br />

me sleep well. So when it came to the actual<br />

exam, I kept to this routine.”<br />

James advises future UFE writers to make<br />

physical fitness a “concurrent goal.” He also cautions<br />

against over-studying. “The Densmore<br />

Consulting course ingrained in my mind the<br />

importance <strong>of</strong> a balanced study plan, and I think<br />

it’s the primary reason I didn’t burn out,” he<br />

explains. “I never studied for more than seven<br />

hours a day, or more than five days a week.”<br />

He’s grateful for his three study partners along<br />

the way: Sean Hosick (articling with Tyce Carle-<br />

Thiesson CAs) and Paul Rokeby-Thomas and<br />

Han Shu (both with Lee and Sharpe CAs). “The<br />

four <strong>of</strong> us stuck through very loud construction<br />

at the University <strong>of</strong> Victoria library,” he says,<br />

“and we challenged each other to develop the<br />

skills necessary to succeed.”<br />

James also thanks the partners at his firm:<br />

Chuck Burkett, CA, CFP, TEP, and Lance Abercrombie,<br />

CA. “The wide variety <strong>of</strong> practical<br />

experience they’ve given me during my articling<br />

time helped me develop the analytical skills necessary<br />

to challenge the UFE,” he says. “I also<br />

credit two <strong>of</strong> my non-accountant friends, Oliver<br />

Strange and Katie Price, for giving me confidence<br />

and strength, and helping me stay<br />

somewhat level-headed throughout.”<br />

Chris Schaufele<br />

Chris was born and raised<br />

in Maple Ridge, and is<br />

a graduate <strong>of</strong> Simon<br />

Fraser University, where<br />

he studied accounting<br />

and business. In 2008,<br />

he earned a bachelor <strong>of</strong><br />

business administration<br />

with a concentration in accounting.<br />

While working toward his university degree,<br />

Chris also completed four co-op terms with<br />

KNV <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> LLP in Surrey. “I<br />

credit the SFU co-op program for jumpstarting<br />

my career and my pursuit <strong>of</strong> the CA designation,”<br />

he says. “I’d been intrigued by the idea <strong>of</strong> pursuing<br />

this designation for quite some time, and it<br />

seemed like a natural progression as I moved<br />

forward with my education and career.”<br />

Chris became a full-time articling student with<br />

KNV in 2008, and says the firm has been an<br />

invaluable training ground in the years leading<br />

up to the UFE.<br />

“I’d like to thank my firm for the excellent<br />

support I’ve received, especially during the summer<br />

before the exam,” he says. “The partners and staff<br />

have gone out <strong>of</strong> their way to ensure my success,<br />

and it’s something I wholeheartedly appreciate.”<br />

Chris also singles out his UFE study buddy at<br />

KNV, Alicia Jobb. “I’d like to thank her for, and<br />

acknowledge, her support,” he says. “I found it<br />

extremely challenging to stay focused over the<br />

summer, especially when simulations didn’t go<br />

well, but Alicia helped keep me focused and<br />

provided helpful support and feedback.<br />

“Finally,” he adds, “I’d like to thank my family<br />

for their support, and especially for always being<br />

there for me when I needed it over the summer.”<br />

Chris advises future UFE writers to do their<br />

best to stay on track: “Stay focused over the<br />

summer, and stick to your study plan—no<br />

matter how impossible or endless the process<br />

might seem. But don’t over study; never downplay<br />

the importance <strong>of</strong> downtime. Take your<br />

evenings and weekends <strong>of</strong>f to recover and take<br />

your mind <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> things.”<br />

For Chris, that meant scheduling time to play<br />

and watch hockey, watch movies, and be with<br />

friends and family.<br />

Congratulations to KNV’s<br />

2010<br />

Successful UFE Writers<br />

KNV believes the key to motivation is a unique balance <strong>of</strong><br />

desire, determination, and commitment. Wade, Alicia, Amanda,<br />

John, Sakina, Chris and Lavonne truly embody these elements in<br />

their unrelenting pursuit <strong>of</strong> goals and commitment to excellence.<br />

We are incredibly proud <strong>of</strong> our students who passed the 2010<br />

Uniform Evaluation and look forward to their future contribution<br />

as part <strong>of</strong> our team <strong>of</strong> outstanding pr<strong>of</strong>essionals.<br />

Special congratulations to Chris Schaufele who made the<br />

National Honour Roll.<br />

“The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, but<br />

rather in what direction we are moving.”<br />

- Holmes<br />

Wade Paulhus, Alicia Job, Amanda Sytsma,<br />

John Demetri, Sakina Rashid, Chris Schaufele, Lavonne Stewart<br />

www.knv.com<br />

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20 ica.bc.ca January 2011


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“Despite all the advice from past years’ writers,<br />

the UFE process was far more pressing and<br />

draining than I would have ever expected,” he<br />

admits. “After months <strong>of</strong> build up, the three<br />

days <strong>of</strong> the exam went by like a blur, and I when<br />

it was all over I felt a mixture <strong>of</strong> relief and exhaustion,<br />

but was thrilled that it was all done.<br />

And knowing that I’ve followed through on my<br />

commitments to myself and my career, and<br />

making it all the way, is extremely rewarding.”<br />

Meaghan<br />

Vanderlinden<br />

Meaghan has experienced<br />

life in four Canadian<br />

provinces so far: She was<br />

born in Calgary, Alberta,<br />

and spent her teenage<br />

years in Victoria, <strong>BC</strong>; in<br />

between, her family also<br />

lived in Thornton, Ontario and Winnipeg,<br />

Manitoba.<br />

After high school, Meaghan chose to stay in <strong>BC</strong><br />

for her post-secondary studies, enrolling in business<br />

courses at the University <strong>of</strong> Victoria. She<br />

graduated with a bachelor <strong>of</strong> commerce from<br />

UVic in 2008, and completed an MPAcc degree<br />

from the University <strong>of</strong> Saskatchewan in 2010.<br />

Meaghan is now articling with KPMG LLP in<br />

the firm’s Vancouver <strong>of</strong>fice, where she focuses<br />

on the real estate sector.<br />

“I hope to work overseas for a while and<br />

continue specializing in real estate,” she says.<br />

“Later on down the line, I could see myself<br />

teaching accounting at a post-secondary institution—following<br />

in the footsteps <strong>of</strong> my mom.”<br />

Meaghan describes her family and loved ones<br />

as her biggest supporters.<br />

“I would like to thank my mom Barbara, my<br />

dad Jos, my brother Craig, and my boyfriend<br />

Cameron Tullis, CA, for being there for me—not<br />

just during the UFE but through life. I would not<br />

be where I am today if it wasn’t for all <strong>of</strong> them.”<br />

For her success on the UFE, Meaghan also thanks<br />

her various study partners at KPMG Vancouver.<br />

“I’m grateful to all <strong>of</strong> them, but especially to<br />

Victoria Mah and Jodi Litzenberger,” she says.<br />

“And I want to thank my mentor at KPMG,<br />

Matt Stevens, CA,* for challenging me and<br />

encouraging me every step <strong>of</strong> the way.”<br />

Creating a support system is key, Meaghan<br />

says, especially in the stressful weeks leading up<br />

to the exam.<br />

“I would also advise future UFE writers to take<br />

any setbacks as learning experiences,” she adds.<br />

“Make sure to keep your confidence and main-<br />

THE FUTURE IS HERE.<br />

The partners and staff <strong>of</strong> Saturna Group are extremely proud to recognize Yi Chen and<br />

Christine Pan for successfully completing the 2010 UFE. Such achievement requires<br />

desire, determination, and effort, which are qualities that Yi and Christine have exemplified<br />

during their road to success. We are excited to have such enthusiastic and highly<br />

motivated pr<strong>of</strong>essionals serving our valued clients.<br />

At Saturna Group, we strongly believe that the foundation <strong>of</strong> our success is in the quality<br />

<strong>of</strong> our people. As a rapidly growing and dynamic boutique firm, we continually invest<br />

in our people and work with them to achieve their goals and realize their full potential.<br />

1066 West Hastings Street, Suite 1250<br />

Vancouver, <strong>BC</strong> V6E 3X1<br />

Telephone 604.630.5100<br />

Fax 1.888.870.1720<br />

tain a life outside <strong>of</strong> studying. Leave at 5pm and<br />

don’t study on weekends. Make plans with<br />

friends or find a hobby—it will help you to stay<br />

motivated and avoid burning out.” (In her spare<br />

time, Meaghan likes to go horseback riding, play<br />

volleyball, shop, travel, and hang out with friends.)<br />

“I have to say, maintaining a strong work ethic<br />

<strong>of</strong> studying five days a week and continually<br />

writing case after case was much harder than I<br />

anticipated,” Meaghan admits, “but, in the end,<br />

I’ve found the UFE experience empowering.<br />

Looking back and seeing how far I have come is<br />

really exciting.”<br />

*2009 UFE Honour Roll.<br />

Catherine<br />

Wong<br />

Born in Petaling Jaya,<br />

Malaysia, Catherine was<br />

just two years old when<br />

her family immigrated<br />

to Canada. She grew up<br />

in Vancouver, and attended<br />

the University <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>BC</strong>, where she studied accounting and transportation<br />

and logistics. In May 2008, she graduated<br />

with a bachelor <strong>of</strong> commerce.<br />

Catherine cites the example set by her brother,<br />

Mark Wong, CA (now a manager at Ernst &<br />

Young LLP in Bermuda) as a major factor in her<br />

decision to enter the CA program.<br />

“It was the natural choice for me by the time I<br />

finished university, because I already viewed the<br />

CA as the stepping stone that would provide me<br />

the most opportunities for any career I chose to<br />

pursue in the future,” she says. “Also, some <strong>of</strong><br />

the most interesting people I’ve met are CAs,<br />

and I know that getting this designation will put<br />

me in very good company.”<br />

Catherine is an articling student with Deloitte<br />

& Touche LLP in Vancouver, and she attributes<br />

much <strong>of</strong> her UFE success to the support <strong>of</strong> her<br />

colleagues at the firm.<br />

“My mentor at Deloitte, Jennifer Yeung, CA,<br />

marked my cases with an iron fist—a personal<br />

touch that ensured I didn’t make the same<br />

mistake twice,” she says. “I’m grateful for the<br />

support <strong>of</strong> all my co-workers during the UFE<br />

process, and I want to give special thanks to my<br />

study group for having the patience to put up<br />

with me the entire summer.”<br />

Keeping her mind <strong>of</strong>f the exam in the evenings<br />

<strong>of</strong>ten proved difficult, she says, but playing<br />

tennis, running, reading, and spending time<br />

with family and friends helped.<br />

“I want to thank my family and friends for<br />

their support,” she adds, “and my brother Mark,<br />

for pointing me in the right direction.”<br />

22 ica.bc.ca January 2011


Looking back, Catherine says the actual exam<br />

was comparable to the case writing she’d done<br />

with her study group.<br />

“Obviously being in the real situation creates a<br />

bit more stress, but it ultimately felt like it was<br />

just another case,” she remembers. “I expected<br />

to be much more nervous on the three days <strong>of</strong><br />

the exam, but it wasn’t an issue. I just focused on<br />

getting it done.”<br />

Catherine advises future UFE writers to be patient<br />

with their progress. “You’ll be frustrated at the<br />

start,” she says, “but you’ll reach a point where the<br />

light bulb goes <strong>of</strong>f. Before then, you have to learn<br />

how to write the exam, so don’t get too fussed<br />

about getting the right answer to start with.”<br />

Kayan Yu<br />

Born in Vancouver and<br />

raised in Coquitlam,<br />

Kayan studied biochemistry<br />

at the University <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>BC</strong>. She graduated in<br />

2006 with a bachelor <strong>of</strong><br />

science and a minor in<br />

finance. In 2007, she<br />

completed the Diploma in Accounting Program<br />

(DAP) at U<strong>BC</strong>’s Sauder School <strong>of</strong> Business.<br />

“The courses I enjoyed the most during university<br />

were the courses related to my finance minor,” she recounts. “During my last semester at<br />

U<strong>BC</strong>, I went to a DAP meeting out <strong>of</strong> curiosity, and decided right then that I wanted to become a CA.<br />

The idea that I could take my CA designation and turn it into almost any career I wanted was very<br />

appealing.”<br />

Today Kayan is articling with KPMG LLP in the firm’s Burnaby <strong>of</strong>fice. Over the long-term, she plans<br />

to have a career that enables her to make a positive contribution and effect change. Right now,<br />

however, she’s just happy to put the UFE behind her.<br />

“Before I started studying for the UFE, I was sold on the idea that my summer was going to be the<br />

best summer <strong>of</strong> my life,” she says. “Everyone described their UFE experience as a vacation. In actuality,<br />

my summer was incredibly stressful and frustrating. By the time the exam came, my only motivation<br />

was to avoid having to do it again!”<br />

Kayan is thankful for all those who helped her pass the exam.<br />

“I’d first like to thank my family who have always been there me,” she says. I’d also like to thank my<br />

childhood friends Allison Ning [articling with Vanderluit & Associates] and Craig Sherneck [articling<br />

with Walsh King], who also wrote the UFE this year, for supporting me. I’d like to thank my UFE<br />

mentors at KPMG, Sara Lien, CA, and Rohan Raheja, for marking my exams and making sure I stayed<br />

on track. Finally, I’d like to thank my study buddy Leigh Stuart Burbidge [articling with PwC LLP] for<br />

motivating me and providing a steady stream <strong>of</strong> caffeine for those long days at the library.”<br />

An avid traveller, Kayan recently took a six-week trip to celebrate finishing the UFE, travelling to<br />

China, Montreal, and New York. With the results now in, she <strong>of</strong>fers this advice to future writers:<br />

“Follow your intuition and trust yourself. Be sure to adapt a study plan or writing technique to suit<br />

your own needs and style. And don’t hesitate to lean on your support system—they’re there to help you<br />

when you really need it.”<br />

Photography<br />

Landon Bailey and James Porter were photographed by Deddeda Stemler <strong>of</strong> Photography by Deddeda<br />

in Victoria. The remaining students were photographed by Kent Kallberg <strong>of</strong> Kent Kallberg Studios<br />

Ltd. in Vancouver.<br />

January 2011 ica.bc.ca 23


UFE Results Recap for <strong>BC</strong> and CASB<br />

By Dr. Sheila Elworthy, CA<br />

O<br />

nce again, CASB students enjoyed<br />

great success on the Uniform Evaluation<br />

(UFE), one <strong>of</strong> the world’s most<br />

challenging exams. The 2010 results show that<br />

1,136 CASB students—the highest number in<br />

CASB’s ten-year history—demonstrated the<br />

level <strong>of</strong> competency required to become a CA;<br />

moreover, 954 did so on their first attempt.<br />

<strong>BC</strong> students enjoyed great success this year: 503<br />

successful candidates are from this province,<br />

and 430 <strong>of</strong> these candidates passed on their first<br />

attempt. Also this year, 24 <strong>of</strong> the 50 individuals<br />

who made the National Honour Roll this year<br />

are CASB students, and 13 are from <strong>BC</strong>.<br />

Congratulations to all <strong>of</strong> you!<br />

About the results<br />

recap<br />

In conjunction with the CICA and<br />

the other provincial institutes,<br />

the ICA<strong>BC</strong> adheres to the 2009<br />

national agreement on how to<br />

present the results. The<br />

approach focuses on flowthrough<br />

rates rather than pass<br />

rates. Extensive additional data<br />

continues to be provided to and<br />

reviewed by councils, CASB,<br />

and educators.<br />

UFE flow-through rate<br />

The number <strong>of</strong> students who write the UFE and ultimately become CAs is what determines our flowthrough<br />

rate. More than 96% <strong>of</strong> the students who have written the UFE in recent years ultimately<br />

passed the exam, which should be reassuring for CASB students who have yet to write (or pass) the UFE.<br />

Year Flow-Through %<br />

2006 97.0%<br />

2007 96.8%<br />

2008* (cumulative 2nd attempt only) 96.5%<br />

<strong>BC</strong> school performance<br />

<strong>BC</strong> schools continue to produce successful candidates, as indicated in the following table:<br />

School<br />

Number <strong>of</strong> Successful Candidates<br />

British Columbia <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> Technology 14<br />

Camosun College 8<br />

Capilano University 4<br />

Kwantlen Polytechnic University 11<br />

Langara 2<br />

Okanagan College 20<br />

Royal Roads University 6<br />

Simon Fraser University 83<br />

Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning 11<br />

Trinity Western University 7<br />

University <strong>of</strong> British Columbia 168<br />

University <strong>of</strong> the Fraser Valley 10<br />

University <strong>of</strong> Northern British Columbia 14<br />

University <strong>of</strong> Victoria 46<br />

Vancouver Island University 7<br />

Competency-based education<br />

Education, experience, and evaluation each play a role in the process <strong>of</strong> becoming a CA. CASB<br />

provides the education, CATOs deliver the experience, and the evaluation is measured on the UFE.<br />

This year’s success demonstrates the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> this approach in preparing students for long-term<br />

careers.<br />

EEO success<br />

This year we’ve seen the largest group <strong>of</strong> successful candidates who trained in expanded experience<br />

positions. A total <strong>of</strong> 26 candidates from the CASB region—including 18 from <strong>BC</strong>—trained outside<br />

public practice and successfully challenged the UFE. We expect this number to continue to grow with<br />

the number <strong>of</strong> EEO CATOs in the coming years.<br />

Again, congratulations!<br />

CASB is proud <strong>of</strong> the 503 <strong>BC</strong> candidates who were successful on the 2010 UFE, and we extend special<br />

congratulations to the 13 <strong>BC</strong> students who made the National Honour Roll.<br />

Dr. Sheila Elworthy, CA, is the vice-president <strong>of</strong> learning for the CA School <strong>of</strong> Business.<br />

24 ica.bc.ca January 2011


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26 ica.bc.ca January 2011<br />

Jaleh<br />

AFROOZE<br />

Douglas<br />

ALLAN<br />

Landon<br />

BAILEY<br />

Mason<br />

BENNETT<br />

Wilson<br />

CHEUNG<br />

Asifa<br />

HIRJI<br />

Albert<br />

HO<br />

Daphne<br />

HUANG<br />

James<br />

PORTER<br />

Christopher<br />

SCHAUFELE<br />

Meaghan<br />

VANDERLINDEN<br />

Ei-Lyn (Catherine) WONG<br />

Ka Yun (Kayan)<br />

YU<br />

Keith<br />

ACTON<br />

Daniel<br />

ADAMS<br />

Kevin<br />

AGEMA<br />

Manhal<br />

AL-KHAFAJI<br />

Bryan<br />

ALBANO<br />

Melodie<br />

ANDERSON<br />

Andrea<br />

ARMITAGE<br />

Kirandeep<br />

AUJLA<br />

Kevin<br />

BALDWINSON<br />

Robyn<br />

BELL<br />

Kyle<br />

BERGSTROM<br />

Peta<br />

BEST<br />

Tiffany<br />

BEVAN<br />

John<br />

BINSTEAD<br />

Andrew<br />

BLACK<br />

Nolan<br />

BLACKIE<br />

Clayton<br />

BOLTON<br />

Jayden-Lee<br />

BOURGARD<br />

Michael<br />

BOWCOCK<br />

Daniel<br />

BOWERMAN<br />

Christopher<br />

BOWRA<br />

Lee<br />

BRADSHAW<br />

Stephen<br />

BROWN<br />

Alissa<br />

BRYDEN<br />

Priya<br />

BUBBER<br />

Curtis<br />

BUDGELL<br />

Kyle<br />

BUNNELL<br />

Leigh<br />

BURBIDGE<br />

Benjamin<br />

CAME<br />

Derek<br />

CANDY<br />

Jack<br />

CARTMEL<br />

Michael<br />

CASALE<br />

Ryan<br />

CAVAN<br />

Daniel<br />

CHAMBERS<br />

Emily<br />

CHAN<br />

Hong Nathan<br />

CHAN<br />

Serena<br />

CHAN<br />

Sibil<br />

CHAN<br />

Victoria<br />

CHAN<br />

Subash<br />

CHAND<br />

Gurdev<br />

CHANDI<br />

Darryl<br />

CHANG<br />

Shelly Yih-Wen<br />

CHANG<br />

Susie<br />

CHANG<br />

Hsuan-Yi (Jenny) CHAO<br />

Monique<br />

CHARBONEAU<br />

Ellina<br />

CHARIPOVA<br />

Ratika<br />

CHAUDHARY<br />

Ramanjit<br />

CHEEMA<br />

Lixin<br />

CHEN<br />

Congratulations to <strong>BC</strong>’s 503 Successful<br />

UFE Candidates for 2010!<br />

Yi<br />

CHEN<br />

Allan<br />

CHENG<br />

Quan<br />

CHENG<br />

Vincent<br />

CHENG<br />

Alexander<br />

CHEONG<br />

Alice<br />

CHEUNG<br />

Lindsay<br />

CHIANG<br />

Jeanie<br />

CHOI<br />

Edmond<br />

CHONG<br />

Charles<br />

CHOU<br />

Queenie<br />

CHOU<br />

Aaron<br />

CHOW<br />

Daniel<br />

CHOW<br />

May<br />

CHOW<br />

Venus<br />

CHOW<br />

Hee Young<br />

CHUNG<br />

Jessica<br />

CLARANCE<br />

Dustin<br />

CLARK<br />

Sarah<br />

CLARK<br />

Adrienne<br />

CLAROTTO<br />

Amanda<br />

CLIFF<br />

Michael<br />

CLIFF<br />

Alison<br />

COLLINS<br />

Courtney<br />

COLLINS<br />

Joshua<br />

CONTANT<br />

Suzanna<br />

CRESCENZO<br />

Lee<br />

CRIGHTON<br />

Heather<br />

CROW<br />

Julie<br />

CRUISE<br />

Kelly<br />

CUNNINGHAM<br />

Robert<br />

CURRAN<br />

Brent<br />

D’ANDREA<br />

Adrian<br />

DASTUR<br />

Gemma<br />

DAVIS<br />

Sean<br />

DEISSNER<br />

Markus<br />

DELVES<br />

Ioannis<br />

DEMETRI<br />

Kassi<br />

DESROCHERS<br />

Darren<br />

DEVINE<br />

Avthar<br />

DHALIWAL<br />

Jasbir<br />

DHALIWAL<br />

Navdeep<br />

DHALIWAL<br />

Raveena<br />

DHALIWAL<br />

Jason<br />

DHAMI<br />

Adrian<br />

DICKMAN<br />

Wenwen<br />

DING<br />

Jason<br />

DONG<br />

Katherine<br />

DONNELLY<br />

William-Francis<br />

DOS SANTOS<br />

Sean<br />

DOUGHERTY<br />

Heather<br />

DOWNEY<br />

Nimrat<br />

DUHRA<br />

Lina<br />

DUQUE<br />

Reid<br />

DUTHIE<br />

Matthew<br />

EDEN<br />

Courtney<br />

ENG<br />

Wendy<br />

ENNS<br />

Justin<br />

EZEKIEL<br />

Nathan<br />

FALLIS<br />

Walter<br />

FAWCUS<br />

Sandra<br />

FERENZ<br />

Zico<br />

FERNANDES<br />

Ryan<br />

FINNER<br />

Cory<br />

FLECK<br />

Tamara<br />

FLINDELL<br />

Jason<br />

FOTH<br />

Ian<br />

FREW<br />

Martene<br />

FRIESEN<br />

Tyler<br />

FRIESEN<br />

Lee<br />

FULLA<br />

Bonnie<br />

FUNG<br />

Joyce<br />

FUNG<br />

Sabrina<br />

FUNG<br />

Sherry<br />

FUNG<br />

Kimberly<br />

FUSSELL<br />

Robert<br />

GEIER<br />

Ylena<br />

GERSHTEIN<br />

Harkeet<br />

GHAG<br />

Jacklyn<br />

GIDDA<br />

Kara<br />

GILLILAND<br />

Christopher<br />

GREGSON<br />

Steven<br />

GRIPPO<br />

Richard<br />

GROVES<br />

Joshua<br />

GRUBNER<br />

Gui<br />

GUI<br />

Connie<br />

GUO<br />

Volodymyr<br />

GUSAK<br />

Hussain<br />

HAJI<br />

Ryan<br />

HALES<br />

Kristal<br />

HAMAKAWA<br />

Nicholas<br />

HAMILL<br />

Ryan<br />

HAMILTON<br />

Tawnya<br />

HAMILTON<br />

Ian<br />

HARCUS<br />

William<br />

HARPER<br />

Shawn<br />

HARRISON<br />

Ken<br />

HARVEY<br />

Timothy<br />

HARVIE<br />

Erin<br />

HAY<br />

Crystal<br />

HE<br />

Shuo<br />

HE<br />

Benjamin<br />

HELLEWELL<br />

Laura<br />

HENDERSON<br />

Kathleen<br />

HILL<br />

Eriko<br />

HIRABAYASHI<br />

Betty<br />

HO<br />

Irene<br />

HO<br />

Nicholas<br />

HO<br />

Terry<br />

HO<br />

Steven<br />

HOLDEN<br />

Terence<br />

HOLMES<br />

Liang Chin<br />

HONG<br />

Martina<br />

HORVATHOVA<br />

Sean<br />

HOSICK<br />

Shuming<br />

HU<br />

Chia-Mei<br />

HUANG<br />

Li Xin<br />

HUANG<br />

Shaohua<br />

HUANG<br />

Xinlin<br />

HUANG<br />

Ye Xi<br />

HUANG<br />

Idania<br />

HUERTA MUNOZ<br />

Allan<br />

HUNG<br />

Evany<br />

HUNG<br />

Ryan<br />

HUNG<br />

Tun<br />

HUNG<br />

Andrew<br />

INGENHORST<br />

Susan<br />

INOUYE<br />

Michelle<br />

IORIO<br />

Noel<br />

ISBERG<br />

George<br />

JAMES<br />

Brandon<br />

JANG<br />

Aman<br />

JANJUA<br />

Marika<br />

JAROSZKIEWICZ<br />

Lisa<br />

JARVIE<br />

Braden<br />

JENSEN<br />

Irena<br />

JESOVNIK<br />

Michael<br />

JIANG<br />

Alicia<br />

JOBB<br />

Tanner<br />

JOHNSTON<br />

Erin<br />

JOYNER<br />

National<br />

Honour Roll


January 2011 ica.bc.ca 27<br />

Anuja<br />

JUMANI<br />

Lisa<br />

JUNG<br />

Christopher<br />

JURY<br />

Theodore<br />

KEBEDE<br />

Nicole<br />

KELEMEN<br />

Satinderjit<br />

KHATKAR<br />

Daniel<br />

KIM<br />

Yun-Hsuan<br />

KO<br />

Jasmin<br />

KOHL<br />

Wing Yan Daisy KONG<br />

Georgiy<br />

KOVALYOV<br />

Chelsea<br />

KRAFT<br />

Adrian<br />

KUBAS<br />

Vikramjit<br />

KULLAR<br />

Chin Hang<br />

LAI<br />

Daniel<br />

LAI<br />

Amy<br />

LANG<br />

Donnelle<br />

LANG<br />

Alex<br />

LAU<br />

Clive<br />

LAU<br />

Liana<br />

LAU<br />

Nathan<br />

LAU<br />

Nevin<br />

LAU<br />

Brian<br />

LAVECK<br />

Gary<br />

LAW<br />

Perry<br />

LAWLOR<br />

Christopher<br />

LAWSON<br />

James<br />

LAWSON<br />

Andrew<br />

LEE<br />

Brenda<br />

LEE<br />

Calvin<br />

LEE<br />

Jessica<br />

LEE<br />

Joanne<br />

LEE<br />

Jonathan<br />

LEE<br />

Karvin<br />

LEE<br />

Tony<br />

LEE<br />

Riley<br />

LEFEBVRE<br />

Andrew<br />

LEUNG<br />

Janet<br />

LEUNG<br />

Frances<br />

LEVITT<br />

Li<br />

LI<br />

Na<br />

LI<br />

Suet Wai (Yukie) LI<br />

Yixing<br />

LI<br />

Yong Tao<br />

LI<br />

Christopher<br />

LIM<br />

Cathy<br />

LIN<br />

Chuan Chiao<br />

LIN<br />

Hsin<br />

LIN<br />

Lora<br />

LIN<br />

Paulina<br />

LIPSKA<br />

Jodi<br />

LITZENBERGER<br />

Bochun<br />

LIU<br />

Danny<br />

LIU<br />

Ellen Xinyi<br />

LIU<br />

Ning<br />

LIU<br />

Xin<br />

LIU<br />

Michael<br />

LLOYD<br />

Victoria<br />

LO<br />

Jane Anne<br />

LONG<br />

Catherine<br />

LOT<br />

Graeme<br />

LOW AH KEE<br />

Amanda<br />

LOWDEN<br />

Leah<br />

LUDVIGSON<br />

Nancy<br />

LY<br />

Annie<br />

MA<br />

Ryan<br />

MA<br />

Scott<br />

MACCORMAC<br />

Scott<br />

MACEACHERN<br />

Elizabeth<br />

MACKENZIE<br />

Erin<br />

MACKILLOP<br />

Jordan<br />

MACLELLAN<br />

Brandon<br />

MACNEIL<br />

Ross<br />

MACPHERSON<br />

Owen<br />

MADRICK<br />

Victoria<br />

MAH<br />

Emily<br />

MAHANNAH<br />

Stephanie Y-W<br />

MAK<br />

Junaid<br />

MALAM-HASSAM<br />

Andrew<br />

MALASHEWSKY<br />

Soni<br />

MAND<br />

Nicholas<br />

MARACH<br />

Jonathan<br />

MARKS<br />

Christina<br />

MARTIN<br />

Stephanie<br />

MASON<br />

Laura<br />

MAZUR<br />

Alexander<br />

MCAULAY<br />

Kyle<br />

MCELWEE<br />

Heather<br />

MCGHIE<br />

Lucas<br />

MCLEAN<br />

Shahilla<br />

MEGHANI<br />

Martie<br />

MENDOZA<br />

Ankur<br />

MERWAHA<br />

Kali<br />

MEYER<br />

Ge<strong>of</strong>frey<br />

MIACHIKA<br />

Tarah<br />

MILLER<br />

David<br />

MILLIGAN<br />

Amrit<br />

MINHAS<br />

Cara-Mia<br />

MITCHELL<br />

Zoe<br />

MITCHELL<br />

Heidi<br />

MO<br />

Paul<br />

MOORE<br />

Sandra<br />

MORFORD<br />

Kevin<br />

MORRIS<br />

Jonathan<br />

MORRISON<br />

Carolina<br />

MORSE<br />

Jason<br />

MOSBERIAN<br />

Stephanie<br />

MUNRO<br />

Allana<br />

MURRAY<br />

Charles<br />

MUTANDA<br />

Ainslie<br />

MUZZIN<br />

Jason<br />

NALEWANYJ<br />

Rachid<br />

NAYEL<br />

Matija<br />

NECEMER<br />

Christine<br />

NELSON<br />

Michael<br />

NG<br />

Tanya<br />

NICHOLISHEN<br />

Christopher<br />

NICKEL<br />

Allison<br />

NING<br />

Elena<br />

NOVIKOVA<br />

Mark<br />

NOWOSTAWSKI<br />

Kevin<br />

O’REILLY<br />

Raymond<br />

OLTHUIS<br />

Richard<br />

ORMISTON<br />

James<br />

ORR<br />

Ted<br />

PACSON<br />

Christine<br />

PAN<br />

Tatiana<br />

PANASSOVA<br />

Marco<br />

PARENTE<br />

Scott<br />

PARK<br />

Kathryn<br />

PARKER<br />

Jay<br />

PARLEY<br />

Parminder<br />

PARMAR<br />

Wade<br />

PAULHUS<br />

Mark<br />

PAXIAN<br />

Lejla<br />

PEKARIC<br />

Bo<br />

PENG<br />

Dustin<br />

PEWARCHUK<br />

Thomas<br />

PHILIPPSON<br />

William<br />

PICKLES<br />

Daniel<br />

POELMAN<br />

Monica<br />

POLONIS<br />

David<br />

POPE<br />

Michael<br />

POTTS<br />

Jane<br />

PROVINCIANO<br />

James<br />

QI<br />

Mirza<br />

RAHIMANI<br />

Parveen<br />

RAI<br />

David<br />

RAJANAYAGAM<br />

Nicole<br />

RAMSAY<br />

Sakina<br />

RASHID<br />

Brenton<br />

REIMER<br />

Sina<br />

REZAI<br />

Michelle<br />

RICHIER<br />

Matthew<br />

RICHMOND<br />

Daniel<br />

ROBERT<br />

Jessica<br />

ROBERTS<br />

Teri<br />

ROBINSON<br />

Jessica<br />

ROCKLIFF<br />

Ramil<br />

RODRIGUEZ<br />

Paul<br />

ROKEBY-THOMAS<br />

Evgenia<br />

ROLZING<br />

Alisa<br />

ROSENBERG<br />

Dale<br />

ROSS<br />

Jeffrey<br />

ROSS<br />

Gregory<br />

RUITENBECK<br />

Kristin<br />

RUMMELL<br />

Ryan<br />

SAHOTA<br />

Kristen<br />

SALI<br />

Joseph<br />

SALTER<br />

William<br />

SASS<br />

Valerie<br />

SAUVE<br />

Jameel<br />

SAYANI<br />

Adam<br />

SCHELL<br />

Angela<br />

SCHMID<br />

Kevin<br />

SCHMIDT<br />

Patricia<br />

SCHOENROTH<br />

Christopher<br />

SCOTT<br />

Jennifer<br />

SCOTT<br />

David<br />

SEBASTIAN<br />

Justin<br />

SEBULSKY<br />

Francesco<br />

SEMINARA<br />

Rupam<br />

SHAH<br />

Timothy<br />

SHAM<br />

Iqbal<br />

SHANGHERA<br />

Heather<br />

SHARPE<br />

Hamid<br />

SHEKARCHI<br />

Corey<br />

SHELTON<br />

Craig<br />

SHERNECK<br />

Laura<br />

SHIELL<br />

Lori<br />

SHIPPY<br />

Han<br />

SHU<br />

Aaron<br />

SHUTO<br />

Leja<br />

SIMPSON<br />

Dian<br />

SINAGA<br />

Lorne Angus<br />

SINCLAIR<br />

Jason<br />

SISKA<br />

Gwennie<br />

SIU<br />

Emily<br />

SLUGGETT<br />

James<br />

SMEATON<br />

Nick<br />

SMITH<br />

Stefanie<br />

SO<br />

Jeminah<br />

SOLIMAN<br />

Andrew<br />

SOMERS<br />

Eva<br />

SOPPIT<br />

Matthew<br />

SPLINTER<br />

Ryan<br />

STASCHUK<br />

continued on page 28


<strong>BC</strong>’s Successful UFE Candidates<br />

continued<br />

Jacqueline STEVENS<br />

Jonathan STEWART<br />

Lavonne STEWART<br />

Richard STOLZ<br />

Andrea STUART<br />

Yuki<br />

SUGIYAMA<br />

Jimmy SUM<br />

Jennifer SUNG<br />

Brent<br />

SUTHERLAND<br />

Amanda SYTSMA<br />

Dayna SZYNDROWSKI<br />

Kyle<br />

TAKEUCHI<br />

Stefanny TAM<br />

Junko TAMASHIRO<br />

Kevin<br />

TANG<br />

Adrienne TAYLOR<br />

Ashleigh TAYLOR<br />

Megan TERRILL<br />

Ge<strong>of</strong>frey TESSAROLO<br />

Rachel THOMAS<br />

Robyn THOMSON<br />

Jason<br />

TIESSEN<br />

Natalie TIMLER<br />

Jennie TO<br />

Julia<br />

TOMPA<br />

Winnie TONG<br />

Shahed TOOTOONIAN<br />

Joy<br />

TOU<br />

Shaun TROWSDALE<br />

Molika TRUEMAN<br />

Wan-Hsien (Nina) TSAI<br />

Yun-Lin<br />

Nina<br />

Jameel<br />

Roberto<br />

Jeffrey<br />

Kimberly<br />

Gregory<br />

Tatjana<br />

Jan<br />

Gianni<br />

Jeannette<br />

Omar<br />

Ketan<br />

Jonathan<br />

Jamie<br />

Sarah<br />

Lingya<br />

Elizabeth<br />

Jeffrey<br />

Benjamin<br />

Crysta<br />

Siqi<br />

Wen (Alice)<br />

Laura<br />

Scott<br />

Robert<br />

Ryan<br />

Andrew<br />

Jeremy<br />

Brenda<br />

Amanda<br />

TSENG<br />

TURKIEWICZ<br />

VAGHELA<br />

VALENTE<br />

VAN JAARSVELD<br />

VAN WIEREN<br />

VANDERGAAG<br />

VAREP<br />

VEIEL<br />

VELTRI<br />

VERGARA<br />

VISRAM<br />

VOHORA<br />

VONDETTE<br />

WALGREN<br />

WALSH<br />

WANG<br />

WARNICA<br />

WASYLIW<br />

WATERER<br />

WEBB<br />

WEI<br />

WEN<br />

WENSLEY<br />

WHITE<br />

WIDDESS<br />

WILCOX<br />

WILLIAMS<br />

WOENSDREGT<br />

WOLFRAM<br />

WONG<br />

Richard<br />

Timothy<br />

Travis<br />

Tyler<br />

Dorothy<br />

Bentley<br />

Peter<br />

Chun<br />

Jacqueline<br />

Yi<br />

Jeffrey<br />

Ersu<br />

Ying<br />

Lee<br />

Shuangjie<br />

Yi<br />

Krystal<br />

Melissa<br />

Man Wah<br />

Jeffery<br />

Jennifer<br />

Kevin<br />

Lawrence<br />

Sharon<br />

Sharon<br />

Kyung-Ah<br />

Sara<br />

Rong<br />

Cong<br />

Min<br />

Xiaoling<br />

WONG<br />

WONG<br />

WONG<br />

WONG<br />

WOO<br />

WOOD<br />

WOODRUFF<br />

WU<br />

WU<br />

WU<br />

WUBS<br />

XU<br />

XU<br />

YAKUBOWICH<br />

YANG<br />

YAO<br />

YEE<br />

YEOMANS<br />

YIP<br />

YOUNG<br />

YU<br />

YU<br />

YUEN<br />

YUEN<br />

YUEN<br />

YUN<br />

ZACHARIAS<br />

ZHAO<br />

ZHOU<br />

ZHOU<br />

ZHOU<br />

THE DEDICATION. THE CHALLENGE.<br />

THE RESULTS.<br />

Wolrige Mahon congratulates our successful UFE<br />

writers – Adrian Dickman, Kyle Takeuchi, Adrienne<br />

Clarotto, David Sebastian and Justin Sebulsky.<br />

We are proud to develop quality pr<strong>of</strong>essionals to<br />

manage the needs <strong>of</strong> our valued clients.<br />

Our firm consistently demonstrates high UFE pass<br />

rates year after year, and this year is no exception with<br />

a 100% pass rate!<br />

Wolrige Mahon Ninth Floor 400 Burrard Street Vancouver British Columbia www.wolrigemahon.com<br />

28 ica.bc.ca January 2011


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FCA, B.COMM., CFP, CLU,<br />

CH.F.C.<br />

Martin Zlotnik<br />

B.COMM., LL.B<br />

Mark A. Zlotnik<br />

C.A., CLU<br />

P.M (Pip) Steele<br />

B.COMM., CFP, CLU, CH.F.C.<br />

Robert E. Olson<br />

B.A.<br />

H.G. (Howie)<br />

Young<br />

CFP<br />

Carrie Lyle<br />

B.COMM., MBA, CMA, CIM<br />

Amin E. Jamal<br />

A.C.I.I., CLU, TEP<br />

John V.R. Wark<br />

B.COMM., C.A., CFP, CLU,<br />

CH.F.C.<br />

Ross Gibson<br />

DIPT.T<br />

Ken McNaughton<br />

CFP, CLU, CH.F.C., RHU,<br />

CSA<br />

Lynn Newsome<br />

W.A. (Bill) Finlay<br />

B.A., C.A.<br />

Bruce K. Berger<br />

B.A., CFP<br />

Michael A. Healey<br />

B.A., CFP, RHU<br />

Heidi U. Pullem<br />

CFP, CDFA<br />

Matthew W.P.<br />

Anthony<br />

B.A., CFP<br />

Aeronn Zlotnik<br />

B.A.<br />

Nancy Pereira<br />

GBA<br />

Philip Levinson<br />

C.A.<br />

John McKeachie<br />

Peter Walmsley<br />

EPC<br />

Trent Gurney<br />

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www.zlc.net


CA Specialist Designations Series<br />

By Marlyn Won, CA, CMA, MAcc, and Michelle McRae<br />

When it comes to your career, have you considered using the CA designation as a springboard into a specialty area? Specialization is a topic <strong>of</strong><br />

interest for many ICA<strong>BC</strong> members—from newly qualified CAs wanting to explore career options to well-established CAs looking to increase<br />

their expertise in a particular field. If you’re among them, you may be wondering if earning a CA specialist designation is the right choice for<br />

you at this point in your career.<br />

To help you answer this question, we’ve put together a four-part series on the six CA specialist designations currently endorsed by the <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong><br />

<strong>of</strong> Canada (see chart on page 31). Our first instalment pr<strong>of</strong>iles the CA·CIA designation for CAs working in internal audit. Look for information on the<br />

CA·CBV, CA·CIRP, CA·CISA, CA·IFA, and CA·IT designations in upcoming issues <strong>of</strong> the magazine.<br />

Our thanks to the CA specialist designees who agreed to be interviewed for this series.<br />

Part 1: CA·CIA<br />

Under an agreement between the CICA’s National Specialization Council and the <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> Internal<br />

Auditors (IIA), the CICA recognizes the IIA’s Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) program as the specialist<br />

certification program for CAs working in internal audit.<br />

The CIA designation was established in 1974. It is recognized internationally, and there are now<br />

more than 60,000 active CIA designees worldwide. The designation signifies pr<strong>of</strong>iciency in internal<br />

audit, management controls, corporate governance, and risk management, and, as such, is applicable<br />

to all sectors.<br />

To gain some insight into what it means to hold this designation, we spoke to three <strong>BC</strong> CA·CIAs:<br />

Gurmit Aujla, CA·CIA, is the director <strong>of</strong> Internal Audit at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation<br />

in Richmond. He earned his CA·CIA designation in 2000. David Chiang, CA·CIA, is the general<br />

manager and director <strong>of</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Services with ACL Services Ltd., a Vancouver-based s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />

company that provides audit analytic technologies<br />

to the governance, risk, and compliance market.<br />

He earned his CA·CIA designation in 2001.<br />

Lisa Dorian, CA·CIA, is the president <strong>of</strong><br />

PowellDorian, a consulting firm in Vancouver<br />

that focuses on governance, risk, and controls<br />

to help companies maximize and protect shareholder<br />

value. She earned her CA·CIA designation<br />

in 2004.<br />

Gurmit Aujla,<br />

CA·CIA<br />

Create wealth for your<br />

retirement. Create jobs for <strong>BC</strong>.<br />

The Working Opportunity Fund<br />

<strong>of</strong>fers investors:<br />

•Up to $1,500 in tax credits<br />

•An investment for your RRSP<br />

•The satisfaction <strong>of</strong> helping to create<br />

well-paying jobs in <strong>BC</strong><br />

David Chiang,<br />

CA·CIA<br />

Call your Investment Advisor or visit<br />

www.growthworks.ca/w<strong>of</strong><br />

Lisa Dorian,<br />

CA·CIA<br />

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees<br />

and expenses all may be associated with investment<br />

fund purchases. Please read the prospectus before<br />

investing. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their<br />

values change frequently and past performance may<br />

not be repeated. Investments in the Fund have some<br />

restrictions on resale and redemption. Tax credits are<br />

subject to certain conditions.<br />

30 ica.bc.ca January 2011


Why did you pursue the CIA?<br />

Gurmit Aujla, CA·CIA: The opportunity to<br />

travel internationally and work with the operational<br />

side <strong>of</strong> the business enticed me into the<br />

internal audit industry. The CIA designation<br />

allows you to be best-in-class and a leader in this<br />

field. It lays the foundation for working in the<br />

internal audit environment, and it’s the standard<br />

by which internal auditors demonstrate their<br />

competency and pr<strong>of</strong>essionalism.<br />

David Chiang, CA·CIA: When I joined ACL<br />

Services, my mandate was to grow its technologyenabled<br />

consulting practice. It was a natural fit<br />

for me to extend my expertise by becoming a<br />

CIA. I initially compared the CIA and the CISA,<br />

as both are relevant for our consulting, but<br />

because my primary contacts in our customer<br />

base are chief auditors, the CIA was the preferred<br />

designation.<br />

Lisa Dorian, CA·CIA: I was helping a financial<br />

services client set up their business, and one <strong>of</strong> the<br />

last items for me to do was to hire an internal auditor.<br />

When I suggested that the client outsource<br />

CICA-Endorsed Specialist Designations<br />

Specialist Designation Issuing Body or Website<br />

Accredited Organization<br />

CA·CIA <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> Internal Auditors cica.ca/cia<br />

(Certified Internal Auditor)<br />

CA·CBV Canadian <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chartered</strong> cica.ca/cbv<br />

(<strong>Chartered</strong> Business Valuator) Business Valuators<br />

CA·CIRP Canadian Association <strong>of</strong> Insolvency cica.ca/cirp<br />

(<strong>Chartered</strong> Insolvency and and Restructuring Pr<strong>of</strong>essionals<br />

Restructuring Pr<strong>of</strong>essional)<br />

CA·CISA Information Systems Audit cica.ca/cisa<br />

(Certified Information<br />

and Control Association<br />

Systems Auditor)<br />

CA·IFA CICA Alliance for Excellence in cica.ca/ifa<br />

(Investigative and<br />

Investigative and Forensic Accounting<br />

Forensic Accounting)<br />

CA·IT CICA Alliance for Excellence in cica.ca/it<br />

(Information Technology) Information Technology<br />

since they didn’t require a full-time resource, they asked me to fill the role. After much consideration and discussion, I agreed. I recognized that in order to<br />

fulfil my responsibilities to the best <strong>of</strong> my abilities, I would need more training. I did some research and determined that the CIA designation would meet<br />

my needs perfectly. What I liked most about the CIA is that it provides a basis for the skills and knowledge required by anyone involved in internal audit.<br />

Our team has over 35 years experience valuing businesses across<br />

virtually every industry sector in Canada. With <strong>of</strong>fices in Vancouver,<br />

Kelowna, and an affiliated <strong>of</strong>fice in Toronto, we service clients<br />

across the country.<br />

In an ever increasing world <strong>of</strong> specialization, we act as business<br />

valuation consultants to chartered accountants, lawyers and their<br />

clients. We work closely with CA’s and lawyers as we are specialists<br />

only in business valuations and related areas. Through Tailwind<br />

Corporate Finance we are active in the mergers and acquisitions midmarket<br />

and advise both buyers and sellers <strong>of</strong> mid-sized businesses.<br />

Donald M. Spence, FCA, FCBV, C.ARB.<br />

dspence@spencevaluation.com<br />

For more information about our services, please contact one <strong>of</strong> our<br />

team members: Don Spence, FCA, FCBV, C.ARB., Derek Sanders, CA, CBV, CFA,<br />

or Tracey Harrop-Printz, CGA.<br />

1.800.658.7450 www.spencevaluation.com<br />

www.tailwindgroup.ca<br />

Mergers and Acquisitions | Business Valuations | Financial Litigation Support<br />

T O R O N T O 416.255.0993 K E L O W N A 250.448.7450 V A N C O U V E R 604.678.6411<br />

January 2011 ica.bc.ca 31


Once I had the CIA designation, it made sense<br />

to apply for the specialist designation and become<br />

a CA·CIA to demonstrate my specialty in the<br />

area <strong>of</strong> governance, risk, and control.<br />

At what point in your career<br />

did you get the CIA?<br />

David: I qualified as a CA in 1993 and received<br />

my CIA eight years later, in 2001. By that point,<br />

I was already well-established in the pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />

advisory area as a CA and certified management<br />

consultant. When I joined ACL, where the<br />

customer base is primarily internal audit pr<strong>of</strong>essionals,<br />

I saw the CIA designation as a means to<br />

establish credibility.<br />

Lisa: I obtained my CIA 10 years post-CA<br />

qualification. I was fairly well-established<br />

already, having held controllership and CFO<br />

positions before trying my hand at consulting.<br />

When I agreed to get into internal audit, I wanted<br />

to make sure that I had the knowledge behind<br />

me to support and lend credibility to my work,<br />

and the CIA designation did that for me. And<br />

when I truly understood what internal auditing<br />

was all about, I realized that this was more than<br />

just a part-time gig, and that internal audit absolutely<br />

is a value-added role in any organization.<br />

Gurmit: I got my CA in 1999 and my CIA<br />

shortly thereafter, in 2000. I was among the first<br />

group to receive the CA·CIA specialist designation.<br />

At the time, I was working at my first job<br />

in internal audit, and the CIA designation was<br />

a great way to improve my technical skills and<br />

better understand the internal audit field.<br />

What was the process like for<br />

you?<br />

Lisa: I found it to be fairly straightforward. I put<br />

in my required internal audit time and then<br />

wrote the exams. Since the skills <strong>of</strong> a CA are<br />

complementary to the internal audit pr<strong>of</strong>ession,<br />

I only needed to write three <strong>of</strong> the four exams.<br />

I used a series <strong>of</strong> self-study books and studied<br />

during any spare time, including when I went<br />

on a three-week vacation to Mexico. I have<br />

to say that was one <strong>of</strong> my more “interesting”<br />

vacations! I sat by the pool for several hours<br />

every day, reading a book with the acronym<br />

“CIA” emblazoned across the front cover, and a<br />

few people asked me if I was studying to become<br />

a federal agent!<br />

I think the entire process ended up taking<br />

around two years, start to finish. I made things a<br />

little more difficult on myself by choosing to sit<br />

for all three exams at once instead <strong>of</strong> spreading it<br />

out more; however, I was happy I had that option,<br />

as it forced me to commit to the process<br />

and prepare properly. The process itself has<br />

become somewhat easier now, as the exams are now<br />

computer-based, and results are instantaneous.<br />

Now that I have the specialist designation,<br />

I maintain it by obtaining the majority <strong>of</strong><br />

my continuing pr<strong>of</strong>essional development hours<br />

in the area <strong>of</strong> governance, risk, and control,<br />

both through attending courses/ webinars and<br />

putting them on as well.<br />

David: The process involved self-study to<br />

prepare for the four-part, multiple-choice exam<br />

(though, as mentioned, CAs and other certified<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>essionals are exempted from one <strong>of</strong> the four<br />

exams). The benefit <strong>of</strong> self-study is that you can<br />

go through the materials at your own pace.<br />

When I wrote the CIA exams, they were<br />

paper-based, but now, you can walk into an<br />

exam centre and write the exam electronically<br />

whenever you feel ready.<br />

I completed the CIA in less than one year and<br />

wrote all the CIA exams at the same time. With<br />

the convenient electronic examination process<br />

for newer candidates, a typical timeframe can be<br />

to write the exams over a period <strong>of</strong> a year or<br />

more. However, you still need the practical audit<br />

32 ica.bc.ca January 2011


experience as part <strong>of</strong> the accreditation process.<br />

Gurmit: It only took me a couple <strong>of</strong> months,<br />

but it depends on the amount <strong>of</strong> time you’re<br />

able to commit. It’s no easy task, but it’s worth<br />

the effort. What I liked best about the program<br />

was the wide breath <strong>of</strong> knowledge tested. And<br />

the focus on IT was a pleasant surprise.<br />

What benefits have you<br />

experienced?<br />

Gurmit: The designation is good for career<br />

advancement and success, because you’re seen as<br />

the expert in your field. It increases your earning<br />

potential, and makes you more competitive in<br />

the job market. It also gives you opportunities to<br />

work with large international companies, as<br />

you’re able to apply your skill-set in different<br />

international settings.<br />

While working with an international company,<br />

my CA·CIA designation gave me increased<br />

exposure to the Asian and European markets. It<br />

allowed me to work with colleagues from Asia,<br />

Europe, and Africa to get an understanding <strong>of</strong><br />

their audit practices. Now, at the <strong>BC</strong> Lottery<br />

Corporation, the CA·CIA designation brings<br />

added respect, and quite <strong>of</strong>ten I am seen as the<br />

governance and control “go-to guy.”<br />

David: As a specialist in technology-enabled<br />

audit, I’ve had the opportunity to work on some<br />

very interesting customer engagements, from<br />

fraud detection to enterprise-wide controls<br />

monitoring. As well, I’ve contributed to the<br />

development <strong>of</strong> market-leading technology solutions<br />

for data analysis and continuous auditing.<br />

In addition, I’m frequently invited to speak as<br />

a thought leader on data analytics at pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />

conferences. I’ve presented at over 30 conferences,<br />

and enjoy sharing case studies and best<br />

practices. I’ve authored articles and contributed<br />

to various blogs, and I’ve also had the pleasure<br />

<strong>of</strong> travelling to different conference and client<br />

locations.<br />

The CIA designation has also been especially<br />

helpful in my governance work as a member <strong>of</strong><br />

several audit committees. It is an extra value-add<br />

when dealing with chief auditors, external<br />

auditors and other audit committee members—<br />

especially those not deeply familiar with<br />

controls.<br />

But it’s not just about the designation. My<br />

membership in the IIA has allowed me to<br />

contribute to the internal audit pr<strong>of</strong>ession—<br />

both at the chapter level, where I’ve served on a<br />

number <strong>of</strong> boards, and the international level,<br />

where I served on the Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Issues Committee.<br />

And as an IIA member, I’m able to enjoy<br />

many social, networking, and educational opportunities<br />

hosted regularly by the IIA Vancouver<br />

Chapter.<br />

Lisa: Obtaining my CA gave me a very strong<br />

skill set for analytical thinking and problem<br />

solving, and my CIA designation has provided<br />

additional training and knowledge in the area <strong>of</strong><br />

governance, risk, and control. By having a<br />

CA·CIA, I’m able to assure my clients that I<br />

have the appropriate skill-set to carry out my<br />

assignments.<br />

I’ve also had the opportunity to conduct a lot<br />

<strong>of</strong> training sessions for finance and internal audit<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>essionals. The specialist designation lends<br />

credibility, and provides a level <strong>of</strong> comfort to<br />

my audience, letting them know that I’m well<br />

qualified to speak on my subject matter. For me<br />

personally, I want to take the knowledge that<br />

I’ve gained and share it to the best <strong>of</strong> my ability,<br />

which is why I now spend the majority <strong>of</strong> my<br />

time training and speaking on this topic.<br />

I have also found that there is a substantial<br />

amount <strong>of</strong> support material available through<br />

the IIA, and I appreciate that internal audit<br />

standards are very stringent and well thoughtout<br />

to both support and guide internal auditors.<br />

January 2011 ica.bc.ca 33


Who should consider earning<br />

the CIA?<br />

Lisa: Any CA who is involved in or wants to be<br />

involved in the internal audit pr<strong>of</strong>ession should<br />

consider it. As CAs, we understand basic audit<br />

techniques, but all <strong>of</strong> our training is focused on<br />

financial statement objectives. Internal audit is<br />

much different, focusing on internal control<br />

objectives. To be a good internal auditor, it’s<br />

important to be more operationally focused and<br />

consider things from a business process perspective.<br />

The CIA training helps refocus that thinking,<br />

and the designation is so valuable in demonstrating<br />

that you’re a specialist.<br />

I also think that when a new CA is looking to<br />

move into industry that he or she should<br />

consider pursuing internal audit as an alternative<br />

to a role in finance. Internal audit gives you the<br />

opportunity to learn all facets <strong>of</strong> a business and<br />

provides a good career path for anyone who may<br />

want to move into a senior management role.<br />

In fact, when we perform quality assessment<br />

reviews for internal audit departments, one <strong>of</strong><br />

the questions we ask is whether the company<br />

uses the internal audit department as a training<br />

ground for high-performing individuals who<br />

have management potential, as this is considered<br />

a best practice.<br />

Gurmit: Anyone serious about a career in internal<br />

audit or risk management should consider<br />

earning the CIA designation.<br />

I think it’s a must-have for new hires in internal<br />

audit who want to move to the top management<br />

positions in the field. It shows commitment, pr<strong>of</strong>iciency,<br />

and pr<strong>of</strong>essionalism, and demonstrates<br />

knowledge, skills, and competency in the internal<br />

audit field. The designation will help distinguish<br />

you from your competition, all other things being<br />

equal. I think it would be seen as a positive even for<br />

an individual who’s not in the internal audit field—<br />

with our expertise in risk and governance, CIAs<br />

would make a welcome addition to any finance<br />

department.<br />

David: Anyone who is involved in controls<br />

and risk management would be ideal for this<br />

designation. Career-minded CAs who are considering<br />

the internal audit pr<strong>of</strong>ession or servicing<br />

clients who may be chief auditors would<br />

definitely benefit. The CIA can also be considered<br />

if someone is contemplating a career in<br />

compliance or risk management.<br />

What’s the demand in the<br />

marketplace?<br />

David: In the last decade, there has been a<br />

tremendous increase in the number <strong>of</strong> CIAs<br />

because <strong>of</strong> the emphasis on stronger financial<br />

controls. US legislation such as Sarbanes-Oxley,<br />

as well as Canada’s equivalent legislation Bill<br />

198, has fuelled this growth. And, it’s still going<br />

strong. President Obama recently signed the<br />

Dodd-Frank Act, which, when rolled out to the<br />

financial services sector, could be the sequel to<br />

SOx. All <strong>of</strong> this means that controls monitoring<br />

will remain top <strong>of</strong> mind for many CFOs and<br />

chief auditors, so this area <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession is<br />

not likely to diminish anytime soon. Anyone<br />

contemplating internal audit or risk management<br />

work in the US will find the CIA a very useful<br />

designation, especially when combined with the<br />

highly regarded CA designation.<br />

Many chief auditors also hold the CIA designation,<br />

and it is recognized internationally as the<br />

premier designation for internal auditors. It<br />

is one <strong>of</strong> the fastest growing credentials in key<br />

developing areas such as China and Asia.<br />

Lisa: I think demand is higher now than it’s ever<br />

been. The recent financial crisis and the ensuing<br />

difficult times have demonstrated the value that<br />

internal audit can bring to an organization.<br />

Internal auditors are process experts, and truly<br />

understand the linkages between objectives,<br />

risks, and controls. Companies that have<br />

benefited most from their internal audit departments<br />

are those that have embraced internal<br />

audit as a true value-add, rather than just a<br />

compliance function. These companies have<br />

taken advantage <strong>of</strong> their internal audit teams by<br />

having them perform business process reviews<br />

and facilitate risk and control workshops to<br />

identify areas <strong>of</strong> potential weakness and find<br />

opportunities for improvement.<br />

Gurmit: There is tremendous focus on risk,<br />

governance, and control at the board level.<br />

Internal auditors are well positioned to assist<br />

audit committees and boards in fulfilling their<br />

governance responsibilities. This creates high<br />

demand and opportunities for CA·CIA specialists.<br />

Any advice or lessons<br />

learned?<br />

Gurmit: I’d advise CAs who are interested in<br />

internal audit to use the CIA as a launch pad for<br />

their careers. Use it to move you from good to<br />

great in the internal audit field. Use the designation<br />

to take control <strong>of</strong> your career and open doors to<br />

different job opportunities in the internal audit<br />

field. Use it to increase confidence (it makes you<br />

the expert), and don’t be afraid to take on new<br />

issues and opportunities.<br />

David: A well-developed internal audit department<br />

should have pr<strong>of</strong>essionally trained auditors.<br />

Having CA·CIA specialists on staff is a tremendous<br />

asset to executive management and the<br />

audit committee, who <strong>of</strong>ten rely heavily on the<br />

expertise that these pr<strong>of</strong>essionals bring.<br />

Lisa: In order to add value to an organization,<br />

you need to demonstrate that you take your<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>ession seriously. Obtaining a specialist<br />

designation like the CA·CIA is one <strong>of</strong> the best<br />

ways to demonstrate this. However, the<br />

obligation doesn’t stop there. Strive to be the best<br />

you can be in the organization by continuing to<br />

hone your skills. Learn how to write for best<br />

effect, take communication courses to allow you<br />

to communicate at all levels <strong>of</strong> the organization,<br />

and always pursue learning opportunities to<br />

keep you at the leading edge.<br />

I’d also recommend joining networks like<br />

those <strong>of</strong>fered through the IIA and even Linked-<br />

In groups, where you can join in on discussions<br />

related to topic areas that interest you. For<br />

example, I belong to several LinkedIn groups on<br />

risk management, since this is the area <strong>of</strong> specific<br />

focus for me, and I find the discussions highly<br />

valuable and insightful. What I like most is that<br />

these discussions provide the perspectives <strong>of</strong><br />

peers and enable me to tap into their collective<br />

experience.<br />

In summary...<br />

We hope these testimonials have given you<br />

some food for thought. If you’re a CA who’s<br />

keenly interested in internal audit, management<br />

controls, corporate governance, and risk management,<br />

the CA·CIA designation is clearly something<br />

to consider.<br />

If you’d like to learn more about the designation,<br />

you can visit the CICA website at www.cica/cia<br />

and the IIA website at www.theiia.org. And<br />

if you want to explore other specialist areas,<br />

be sure to check out the February/March issue<br />

<strong>of</strong> Beyond Numbers for pr<strong>of</strong>iles <strong>of</strong> other designations.<br />

Marlyn Won, CA, CMA, MAcc, is the president<br />

<strong>of</strong> MW & Associates Advisory Services Ltd., a<br />

Vancouver-based management consulting firm.<br />

34 ica.bc.ca January 2011


Left to Right:<br />

Chad Rutquist, Farida Sukhia, Chris Halsey-Brandt, Ron Parks, Spencer Cotton,<br />

Rosanne Terhart, Robert D. Mackay, Gary M. W. Mynett, Hugh G. Livingstone,<br />

Cheryl Shearer, Jeff P. Matthews, Kiu Ghanavizchian, Vern Blai r.<br />

Blair Mackay Mynett Valuations Inc.<br />

is the leading independent business valuation and litigation support practice in British<br />

Columbia. Our practice focus is on business valuations, mergers and acquisitions,<br />

economic loss claims, forensic accounting and other litigation accounting matters.<br />

We can be part <strong>of</strong> your team, providing you with the experience your clients require.<br />

Suite 1100<br />

1177 West Hastings Street<br />

Vancouver, <strong>BC</strong>, V6E 4T5<br />

Telephone: 604.687.4544<br />

Facsimile: 604.687.4577<br />

www.bmmvaluations.com<br />

Vern Blair: 604.697.5276<br />

Rob Mackay: 604.697.5201<br />

Gary Mynett: 604.697.5202<br />

Ron Parks: 604.697.5242<br />

Hugh Livingstone: 604.697.5238<br />

Spencer Cotton: 604.697.5212<br />

Jeff Matthews: 604.697.5203<br />

Cheryl Shearer: 604.697.5293<br />

Rosanne Terhart: 604.697.5286<br />

Farida Sukhia: 604.697.5271<br />

Chris Halsey-Brandt: 604.697.5294<br />

Kiu Ghanavizchian: 604.697.5297<br />

Chad Rutquist: 604.697.5283


Tax Traps & Tips<br />

Reportable<br />

Transactions<br />

By Hayley Laker<br />

On August 27, 2010, Canada’s Department<br />

<strong>of</strong> Finance followed the lead <strong>of</strong><br />

the Province <strong>of</strong> Quebec, releasing<br />

draft legislation requiring taxpayers to divulge<br />

the details <strong>of</strong> certain transactions that fit within<br />

what it characterizes as “aggressive tax planning.”<br />

While, at first glance, the proposed legislation<br />

appears less onerous than the Quebec legislation,<br />

failure to give the proposed federal rules adequate<br />

consideration could lead to troubling results for<br />

taxpayers and their advisors.<br />

A brief overview <strong>of</strong> the federal<br />

legislation<br />

The proposed rules generally require that an<br />

information return be filed in respect <strong>of</strong> any<br />

“reportable transaction.” In order to be reportable,<br />

a transaction must first be an “avoidance transaction”<br />

as defined for the purposes <strong>of</strong> the general<br />

anti-avoidance rule (GAAR). In general, this is<br />

a transaction that results in a “tax benefit” 1 —<br />

either by itself or as part <strong>of</strong> a series <strong>of</strong><br />

transactions—unless the transaction may reasonably<br />

be considered to have been undertaken<br />

or arranged primarily for bona fide purposes<br />

other than to obtain the tax benefit.<br />

An avoidance transaction is “reportable” where<br />

two out <strong>of</strong> the three following hallmarks are<br />

present:<br />

1. A promoter or tax advisor is paid a<br />

“contingent fee.”<br />

A contingent fee includes a fee that is: a)<br />

based on the amount <strong>of</strong> resulting tax benefit;<br />

b) contingent on the tax benefit being<br />

obtained; or c) attributable to the number <strong>of</strong><br />

persons who participate or who have been<br />

provided access to advice regarding the tax<br />

consequences <strong>of</strong> the arrangement.<br />

2. The promoter or tax advisor required “confidential protection” with respect to the transaction.<br />

Confidential protection refers generally to confidentiality obligations with respect to details or<br />

structure <strong>of</strong> the transaction imposed by a promoter or tax advisor on the taxpayer.<br />

3. “Contractual protection” was provided to the taxpayer, advisor, or promoter.<br />

Contractual protection may include: a) insurance or other protection against a failure <strong>of</strong> the transaction<br />

or series to achieve the indicated tax benefit; b) payment for or reimbursement <strong>of</strong> any<br />

expense, fee, tax, interest, penalty, or similar amount incurred in the course <strong>of</strong> a dispute relating<br />

to the trans-action or series; and c) assistance provided in the course <strong>of</strong> such a dispute.<br />

A reportable transaction must be reported by a person who seeks to obtain a tax benefit from the<br />

transaction or series; a person who enters into a reportable transaction for the benefit <strong>of</strong> another taxpayer;<br />

and/or a promoter or advisor who is entitled to a contingent fee as described above. While each<br />

<strong>of</strong> these parties is subject to the reporting obligation, the filing <strong>of</strong> a complete disclosure by one <strong>of</strong> the<br />

parties would satisfy the obligations <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> the parties.<br />

The information return must be filed by June 30th <strong>of</strong> the calendar year after the year in which the<br />

transaction first became a reportable transaction; this deadline applies even if the taxpayer has a taxation<br />

year other than the calendar year. In addition, note that the “reportable transaction” may occur<br />

years before the related tax benefit arises in cases where the transaction is a part <strong>of</strong> a series <strong>of</strong> transactions<br />

undertaken to obtain said benefit.<br />

The first consequence <strong>of</strong> failure to file an information return in respect <strong>of</strong> a reportable transaction is<br />

that the person obtaining the tax benefit from the transaction is liable for a penalty equal to the amount<br />

<strong>of</strong> the fees to which the promoter or advisor is entitled. In addition, for so long as the penalty and any<br />

interest thereon remains unpaid, the tax benefit may be denied.<br />

Potential hazards<br />

There are a number <strong>of</strong> areas where the draft legislation may put taxpayers and their advisors at<br />

significant risk.<br />

Confidential protection<br />

The definition <strong>of</strong> confidential protection is, arguably, too broad. For example, it may include<br />

relationships between taxpayers and their advisors if engagement letters are phrased without attention<br />

to these rules. Indeed, it has been suggested that an issue could arise as a result <strong>of</strong> something so simple<br />

as noting that an opinion or technical analysis is “Private and Confidential,” if the word “confidential”<br />

is understood to mean that the advisor is asserting confidentiality against the client.<br />

Contractual protection<br />

While a tax advisor may not provide obvious contractual protection, it is conceivable that fee reductions<br />

and/or write-<strong>of</strong>fs in respect <strong>of</strong> a transaction that fails to provide the desired tax benefit could give rise<br />

to inadvertent applications <strong>of</strong> the reportable transaction rules.<br />

1<br />

The term “tax benefit” is defined in the current GAAR legislation as a reduction, avoidance, or deferral <strong>of</strong> tax or other amount payable under the Income<br />

Tax Act, or an increase in a refund <strong>of</strong> tax or other amount under the Income Tax Act.<br />

36 ica.bc.ca January 2011


Series<br />

The reportable transaction rules will apply to<br />

both: 1) transactions entered into after 2010,<br />

and 2) series <strong>of</strong> transactions that began before<br />

2011 and were completed after 2010. The<br />

potential application <strong>of</strong> the rules to a series that<br />

began before the rules were proposed is very<br />

troubling—particularly given the expanded<br />

notion <strong>of</strong> the term “series,” resulting from the<br />

application <strong>of</strong> subsection 248(10) and the<br />

related jurisprudence. 2<br />

This expanded notion <strong>of</strong> “series” includes not<br />

only pre-ordained transactions, which are<br />

practically certain to occur, but also other<br />

transactions completed “in contemplation <strong>of</strong>”<br />

the series—with no requirement that the related<br />

transactions be pre-ordained or that there be<br />

actual knowledge <strong>of</strong> the series at the time.<br />

Self-assessment <strong>of</strong> two GAAR<br />

requirements<br />

The proposed legislation is careful to point<br />

out that the filing <strong>of</strong> an information return in<br />

respect <strong>of</strong> a reportable transaction is not an<br />

admission that GAAR applies. However, given<br />

that the reportable transaction definition includes<br />

two <strong>of</strong> the three GAAR requirements (“tax<br />

benefit” and “avoidance transaction”), it is<br />

difficult to imagine—at a practical level—that<br />

CRA auditors will not regard it as such. And<br />

it will be cold comfort to the taxpayer if the<br />

apparent admission is rejected only after they’ve<br />

incurred the costs and aggravation <strong>of</strong> appealing<br />

to the Tax Court <strong>of</strong> Canada.<br />

The upshot<br />

In light <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> the uncertainties and risks suggested<br />

above, taxpayers would be well advised to<br />

avoid falling under the purview <strong>of</strong> the reportable<br />

transaction rules if at all possible.<br />

VP Finance – $180,000<br />

This candidate has worked in a public<br />

resource company as the CFO for 3<br />

years and assisted the company at<br />

a strategic, senior level. They have<br />

acted as a key resource to the Board<br />

<strong>of</strong> Directors and Senior Management<br />

Team in directing the activities <strong>of</strong> key<br />

overall financial planning and direction,<br />

spearheading regulatory reporting, dealing<br />

with IFRS issues, examining internal<br />

controls, liaising with outside advisors<br />

such as external accountant, lawyers, the<br />

investment community etc, overseeing<br />

budgeting, cash flows, internal controls,<br />

information technology and being a<br />

leader in the company regarding financial<br />

affairs. This person is looking for a similar<br />

position in a growing, public company<br />

where they can lead the company into<br />

further success.<br />

Controller - $100,000<br />

Our candidate has a proven track record<br />

<strong>of</strong> functioning as a Controller for 2 different<br />

companies in the resource and<br />

technology industries. They have both<br />

public and private company experience<br />

and have performed in a senior role as<br />

a Controller. They are experienced with<br />

staff supervision and consider the mentoring<br />

<strong>of</strong> staff as one <strong>of</strong> their strengths.<br />

They are desirous <strong>of</strong> working in a stable<br />

but growing organization, where they can<br />

make difference<br />

Senior Accountant - $60,000<br />

This person has 6 years <strong>of</strong> progressive<br />

accounting experience, where they have<br />

moved up the ladder from accounts payable<br />

clerk to senior accountant. They<br />

are very experienced with all accounting<br />

duties up to financial statement preparation.<br />

They are in the final stages <strong>of</strong> the<br />

accounting program and expect their<br />

designation in a year. They enjoy working<br />

with staff but also having a change to be<br />

part <strong>of</strong> the big picture with a progressive<br />

company.<br />

Intermediate Accountant - $45,000<br />

Our very motivated candidate has 3 years<br />

<strong>of</strong> accounting experience and started,<br />

initially, in a junior role doing accounts<br />

receivable and accounts payable. They<br />

are now doing account reconciliations,<br />

journal entries, regulatory payments,<br />

payroll and wish to continue progressing<br />

in their career. They are in the 3rd year<br />

<strong>of</strong> an accounting program and plan to<br />

continue. They would like to work in a<br />

company that <strong>of</strong>fers them career growth<br />

but still the chance to be mentored by a<br />

designated accountant.<br />

Accounts Payable – $40,000<br />

This candidate enjoys accounts payable<br />

and is not pursuing an accounting program.<br />

They have 2 years <strong>of</strong> experience in<br />

the accounts payable area and would like<br />

to work in a company where the environment<br />

is stable and where they don’t have<br />

a long commute. They are very familiar<br />

with all aspects <strong>of</strong> accounts payable.<br />

Hayley Laker is an associate with Moskowitz &<br />

Meredith LLP, an affiliate <strong>of</strong> KPMG LLP. She<br />

specializes in international corporate tax.<br />

2<br />

Including, notably, OSFC Holdings Ltd. v.<br />

Canada, 2001 FCA 260 and Canada Trustco<br />

Mortgage Co. v. Canada, 2005 SCC 54.


PD News<br />

WINTER PD PROGRAM<br />

For detailed course descriptions or a complete<br />

schedule <strong>of</strong> upcoming PD seminars, consult<br />

your winter 2011 PD brochure or visit our<br />

website at www.icabc-pd.com. To register, call<br />

the PD department at 604-681-3264.<br />

FREE PD<br />

Climate Change Action in <strong>BC</strong> – A Panel<br />

Discussion on Regulations and Opportunities<br />

Kick <strong>of</strong>f the new year with this free PD event<br />

to get a current overview <strong>of</strong> climate change<br />

action in <strong>BC</strong>. This session will focus on the<br />

latest developments in <strong>BC</strong> and the risks and<br />

opportunities with respect to greenhouse gas<br />

emissions.<br />

Through their front-line involvement in regulatory<br />

compliance, the cap and trade program,<br />

and industry consultations, the panellists will<br />

be able to share valuable insights on current<br />

developments and opportunities in <strong>BC</strong>’s environmental<br />

landscape.<br />

This seminar is FREE only for ICA<strong>BC</strong> members.<br />

Pre-registration is required.<br />

Jan 18, 7:30-9:30am, Vancouver<br />

Accounting & Assurance<br />

NEW – ASPE: A Survey <strong>of</strong> the Standards<br />

This seminar is designed for individuals seeking<br />

an in-depth, detailed review <strong>of</strong> ASPE. Although<br />

it will focus solely on ASPE, rather than comparing<br />

ASPE to IFRS or GAAP, the course will<br />

have broad appeal, and will be equally applicable<br />

to corporate and non-corporate private enterprises.<br />

Jan 20-21, 9am-5pm, Surrey<br />

Jan 24-25, 9am-5pm, Kamloops<br />

Jan 31-Feb 1, 9am-5pm, Victoria<br />

Feb 7-8, 9am-5pm, Prince George<br />

Feb 10-11, 9am-5pm, Abbotsford<br />

Feb 14-15, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

Feb 17-18, 9am-5pm, Kelowna<br />

Mar 10-11, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

IFRS – Application to the Forest Industry<br />

This seminar will help participants understand<br />

the implications <strong>of</strong> IFRS for the forest industry—including<br />

the major challenges posed by<br />

the application <strong>of</strong> the standards in this sector.<br />

The course will provide broad but practical<br />

perspectives.<br />

Mar 10, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

NEW – PSAB 101<br />

This seminar will help participants understand<br />

the types <strong>of</strong> entities that fall under the purview<br />

<strong>of</strong> the Public Sector Accounting Board, the<br />

applicable standards in the PSAB Handbook., and<br />

the impact <strong>of</strong> these standards on the preparation<br />

<strong>of</strong> financial statements.<br />

The course will review the key recommendations<br />

<strong>of</strong> the PSAB Handbook, and a variety <strong>of</strong><br />

examples will be used to help participants understand<br />

the application <strong>of</strong> these recommendations.<br />

The course will also examine the transitional<br />

issues that can arise during a first-time adoption,<br />

or as a result <strong>of</strong> changes to the standards or a<br />

change in the designation <strong>of</strong> an entity required<br />

to apply the PSAB Handbook.<br />

Mar 9, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

Management<br />

NEW – Speak for Impact for Financial<br />

Pr<strong>of</strong>essionals<br />

You may be a subject-matter expert with years <strong>of</strong><br />

experience, but this alone will not make you a<br />

strong speaker or presenter. If you want to inform,<br />

influence, or inspire others, you must also<br />

be clear and compelling.<br />

In this practical, hands-on seminar, you will<br />

learn how to develop and deliver your message<br />

to speak with greater impact.<br />

Mar 15, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

Think on Your Feet®<br />

This practical, intensive workshop teaches participants<br />

how to speak spontaneously with clarity<br />

and impact. The goal is to help participants<br />

reduce the time it takes to communicate clearly.<br />

The Think on Your Feet® communications<br />

system flows from a simple idea: Clear speaking<br />

is clear thinking. And clear, coherent thinking<br />

demands structure more so than genius—it<br />

requires logical, simple plans that format ideas<br />

in memorable ways.<br />

Mar 9, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

Project Management Essentials<br />

This workshop will give participants a high-level<br />

understanding <strong>of</strong> the project management<br />

process, and will establish a common language,<br />

framework, and set <strong>of</strong> tools for project work. It<br />

will include hands-on, case-study-based practice<br />

with successful project management techniques,<br />

in a setting that both illustrates and requires<br />

collaborative behaviour.<br />

Mar 8, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

Taxation<br />

GST/HST Refresher for Pr<strong>of</strong>essionals<br />

The application <strong>of</strong> GST/HST is <strong>of</strong>ten far more<br />

complex than practitioners or businesses realize.<br />

The harmonization <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong> and Ontario in July<br />

2010 has made this area even more complex.<br />

This course will review important concepts, including:<br />

HST place <strong>of</strong> supply rules; taxable supplies<br />

and deemed supplies; input tax credit entitlements;<br />

and some <strong>of</strong> the more common and important<br />

exemptions and zero-rating provisions.<br />

Jan 26, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

Navigating the Minefield <strong>of</strong> Voluntary<br />

Disclosure<br />

This seminar will help practitioners understand<br />

the voluntary disclosure process and how best to<br />

achieve optimal results for the client.<br />

Feb 22, 7:30-9:30am, Vancouver<br />

Tax Returns - Personal<br />

This seminar will provide participants with a<br />

broad overview <strong>of</strong> the income tax provisions that<br />

can affect taxpayers when it comes to filing their<br />

personal tax returns.<br />

Jan 19, 9am-5pm, Vancouver<br />

Jan 27, 9am-5pm, Victoria<br />

Taxation <strong>of</strong> Employee Benefits<br />

This half-day seminar will review the income tax<br />

implications <strong>of</strong> benefits conferred on employees<br />

by their employers, including owner-managers<br />

and employees who are unrelated to the employer.<br />

Jan 21, 9am-12:30pm, Vancouver<br />

38 ica.bc.ca January 2011


Announcing the 2nd Annual<br />

CICA’s Commodity<br />

Tax Symposium – WEST<br />

FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 1, 2011 • WESTIN CALGARY • CALGARY, AB<br />

For pr<strong>of</strong>essionals who are serious about working in, or<br />

advising businesses in the area <strong>of</strong> indirect taxation.<br />

Join us for the Commodity Tax Symposium – WEST as we look at<br />

the aftermath <strong>of</strong> the transition to HST, what went right, what went<br />

wrong, what’s left to do…<br />

Symposium Highlights Include:<br />

• Keynote address by Dr. Jack Mintz, Palmer Chair in Public<br />

Policy, University <strong>of</strong> Calgary<br />

• Case law updates and other developments in jurisprudence<br />

• Energy, Resources and Utilities updates<br />

• Latest information on Rebates for Pension Plans<br />

• Updates on GST, Customs and International Trade<br />

legislative developments<br />

• CRA update<br />

For additional Symposium information and to register online, visit:<br />

www.cpd.cica.ca/CTSWest<br />

Symposium Sponsor:<br />

Exhibitor:


Plugged In: News for and about members & students<br />

Announcements<br />

Congratulations!<br />

Arvinder Bubber, FCA, <strong>of</strong> A.S. Bubber & Associates Inc in Surrey, was named Surrey’s Business Person <strong>of</strong> the Year in 2010.<br />

The award was one <strong>of</strong> eight presented at the 12th annual Surrey Business Excellence Awards, a Surrey Board <strong>of</strong> Trade event<br />

sponsored by Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the TD Bank. Bubber is the founding chancellor <strong>of</strong> Kwantlen Polytechnic<br />

University, and was nominated for his contributions to the community—particularly his commitment to making education<br />

more accessible for all.<br />

Michael Cheung, CA, has been appointed vice-president <strong>of</strong> business development and investor relations at Zongshen PEM<br />

Power Systems Inc. Cheung was previously the chief financial <strong>of</strong>ficer <strong>of</strong> PenderFund Capital Management Inc.<br />

Michael Dillabaugh, CA, was appointed manager <strong>of</strong> finance for the District <strong>of</strong> Sooke on November 1, 2010. He previously<br />

worked as an auditor with the Office <strong>of</strong> the Auditor General <strong>of</strong> British Columbia.<br />

David Mitchell, CA, a partner with KNV <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> LLP in Surrey, was named board chair <strong>of</strong> Fraser Health in<br />

November 2010. He replaced Gordon Barefoot, FCA, <strong>of</strong> Cabgor Management Inc. in Surrey, who stepped down in October<br />

2010 after four years on the board (three <strong>of</strong> them as chair).<br />

Mitchell is also the director <strong>of</strong> the Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation (PAHCHF) board. In addition,<br />

he is a director <strong>of</strong> the White Rock South Surrey Community Foundation and past-director <strong>of</strong> the Surrey Memorial Hospital<br />

Foundation. Mitchell has received the PAHCHF Laftin Award for Service, the White Rock South Surrey Chamber <strong>of</strong><br />

Commerce Business Excellence Award for Independent Business Person <strong>of</strong> the Year, the Rotary Foundation <strong>of</strong> White Rock<br />

Paul Harris Fellowship, and a 2007 ICA<strong>BC</strong> Community Service Award.<br />

Martin Rutherford, CA, <strong>of</strong> Grant Thornton LLP in Kelowna, was appointed to the 2010/2011 board <strong>of</strong> the Okanagan Science<br />

and Technology Council in late October <strong>of</strong> 2010. The not-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it, membership-driven organization fosters an<br />

environment that supports science and technology initiatives by acting as a representative and advocate for the interests<br />

<strong>of</strong> members and the business community as a whole.<br />

Hari Varshney, FCA, and Praveen Varshney, CA, would like to announce that after a very long run at Cathedral Place,<br />

Varshney Capital Corp. has moved to a new location: PO Box 11121, Suite 2050 - 1055 West Georgia St., Vancouver, <strong>BC</strong>, V6E 3P3.<br />

The phone and fax numbers have remained the same.<br />

In memoriam<br />

Our deepest condolences to the family and friends <strong>of</strong> Anita Lynn Cochrane, CA (née Bassett). Anita passed away on<br />

October 5, 2010, following a courageous battle with cancer. She was 39 years old.<br />

Anita became a CA in December 1999, after completing her articles in Prince George. She subsequently moved to Vancouver,<br />

where she and her husband Mike were married in 2001. Shortly after the couple’s honeymoon, Anita was diagnosed with breast<br />

cancer. Determined to live a full life, she remained active—continuing to work as a controller with Sun Rich Fresh Foods Inc. in<br />

Richmond, joining the Abreast in a Boat dragon boat team, and participating in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer (now<br />

known as the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers) fundraising event, for which she founded Team LiveStrong.<br />

She also became a competitive curler. An active member <strong>of</strong> the Royal City Curling Club, she competed on the team that<br />

represented <strong>BC</strong> in the national mixed curling championships in 2008, where she was named the most sportsmanlike player.<br />

When she became unable to play, Anita started coaching. She took the ladies’ and junior girls’ teams to the provincials in<br />

2009, and was named the <strong>BC</strong> Curling Coach <strong>of</strong> the Year for 2010. She also coached her father on the Australian Senior<br />

Men’s team, leading the team to a bronze medal at the world championships in 2010.<br />

Anita is survived by her husband, parents, brother, in-laws, and the many hundreds <strong>of</strong> friends she inspired. A celebration<br />

<strong>of</strong> her life was held in Vancouver on October 16, 2010. Donations in her memory may be made in her name to the<br />

<strong>BC</strong> Cancer Foundation at www.bccancerfoundatlon.com or by calling 604-877-6040.<br />

40 ica.bc.ca January 2011


FVCAA Event Notice<br />

The Fraser Valley CA Association (FVCAA) is pleased to announce a special<br />

keynote presentation with Auditor General Sheila Fraser, FCA, on February 17,<br />

2011. The event will take place at the Ramada Plaza & Conference Centre in<br />

Abbotsford. There will be advance table sales for this breakfast meeting event.<br />

Register by emailing laurie@fvcaa.ca.<br />

ICA<strong>BC</strong> Social Networking Group Event Notice<br />

Save the Date!<br />

The ICA<strong>BC</strong> Social Networking Group is planning a wine tasting event at the<br />

Regional Tasting Lounge in Yaletown. The venue is tentatively booked for<br />

Thursday, February 10, 2011. A registration email will be sent to ICA<strong>BC</strong> members<br />

in the Lower Mainland in mid-January. We hope to see you there!<br />

<strong>BC</strong> AGM Advance Notice:<br />

2011 AGM and Members’ Recognition Dinner<br />

The ICA<strong>BC</strong>’s 2011 annual general meeting is scheduled to take place on the<br />

afternoon <strong>of</strong> June 22, 2011, in Vancouver. Directly following the AGM will be the<br />

11th annual Members’ Recognition Dinner. So mark your calendars now, and join<br />

us for both events! Details will be provided in upcoming issues <strong>of</strong> Beyond<br />

Numbers.<br />

Notice to all Yukon Members:<br />

2010 ICAYK AGM Draft Minutes<br />

The 34th annual general meeting <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />

the Yukon was held on June 25, 2010, at the Edgewater Hotel in Whitehorse.<br />

The draft minutes from the meeting are now available on the Yukon <strong>Institute</strong>’s<br />

website at www.icayk.com. If you do not have access to the Internet and would<br />

like to review the minutes, you can request that a hard copy <strong>of</strong> the draft minutes<br />

be mailed to you by contacting the <strong>BC</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice at 604-681-3264 or<br />

1-800-663-2677 (toll free in <strong>BC</strong>).<br />

PRL Notice – Cancelled Licences<br />

Pursuant to its meeting <strong>of</strong> November 19, 2010, the Practice Review & Licensing<br />

Committee announces that the following firms are no longer in public practice<br />

under these names:<br />

Firm Name<br />

Amy Brosinski<br />

David P. Chisholm Inc.<br />

Gayle Corry<br />

Glenn P Cowan<br />

Marsh & Marsh Inc.<br />

City<br />

Chilliwack<br />

Victoria<br />

Whitehorse<br />

Kelowna<br />

Vancouver<br />

<strong>BC</strong>SC Launches New<br />

InvestRight Website<br />

The <strong>BC</strong> Securities Commission<br />

recently launched its redesigned<br />

InvestRight.org website, designed to<br />

help investors protect themselves<br />

against scams, Ponzi schemes, and<br />

investment frauds. The <strong>BC</strong>SC aims to<br />

help investors identify and avoid traps<br />

set by fraudsters, learn which<br />

investments are high risk, understand<br />

the risks <strong>of</strong> private company<br />

investment, and learn to recognize<br />

the red flags <strong>of</strong> investment fraud—like<br />

<strong>of</strong>fers for high returns at no risk,<br />

insider tips, and the lure <strong>of</strong> tax-free<br />

investments <strong>of</strong>fshore.<br />

Think it can’t happen to you or<br />

someone you know? Consider this:<br />

According to the CSA Investor Index<br />

2009 (commissioned by the<br />

Canadian Securities Administrators<br />

and conducted by Ipsos Reid), four<br />

out <strong>of</strong> ten Canadians have been<br />

approached with a fraudulent<br />

investment, and 4% <strong>of</strong> Canadians<br />

have given money to investment<br />

frauds.<br />

InvestRight is designed to help you<br />

and your clients make informed<br />

investment decisions and know which<br />

questions to ask to avoid becoming<br />

victims <strong>of</strong> fraud. The site targets<br />

investors <strong>of</strong> all levels <strong>of</strong> sophistication.<br />

It <strong>of</strong>fers a range <strong>of</strong> resources,<br />

including investor alerts about the<br />

latest scams, basic advice on working<br />

with an advisor, definitions <strong>of</strong> market<br />

language, and worksheets to help<br />

investors monitor their portfolios.<br />

To check out the new site, go to:<br />

www.investright.org.<br />

January 2011 ica.bc.ca 41


Plugged In: News continued for and about members & students<br />

Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> in the US<br />

Did you know that there’s an organization for chartered accountants living in the US?<br />

Founded in 1980, the Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> in the US (ACAUS—commonly pronounced “a-cause”) is a<br />

not-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it pr<strong>of</strong>essional and educational organization dedicated exclusively to representing the interests <strong>of</strong> CAs who are<br />

living in the United States. Currently, there are more than 6,500 such individuals, and almost 2,200 are from Canada (the<br />

balance come from Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and Scotland).<br />

Two CAs with Canadian roots are at the helm <strong>of</strong> ACAUS: Lindi Jarvis, CA, is the president; and Robert McDonald, CA, is<br />

serving as secretary. Both have been involved with ACAUS since 2008.<br />

Jarvis is a CA from Alberta and currently lives in New York City, where she specializes in forensic accounting as managing<br />

director <strong>of</strong> FTI Consulting. McDonald became a CA in Montreal and currently works as assistant treasurer <strong>of</strong> Furmanite<br />

Worldwide in Dallas, Texas.<br />

“The ACAUS mission is to facilitate the pr<strong>of</strong>essional success <strong>of</strong> our members,” Jarvis says. “If you live in, or intend to move<br />

to, the US in your pr<strong>of</strong>essional career, then ACAUS is an important component <strong>of</strong> your working life. It’s a great way to stay<br />

connected with like-minded CAs who are living away from home. Also, the regular social events are a great way to network,<br />

and the periodic webinars are a convenient way to obtain continuing education.”<br />

CAs who are members in good standing <strong>of</strong> the Canadian provincial institutes are automatically eligible to be members <strong>of</strong><br />

ACAUS, at no charge. ACAUS is funded annually by the CICA and the other home institutes, to provide member services<br />

and benefits to US-based CAs.<br />

To register as a member, email the following information to Mike Dexter-Smith, CA, the executive director <strong>of</strong> ACAUS, at<br />

admin@acaus.org:<br />

• Your CICA membership number;<br />

• The name <strong>of</strong> your provincial institute; and<br />

• Your US address and phone number.<br />

Once the information has been verified, ACAUS will establish your membership. For more information about ACAUS,<br />

including benefits <strong>of</strong> membership, go to www.acaus.org.<br />

42 ica.bc.ca January 2011


Ethical Dilemmas continued from page 46<br />

1) The correct answer is C.<br />

According to RPC 204, a “direct financial interest”<br />

includes a financial interest owned through<br />

an intermediary, over which the individual has<br />

control. Because Bob is able to choose the areas<br />

<strong>of</strong> investment for his self-directed RRSP, he is<br />

deemed to have a direct financial interest in<br />

Baskerville Corporation.<br />

A is incorrect because it is unlikely that Jason<br />

would direct the investment decisions <strong>of</strong> the<br />

mutual fund; in addition, the mutual fund only<br />

sometimes holds shares <strong>of</strong> Baskerville, which<br />

suggests that it does not derive its value primarily<br />

from the corporation’s shares. B is incorrect<br />

because an investment made by a spouse is not<br />

considered a direct financial interest; in addition,<br />

direct financial interests held by a spouse are considered<br />

separately within the independence rules.<br />

D is incorrect because Jim’s non-voting status<br />

means that he’s unable to exercise control over the<br />

investment club’s decisions.<br />

2) The correct answer is A.<br />

According to the definition in RPC 204, Jane’s<br />

non-dependent children are not considered part<br />

<strong>of</strong> her “immediate family”; therefore, Edward’s<br />

financial holdings are not relevant to Jane’s independence.<br />

B is incorrect, because Jane’s<br />

husband Bill is considered part <strong>of</strong> Jane’s immediate<br />

family; therefore, Bill cannot hold a direct<br />

financial interest in <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc. C is incorrect,<br />

because Jane’s father’s estate represents a material<br />

indirect interest in <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc.; therefore, it<br />

violates Jane’s independence requirements. D is<br />

incorrect, because stock options qualify as direct<br />

interest, and Jane cannot hold a direct financial<br />

interest in <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc.<br />

3) The correct answer is B.<br />

According to RPC 204.4 (6b), this rule would<br />

only apply if Emma owned the shares, and if the<br />

holdings were not immaterial or if significant<br />

influence existed. A is incorrect according to<br />

RPC 204.4 (8), because Alfred’s wife qualifies<br />

as a close family member who owns more than<br />

0.1% <strong>of</strong> the securities <strong>of</strong> the client or controls<br />

the client. C is incorrect according to RPC<br />

204.4 (15), because Keith’s close family member<br />

holds a financial reporting oversight role. D is<br />

incorrect according to RPC 204.4 (17), because<br />

Martin was previously in a position to exert direct<br />

and significant influence on the subject matter.<br />

4) The correct answer is D.<br />

RPC 204.8 states that an independence impairment<br />

on an engagement not subject to the<br />

requirements <strong>of</strong> the independence rules (i.e., on<br />

an engagement where assurance is not being<br />

provided) should be disclosed in the member’s<br />

written report accompanying the financial statements.<br />

A is incorrect, because being a shareholder<br />

<strong>of</strong> the company is clearly a conflict <strong>of</strong> independence<br />

that should be disclosed. B and C are also<br />

incorrect; while it would be appropriate to perform<br />

either disclosure in advance <strong>of</strong> the engagement to<br />

inform the parties involved, neither one meets the<br />

minimum standard outlined in the RPC.<br />

The message<br />

Hope you’ve enjoyed testing your knowledge <strong>of</strong><br />

the independence rules. No doubt you did very<br />

well. But remember: If you ever need advice<br />

about independence matters, our Advisory<br />

Services department is here to help. All it takes is<br />

a phone call or an email.<br />

Comments or questions? Contact me<br />

at utley@ica.bc.ca.<br />

The key to attracting and<br />

retaining top fi nancial<br />

talent is here.<br />

Download your FREE 2011<br />

Salary Guide or use our<br />

interactive salary calculator at<br />

roberthalf.ca/SalaryCentre.<br />

Congratulations to B.C.’s successful<br />

Uniform Evaluation Candidates <strong>of</strong> 2010.<br />

1.800.803.8367<br />

© 2011 Robert Half. 0910-9009<br />

January 2011 ica.bc.ca 43


At Your Service<br />

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and Pension Fund Accounts<br />

KOTLER van den BRINK & COMPANY<br />

U.S. & Cross-Border Tax Consultants<br />

! U.S. Federal<br />

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44 ica.bc.ca January 2011


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January 2011 ica.bc.ca 45


Ethical Dilemmas<br />

A Quiz on<br />

Independence<br />

By Chris Utley, CA<br />

Director <strong>of</strong> Ethics<br />

Issues involving independence make up some<br />

<strong>of</strong> the questions received by our Advisory<br />

Services department. This is hardly surprising,<br />

given that independence is a complex and broad<br />

area, with each situation having to be reviewed<br />

on the basis <strong>of</strong> its own merits.<br />

Ensuring that we maintain appropriate independence<br />

is fundamental to our ability to<br />

provide effective assurance services, and to our<br />

reputation as providers <strong>of</strong> effective assurance<br />

services. So this month, let’s have a bit <strong>of</strong> a quiz<br />

about the rules <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional conduct (RPC)<br />

regarding independence (as found in your Members’<br />

Handbook). The questions are presented first, so<br />

no peeking to the end! A hint: Make sure you<br />

read the questions carefully.<br />

Three <strong>of</strong> the questions focus on the independence<br />

<strong>of</strong> staff members on audit engagements, while<br />

the fourth concerns disclosure on a compilation<br />

engagement.<br />

Before we begin—my thanks to the <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> <strong>of</strong> Ontario, for granting<br />

permission to use and adapt their questions and<br />

answers, originally published in the ICAO’s<br />

2010 CARE Preparation Program Practice<br />

Examination. (Copyright © 2010 The <strong>Institute</strong><br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>Chartered</strong> <strong>Accountants</strong> <strong>of</strong> Ontario.)<br />

The questions<br />

1) In performing the audit <strong>of</strong> Baskerville Corporation (Baskerville), a CA firm named Holmes &<br />

Watson is trying to determine if some <strong>of</strong> its engagement team members have a direct financial interest<br />

in Baskerville for the purposes <strong>of</strong> the RPC on independence. In which one <strong>of</strong> the following scenarios<br />

does the engagement team member have a direct financial interest in Baskerville?<br />

A. Jason owns units in a mutual fund that sometimes holds shares <strong>of</strong> Baskerville.<br />

B. Alice’s spouse owns shares <strong>of</strong> Baskerville.<br />

C. Bob’s self-directed RRSP has shares <strong>of</strong> Baskerville.<br />

D. Jim is a non-voting member <strong>of</strong> an investment club that holds shares <strong>of</strong> Baskerville.<br />

2) Jane Murray, CA, is the assurance manager on the audit <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc., a Canadian publicly-traded<br />

oil exploration and development company. Which one <strong>of</strong> the following situations is the most acceptable<br />

under the RPC on independence?<br />

A. Jane’s adult son, Edward, holds 2,000 common shares <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc.<br />

B. Jane’s husband, Bill, holds 300 common shares <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc.<br />

C. The estate <strong>of</strong> Jane’s father, <strong>of</strong> which Jane is the sole beneficiary, holds 20% <strong>of</strong> the outstanding<br />

common shares <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc. (Jane’s father’s accountant is the executor <strong>of</strong> his estate.)<br />

D. Jane holds 1,000 call options on the common shares <strong>of</strong> <strong>BC</strong> Oil Inc.<br />

3) Which one <strong>of</strong> the following relationships would not preclude the member or student from joining<br />

the assurance engagement team <strong>of</strong> the firm Spike & Lee?<br />

A. Alfred is an audit manager with Spike & Lee. His wife owns 5% <strong>of</strong> the shares in one <strong>of</strong> the firm’s<br />

audit clients.<br />

B. Emma is a student with Spike & Lee. Her father owns shares in a major Canadian retailer. An<br />

audit client <strong>of</strong> Spike & Lee holds shares in the same retailer.<br />

C. Keith is a CA with Spike & Lee. His brother is the CFO <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> the firm’s audit clients.<br />

D. Martin is a CA with Spike & Lee. He recently returned to the firm after working for three years<br />

as controller for one <strong>of</strong> the firm’s audit clients.<br />

4) Andrew Roberts, CA, is preparing financial statements for Atlas Corporation (Atlas), in which he is<br />

a significant shareholder. Andrew is not a member <strong>of</strong> management; rather, he is providing a compilation<br />

engagement for a standard fee and issuing a notice to reader report on the financial statements. Which<br />

one <strong>of</strong> the following options best describes the disclosure required with respect to this engagement?<br />

A. Andrew doesn’t have to disclose his investment in Atlas, because he isn’t providing assurance on<br />

the financial statements.<br />

B. Andrew should disclose his investment in the company in a letter written directly to the other<br />

shareholders.<br />

C. Andrew should disclose his investment in Atlas in his engagement letter for the compilation<br />

engagement.<br />

D. Andrew should include a note in his notice to reader explaining the independence impairment<br />

caused by his investment.<br />

See page 43 for the answers...<br />

A note to readers: As part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Institute</strong>’s ongoing educational activities for the benefit <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession, the<br />

<strong>Institute</strong> published an article in the October 2010 issue <strong>of</strong> Beyond Numbers about a disagreement between fictitious<br />

chartered accountants involving a fictitious municipality. It was never the <strong>Institute</strong>’s intention to refer to actual<br />

members or an actual municipality. In fact, the article was based on a number <strong>of</strong> different cases with many facts<br />

fictionalised. The article was never intended to describe any specific situation. Nevertheless, the <strong>Institute</strong> has learned<br />

that some people have recognized the individuals and the municipality that were involved in one <strong>of</strong> the cases on<br />

which the article was loosely based. The <strong>Institute</strong> deeply regrets that it did not do enough to disguise the identity <strong>of</strong><br />

the members and municipality involved in an actual case. The <strong>Institute</strong> also wishes to stress that the actual case in<br />

question did not lead to any sort <strong>of</strong> finding <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional misconduct or wrongdoing against anyone. The <strong>Institute</strong><br />

apologizes to the members and municipality involved in the actual case for any inconvenience or embarrassment<br />

they may have suffered as a result <strong>of</strong> publication <strong>of</strong> the article.<br />

46 ica.bc.ca January 2011


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