NOTES & NEWS
Notes from the Chair
By David B. Hallinan, FCPA, FCMA
CPABC is enjoying a busy fall, undertaking many activities to engage with our members,
government, and the business community. We also continued our search for CPABC’s new
president and CEO, recognizing that filling this critical role will position our organization well
into the future.
future (more on that later in this article).
CPABC’s public affairs activities ramped up through September and October, showcasing
CPABC’s thought leadership to our various stakeholders. The BC Check-Up report was released
in early September (see the cover story on page 18) and the Business Outlook Survey results were
released in early October (a summary of the results is provided on pages 24-25). The Business
Outlook Survey asks members for their thoughts on major economic trends at home and abroad,
on the government’s ability to create a positive economic climate, and on how the government
can improve BC’s regulatory environment. This year, 3,622 members participated in the survey
process, and we hope this number continues to increase—we appreciate your expertise and
know that the government pays attention to your opinions and recommendations.
These two public affairs initiatives provide the underlying research that feeds into our budget
submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services each year.
Richard Rees, FCPA, FCA, CPABC’s president & CEO, and Heather Banham, FCPA, FCGA, first
vice-chair of the CPABC board, presented to the Committee in September, and we submitted
the recommendations for the BC budget in October (page 7).
Our commitment to providing leadership doesn’t extend only to government. Our work with
other business organizations also enables us to foster and build a dynamic province that values
a strong economy, which underpins the social programs we all believe in. To that end, CPABC
served as the presenting sponsor of the third annual WE FOR SHE Conference on October 14;
the event was created to champion the next generation of women in business (page 12). In addition,
we were an initiative sponsor of the Business Council of BC’s 2016 BC Business Summit, held
on November 1, which featured a keynote address by Stephen Poloz, governor of the Bank of
Canada (see page 6 for more speaker details, and look to our next issue for highlights).
Our member engagement activities have also been in full swing, starting with The ONE National
Conference in Vancouver (September 19-21), which was co-presented by CPA Canada and
CPABC. We’ve received extremely positive feedback from members who attended the event,
and you’ll find a recap on pages 42-43.
We’ve also been working very closely with our chapters, which have once again hosted events
for the Member Engagement Tour (MET). Since early October, members of CPABC’s executive
team have been travelling across the province to meet with members and hear your views on
the state of the profession. For me, the tour has been an early highlight of my tenure as chair,
and I’m looking forward to the remaining MET stops throughout November.
I’m also looking forward to the November 2016 Convocation ceremony in Vancouver, where
we will recognize the final group of CPA, CGA students completing their legacy educational
program. Yet another milestone event!
And now,
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have been put forward for consideration, and we expect to make an announcement in the near
future. In the meantime, I’d like to acknowledge the contributions of our current president & CEO,
Richard Rees (profiled on pages 26-27). It’s fair to say that Richard has had an indelible impact
on the profession here in BC, nationally, and internationally.
David B. Hallinan, FCPA, FCMA
CPABC Chair
In particular, Richard has been a driving
force throughout the unification process over
the past five years, creating a positive environment that welcomed collaboration and
co-operation. He has guided and stabilized
the profession through seismic change and
has been a strong voice for BC at the national
level. He will be missed by the board and his
entire team at CPABC. Thank you Richard
for everything you have done on our behalf.
Lastly, as we head into the holiday season,
I’d like to wish you all the best for the coming
year. I’m sure 2017 will hold great things as
we continue to build our profession!
CPABC in Focus • Nov/Dec 2016 5