Here are some of our speakers:
Greg Buck, FCPA, FCA
Robyn Jarvis, LL.B.
Garth Sheriff, CPA, CA
Every Wednesday, October 23 - Nov 13, 2024
8:30am - 4:30pm
Live Webinar
Specially designed and thoughtfully curated for our public practitioners today!
We are pleased to unveil your Public Practice Series, restructured this year to further enrich your professional journey. This year, the series will be offered across four unique and distinct days, each focused on four critical areas of public practice:
- Oct 23: firm management
- Oct 30: taxation issues of current interest
- Nov 6: technology as business tools
- Nov 13: ethical practices
To maximize your learning day, each day will be further segmented into three engaging sessions. Attendees will start their day with a half-day seminar, followed by two 1.5 hour seminars in the afternoon.
Flexibility is key! There is no obligation to register for the entire series. Pick and choose only the days that align best with your interests and enjoy exclusive discounts by signing up for multiple days in a single transaction. Take the next step - connect with peers and explore new ideas that are not only practical but also pivotal to the public practice landscape.
Oct 23 Only Oct 30 Only Nov 6 Only Nov 13 Only
Each Day
Eligible CPD Hours: 7
Course Fee: $425
PD Passport: 10 credits
Here are some exclusive savings!
Dual-day Discount: Save $125 with promocode PP24TWO at checkout
Three-day Tip: Save $300 by purchasing a Mini Passport first!
Full-series: Built-in savings, or explore our Personal Passport to learn more and save more.
Series Agenda
Oct 23 | Oct 30 | Nov 6 | Nov 13
October 23: Firm Management
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Starting a Successful CPA Practice Presenter: Greg Buck, FCPA, FCA | Founding Partner, KEY Financial Group LLP This course lays the foundation for those wanting to begin their journey in the Public Practice area of accounting. It serves to identify the benefits and pitfalls of public practice, gives an overview of how to structure the practice, and some insight into how to be successful. The course provides guidelines for how to get started, direction on areas of service, outlook on pricing, details on technological needs and where to go for help. Key takeaways
|
| 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm | Missed Independence: The Origin and Application of CPA Rule 204 Presenter: Lorne Kotler, JD, MBA | Partner, Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP Learn about the origins of the requirement for Auditor independence and how various financial accounting scandals led to today’s Rule 204. We will then review, with real world examples
|
| 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm | Break |
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Changing the Capital Gains Inclusion Rate: Exploring the August 2024 Draft Legislation Presenters: Tony Zhang, BBA, JD & Grace Pereira, LLB | Borden Ladner Gervais LLP This session will focus on the changes to the capital gains inclusion rate as presented in the draft legislation and explanatory notes released by the Department of Finance on August 12, 2024. The draft legislation proposes to implement the increase of the capital gains inclusion rate from one-half to two-thirds for individuals in certain circumstances, corporations, and trusts that was first announced in Budget 2024. Topics:
|
October 30: Taxation
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Other Indirect Taxes and 2024 Indirect Tax Update Presenter: David Crawford, CPA, CMA This session primarily focuses on the fundamentals of Canada’s Underused Housing Tax (“UHT”) in connection with ownership of residential properties by both Canadians and non-Canadians. We will cover who must file a UHT return, when and how to file the return and pay any applicable tax. Various exemptions, provincial/reginal/local vacancy taxes and other disincentives affecting residential properties in Canada will also be discussed. This session will also cover key federal and provincial budget indirect tax updates as well as other administrative announcements and updates on existing legislation and indirect tax policy during 2024. In addition, we will provide our perspectives and feedback on the indirect tax audit space, witnessed first-hand with our clients this year and the areas the indirect tax authorities are focusing on. Participants will be up to date on key changes affecting their practice’s clients that are impacted by Canadian indirect taxes. Understanding where the indirect tax authorities are placing their emphasis, will assist participants in advising clients to risk areas to watch for and how to prepare for potential audits. |
| 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm | Strategies for Reducing Typical Employment Risks: Common Law Notice, Competition and Conduct Presenter: Robyn Jarvis, LL.B. | Partner, Harris & Company LLP Join Robyn Jarvis, partner at Harris & Company, one of Canada’s leading labour and employment law firms, to learn key strategies for avoiding common employment pitfalls that could put your firm at risk of both competition and litigation. Robyn will focus on some of the key issues to be on the look out for at both the beginning and end of a working relationship so that you can protect your valuable enterprise. Key Takeaways
|
| 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm | Break |
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Mastering Individual Taxation - Non-Residents Presenter: Babar Khan, CPA, MBA, BBA, MSc This session focuses on non-resident individual taxation through a comprehensive overview of the differences in taxation of residents and non-residents, with various insightful comparisons.
Key takeaways
|
November 6: Technology
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Excel 365: Advanced Data Analysis Presenter: Training the Street Excel 365 recently introduced new features which are the biggest changes to Excel's core functionality in decades. This hands-on course is an intensive session that will teach participants to use new features in Excel 365 to complete analytical work more efficiently and accurately. Participants will also learn how this new functionality can replace or supplement older methods of analysis in Excel. Key takeaways
|
| 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm | Elevate Your Practice: Exploring The Latest Practice Management Apps Presenter: Chad Chang, CPA, CMA | Co-Founder & Advisor, Purpose CPA Join us for an insightful session on CPA Accounting Technology for Public Practitioners, specifically designed for solo, small, and mid-sized public practitioners. We'll focus on the latest in practice management software for both cloud-based and non-cloud-based systems. Discover how these tools can streamline your practice, enhance productivity, and keep you ahead in the competitive accounting landscape. Key value points
Key takeaways
|
| 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm | Break |
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Integrating ChatGPT into Your Client Advisory Service Presenter: John Higgins, CPA.CITP | Higgins Advisory, LLC Two of the hottest topics in the CPA profession today are CAS (client advisory services) and ChatGPT. This session will explain how to bring these two worlds together by integrating ChatGPT and other generative AI applications into client advisory services. It will show participants how to position their firms and themselves as a “go to” advisor on how to embrace this technology in virtually any type of business, as well as how to use it as a tool in the delivery of other client advisory services. Key takeaways
|
November 13: Ethics
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:30 pm | Artificial Intelligence: Power, Privacy, and Prejudice Presenter: Ken Lewchuk, CPA, MBA, MA Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology which will continue to influence our personal and professional lives in significant ways into the future. This session will include a non-technical introduction to two areas of AI most relevant to the professional accountant: machine learning and big data. It will also provide an introduction to the application of AI in marketing, human resources and finance, and an in-depth discussion of three key ethical concerns in the application of AI in business. First, is the issue of power. Ethical notions of accountability, transparency and manipulation may be altered by the use of AI. Second, is the issue of privacy. Privacy has long been considered in the areas of ethics and law but AI magnifies historical concerns and introduces new ones. Third, is prejudice. We will discuss “bias in AI”, separating fact from fiction and misinformation. |
| 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 3:05 pm | Privacy & Ethics for CPAs Presenter: Garth Sheriff, CPA, CA Note: This session will feature a recorded presentation, followed by a live segment of updates and a Q&A period. CPAs are custodians of “personal information,” and as a result require an understanding of our responsibilities ethically and legally, especially as our use of artificial intelligence increases in the profession. This session will present case studies to explore what CPAs need to understand and make actionable around their privacy obligations. Participants will gain an understanding of the ethical and legal implications of handling personal data, particularly in the context of emerging technologies. This session will also provide practical insights into how to navigate privacy issues and help toward achieving and maintaining compliance with current regulations. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with actionable strategies to protect privacy, enhance trust with clients, and uphold the integrity of the accounting profession. |
| 3:05 pm - 3:15 pm | Break |
3:15 pm - 4:45 pm | Critical Thinking Presenter: Garth Sheriff, CPA, CA In a time where technology, specifically AI, is rapidly evolving, CPAs must improve their critical thinking skills to navigate complex challenges to make informed and ethical decisions. This session will provide CPAs with the tools and techniques to help their critical thinking in this quickly changing technological environment. Participants will examine and understand how to critically assess new technologies and how to leverage technology effectively, while maintaining a strong ethical and professional foundation. |
Greg Buck, FCPA, FCA is the founding partner of KEY Financial Group LLP in Abbotsford and Kamloops, where he is widely respected as an innovator, known for testing technology that drives efficiency in public practice and generously sharing his extensive knowledge with other small public practitioners.
Greg also inspires the next generation of CPAs as a mentor and educator. In addition to teaching business and accounting at the University of the Fraser Valley for almost two decades, he has instructed and authored numerous CPABC professional development courses since 2004. He’s also an organizer and presenter for CPABC’s Abbotsford Practitioner’s Forum, which he introduced to the Fraser Valley in 2015. Through his myriad efforts, Greg has fostered countless successful CPA careers.
Chad Chang, CPA, CMA, is a Co-founder and Advisor at Purpose CPA. He has 25 years in the trenches of sales, marketing, HR, accounting, and tech.
Chad is all about shaking up the norm. He fuses business analysis, project management, accounting, and the latest tech to flip operations on their head. If it’s about transforming how things work, he is in.
David Crawford, CPA, CMA, is a former partner of the large international firm environment, who has broken from the pack to work with servicing clients of the small- to medium-sized accounting and law firms across the country.
David has worked in the practice area for over 25 years and runs his practice from his Calgary office. David has worked in both public practice (Big 4+) and government, and has been instrumental in devising unique indirect tax solutions and identifying savings opportunities for clients, while also managing their indirect tax compliance risks, including many years of indirect tax controversy and audit support.
John Higgins, CPA.CITP is the visionary behind Higgins Advisory, LLC. Specializing in guiding CPAs and CFOs through digital transformation, blending strategic advice, education, and coaching.
John aims to not just navigate, but master today’s digital landscape. He has founded and sold two CPA technology advisory startups in his career and now focuses exclusively on helping accounting professionals understand and apply emerging technologies.
Robyn Jarvis combines an extensive employment and commercial litigation practice. She advises and represents clients in a variety of sectors with complex corporate and commercial litigation issues, including professional regulatory matters, contractual disputes, shareholder disputes (including oppression claims under the BC Business Corporations Act), breaches of trust and fiduciary duties, and civil fraud.
Robyn’s employment law work is focused on providing advice with respect to all manner of employment disputes including wrongful dismissals, human rights complaints, bully and harassment and discrimination claims as well as providing general advice on a variety of employment related matters. For her employment litigation practice, Robyn has a particular expertise in both prosecuting and defending restrictive covenant disputes (breach of confidence, non-competes and non-solicits) and sexual harassment disputes. Robyn has over 22 years of extensive court and commercial arbitration experience.
Babar Khan, CPA, MBA, BBA, MSc, is an experienced cross-border tax professional with over 14 years of experience in US & Canadian tax compliance and advisory work. He specializes in taxation for Expatriates, Business Travelers, High Net Worth Individuals and Owner-Managed businesses.
Babar also teaches at Canada’s Schulich School of Business and with various CPA bodies. He holds an MSc (Tax) degree from University of Oxford (UK), an MBA from Schulich School of Business (Canada) and a BBA from University of Toronto. He is also a dual US and Canadian CPA. Babar also serves on the board of Infinitum Education, a UK based Startup specialising in EdTech sector.
Lorne Kotler, JD, MBA, maintains a broad legal practice encompassing administrative, regulatory, securities, corporate governance, employment, real estate and general commercial matters.
In addition to his appearances as counsel before the British Columbia Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Lorne has represented clients before the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC). As part of his broader practice, Lorne frequently assists Chartered Professional Accountants navigate legal issues relating to the practice of public accounting including by providing opinions on risk management, advice concerning ongoing engagements (including resignations), assistance with complaints to CPABC, and representation in court.
Ken Lewchuk, CPA, is a Chartered Professional Accountant (British Columbia) and a Certified Public Accountant (Texas). He graduated with a MBA from the Edinburgh Business School and with an MA in Applied and Professional Ethics from the University of Leeds (Distinction).
His career has spanned technical accounting, risk management, internal audit, and corporate compliance, working in public accounting (PwC) and for corporations in United States and Canada. He has taught technical accounting and finance classes to corporate employees in several countries, been a conference speaker, and a guest lecturer at Texas A&M University on the topic of business ethics.
Grace Pereira, BA, LLB, Tax Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, is an active member of the Taxation Working Groups of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada, the Canadian ETF Association and the Portfolio Management Association of Canada and has assisted them with submissions on investment funds industry issues to the Department of Finance.
In her taxation of executive compensation practice, Grace is also involved in all aspects of the design and implementation of tax-effective executive compensation plans for public and private employers. This includes stock option plans, share appreciation rights, share bonus and share purchase plans, restricted share unit (RSU) plans, deferred share unit (DSU) plans, and performance-based medium and long-term incentive plans., BA, LLB, Tax Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, is an active member of the Taxation Working Groups of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada, the Canadian ETF Association and the Portfolio Management Association of Canada and has assisted them with submissions on investment funds industry issues to the Department of Finance.
Garth Sheriff, CPA, CA, CIA, is the founder of Sheriff Consulting, specializing in delivering professional and leadership skills webinars and online courses. Sheriff Consulting's mission is to create a learning environment that is both engaging and impactful to your professional development.
Garth has also received training and worked as a professional actor. He is a member of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists and a graduate in improv from The Second City.
Training the Street has offered targeted training courses to academic, corporate, and public enrollment clients since 1999. Training the Street provides unparalleled training and practical skills development in accounting, corporate finance, financial modeling, and valuation topics for finance professionals.
By incorporating a mix of hands-on instruction, computer-based exercises, mini-lectures, group projects, visual presentations, and practical illustrations, they teach you real-world applications of finance theory in a way that brings finance fundamentals to life.
Tony Zhang, BBA, JD, Tax Lawyer, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, advises clients on corporate income tax matters arising from domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, financings, divestitures and reorganizations. He frequently advises owner-managers and closely held companies on succession and tax planning matters.
Tony also advises on tax issues that affect various types of investment funds, including domestic and offshore hedge funds, private equity funds, exchange traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, pooled funds and alternative funds. He has experience with investment fund formation, ongoing tax compliance, securities lending arrangements and the use of derivative trading strategies.
Past Participant
“I loved the options for breakout sessions. This allowed some flexibility to customize the PD to make the entire day engaging and relevant to my preferences.”
“Very relevant topics and practical reference materials and techniques to implement.”
“All of the sessions were useful. It was excellent professional development. I was impressed with how seamless the virtual part was.” “This was just what I needed. Thank you for putting on this topic!”