CPABC in Focus November/December 2013 | Page 34

Q&A Shelley: Our members can feel pride knowing that with a unified profession, we have taken the very best from each of the three legacy designations and created a new brand in Canada that will be highly regarded here and internationally, and recognized worldwide for excellence. The Canadian accounting profession will be going forward with one strong voice in our domestic marketplace and at the international standards-setting table. What challenges do you foresee in the coming years for the profession? Shelley:  The biggest challenge facing us right now is external. The economy here in Canada, those of our major trading partners, and the overall global economy will continue to present challenges, and all of our members will need to respond to these issues regardless of what area they work in— whether it’s public practice, industry, or government. We’re seeing a lot of pressure on the audit side of the profession due to the bank failures and recent financial crisis, and this will continue to create challenges for our profession for some time. We will need to continue supporting our membership through standards and regulatory changes that have resulted from the economic issues that we’re facing globally. As for the other things we’re working on within the CPA profession—building the new brand, developing the CPA education program, etc.—we’re moving forward on those areas and can deal with them effectively. It’s the bigger issues that we’ll need to refocus our attention on moving forward. Bob:  The accounting profession is like any other profession in the world: change is always present. Therefore, we must be responsive to the ever-changing market demands and be the ones to lead and support new standards, legislation, and accounting practices that will help meet those demands. We must be ahead of the curve in supporting the business aspects of technology. Most importantly, we have a duty of accountability to the public. Within the CPA profession, unification isn’t done yet. We’ve moved from vision to 34 CPABC in Focus • Nov/Dec 2013 “We’re at the point of unification where we’re ready to announce the profession and our leading-edge certification to Canada and the world.” reality, but there is still much work to be done to finalize the unification of all parties involved. We have a wide range of stakeholders—from members and students to staff and employers, government, and the public—and we need to ensure that we apprise them of the status of our progress, while also being responsive to their needs. We also need to finalize the delivery of our certification model. It’s been an immense task consolidating the competencies and course delivery of three designations into one. Students in Western Canada started the first module of the CPA Professional Education Program in September, but we still need to finalize the business model to deliver all CPA education while continuously updating, defining, and developing our programs to ensure that they are the best programs available. We’re at the point of unification where we’re ready to announce the profession and our leading-edge certification to Canada and the world. As you’ll have seen through our advertising campaign launched in September, it’s time to engage the business community, government, employers, prospective students, and educational institutions, and be proud to share our successes with them. Aside from the CPA Canada board, what else have you been working on? Bob:  I’ve been told that retirement is an opportunity for new beginnings, and since I retired in February, I’ve definitely been active in starting new projects on a number of fronts. I’ve redeployed my “work” skills as a consultant in a number of different settings. It has been fun to see work from a different perspective. Working with others has allowed me to develop relationships and achieve successes that are transferable to other strategic decision-making boards. This track record continues to open more doors for me, and I’ve been offered governance roles that help me stay involved in creating and monitoring strategic direction. Most notably, I now serve as chair of the Camosun College Foundation board and the CMABC Scholarship Committee. In addition, the merger of the accounting profession has led to my involvement on a number of interesting working groups, including ones tasked with defining what the CPA School of Business will look like for delivery of the curriculum in Western Canada. In the meantime, I’ve wound down some of my existing roles—particularly as chair of a couple of committees at CMA Canada, as we’ve evolved to CPA Canada. On a personal note, I’ve rediscovered woodworking and becoming more physically active... I plan to be around for some time to watch the positive impact of the work done by dedicated volunteers and staff in the Canadian accounting profession! Shelley:  I’m a partner at Deloitte, and in addition to my work with the profession, I’ve always been active in my community, volunteering with various organizations. Giving back is incredibly important to me. I’m a strong supporter of the United Way, and contribute time to their leadership committees. And even though I’m now living in BC, I’m still on the board of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan, and serve as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee of Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan. I also enjoy spending time with my husband, our children, and our new grandaughter, who is four months old.