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Date: November 22, 2022
Time: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Location: Virtual Conference via Zoom
| Eligible CPD Hours: 7 Course Fee: (Special discounted pricing) PD Passport Valid: 12 credits |
Summary
Public practice is demanding. Success requires an ever-expanding skillset and the ability to simultaneously juggle the needs of yourself, your staff and your clients. Come join your practitioner colleagues at this annual conference designed specifically to address the challenges facing CPAs in public practice.
Strength beyond numbers. Share, learn, and get inspired.
With breakout streams on technical topics on tax and Handbook standards that will impact your practice, and plenary sessions on “What gets accountants into trouble?” and how to train your brain to thrive and cope better with stress, you will leave this day with the new knowledge and skills you need to thrive in public practice.
We’re keeping this Nexus day virtual to maximize accessibility for practitioners of all sizes and in all parts of the province. As always, there will be plenty of opportunities to share ideas and be inspired by your peers and knowledgeable presenters.
Virtual Nexus Day Agenda
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:30 am - 8:35 am | Welcome and Introductory Remarks |
8:35 am - 9:55 am | Panel Discussion: What Gets Accountants into Trouble Panelists: Bridget Noonan | Partner and Director, Clearline Consulting CPA Moderator: It is sometimes said that “what you don’t know can’t hurt you”, but the opposite is true in public practice. This panel discussion will identify some common risk areas where practitioners can get into trouble, often unknowingly. It’s not always the big issues that create problems. Some common problems are relatively easy to avoid, with the appropriate awareness and procedures. This session will provide key takeaways and awareness of common risk areas to protect you, your firm, and your clients. Moderated by Richard Konings, CPABC’s Director of Member Advisory Services, this panel will feature contributions from Bridget Noonan, who consults with small to medium sized CPA firms; John Ahern, who will provide insight into accountants’ obligations under Anti Money Laundering, and Lorne Kotler, who regularly provides legal representation to accountants facing professional discipline. |
| 9:55 am - 10:05 am | Break |
10:05 am - 11:15 am | Quality Management is Here…Are You Ready? Bridget Noonan | Partner and Director, Clearline Consulting CPA The new Quality Management standards (CSQM 1 and 2) will impact both providers of assurance and non-assurance engagements, including compilation engagements. Join us at this session to debrief tips and traps on the implementation of these new standards. Bridget has helped multiple firms implement these new standards over the prior months and will share her observations to help guide you in your firm’s implementation. For non-assurance firms, this session will lay out the road map on how to get this new standard implemented in your firm over the coming year. Productivity Hacks for Busy Accountants John Hetherington | Vision Implementer Endless meetings, bottomless spreadsheets, constant reporting deadlines. As an accountant, do you feel like you’re drowning in work? You’re not alone. Today, more than ever, finance and accounting professionals are expected to deliver more, quicker. So if you’re looking for tools and techniques to regain control of your time, become more efficient and boost your career, this session is for you. During this interactive session, you'll come away with:
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| 11:15 am - 11:35 am | Nexus Exchange Take advantage of this time to explore what’s happening in the profession and speak with representatives from CPABC. Bring your questions or just enjoy the opportunity to network virtually with CPABC staff and other attendees. In this come-and-go session, you will be able to self-select from breakout rooms identified by the CPABC group that will be on hand to answer your questions. |
| 11:35 am - 12:20 pm | Lunch Break |
12:20 pm - 1:30 pm
| Highlights of Income Tax Changes for Practitioners Shane Onufrechuk | Partner, KPMG LLP Income tax rules are always changing, and there are several proposed or enacted tax changes and issues that can catch you off guard. This session will provide a high level overview of tax changes that have been announced or are pending, particularly those that may impact your personal tax, owner-manager or small business clients. Current State of Cyber Security Attacks: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Data and Your Business Debora Monteiro | Consultant, MNP Digital We will share a real cyber incident that our team recently dealt with, including the impact it had, the steps taken, the resolution of the incident and lessons learned. The session will aim to provide the audience with best practices on building cyber resilience and how to maintain an effective security program. |
| 1:30 pm - 1:45 pm | Break |
1:45 pm - 2:55 pm | Think Better – How to Train Your Brain to Thrive and Cope with Stress Dr. Shahana Alibhai | Lead Physician, Abbotsford Youth Health Centre Accountants are known for their brain power, but in challenging times, maintaining mental wellness can be a struggle. In this presentation, be prepared to be moved, emotionally and mentally, as Dr. Shahana weaves her personal story of mental health struggles with what she has learned from the hundreds of patients she has worked with in this field over the years. All you need is an open mind and a sense of curiosity. After attending this presentation, participants will be better able to:
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| 2:55 pm - 3:10 pm | Break |
3:10 pm - 3:45 pm | Practitioner Ideas Exchange 1: Practice Management This interactive, moderated sessions are your opportunity to learn from your peers and share knowledge, practical advice, tools and resources. Engage in collaborative dialogue with your colleagues on specific topics relevant to today’s practitioners. Come with your best ideas and leave with practical takeaways that will help you and your practice thrive. Ideas Exchange 1: Technology in Your Firm This interactive, moderated sessions are your opportunity to learn from your peers and share knowledge, practical advice, tools and resources. Engage in collaborative dialogue with your colleagues on specific topics relevant to today’s practitioners. Come with your best ideas and leave with practical takeaways that will help you and your practice thrive. |
| 3:45 pm - 3:55 pm | Break |
3:55 pm - 4:30 pm | Ideas Exchange 2: Practice Management This interactive, moderated sessions are your opportunity to learn from your peers and share knowledge, practical advice, tools and resources. Engage in collaborative dialogue with your colleagues on specific topics relevant to today’s practitioners. Come with your best ideas and leave with practical takeaways that will help you and your practice thrive. Ideas Exchange 2: Technology in Your Firm This interactive, moderated sessions are your opportunity to learn from your peers and share knowledge, practical advice, tools and resources. Engage in collaborative dialogue with your colleagues on specific topics relevant to today’s practitioners. Come with your best ideas and leave with practical takeaways that will help you and your practice thrive. |
John Ahern, CFE, is a lawyer specializing in financial crime investigations, anti-money laundering, anti-corruption, major case management and training.
His legal practice centres on providing advisory services to the RCMP and other law enforcement agencies. From 1994 to 2017, John was Senior Crown Counsel with the British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General where his Province-wide practice focused on the prosecution of serious financial crime, workplace fatality cases and environmental offences. John has also practiced civil litigation, primarily representing plaintiffs in civil fraud cases. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and a graduate of the National Crime Prevention Institute at the University of Louisville. John has taught widely, including at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa and the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law. Prior to attending law school, John served 17 years as a peace officer with Canada Customs, the Peel Regional Police and the RCMP, primarily in front line operations, crime prevention and investigations.involved in executing quality monitoring engagements, and he also performed technical reviews for CPABC PD courses and CPA Canada Professional Engagement Guide templates.
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Dr. Shahana Alibhai, MD, CCFP, is a professional speaker, family physician and mental health expert.
She has worked with a multitude of organizations to help people gain more clarity into their own mental health. Her insights are highly sought after and she’s been featured in multiple major media including CTV and Global. She is best known for her “Emotional Literacy for Better Mental Health” TEDx talk and as a panelist at International Women’s Day. She has served on the UBC Faculty of Medicine Residency training program and is currently a National accreditor for the College of Canadian Family Physicians.
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John Hetherington, PMP, CMC, helps accountants and visionary leaders get projects delivered and achieve their goals.
An expert in project management, John bridges the gap between innovation, execution and productivity.
His clients say he has a super power for simplifying complexity and getting things organized, so he built his business on helping leaders create efficiencies, boost their careers and spend more time doing what they love. Having 10 years strategic consulting experience with Deloitte and Ernst & Young and 25 years working in the technology industry from the UK and Canada, John brings his no-nonsense British approach to getting things done.
Based in Calgary, Canada, John travels the world for his speaking and consulting clients.
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Richard Konings, CPA, CA, is the Director of Member Advisory Services (MAS) at CPABC.
Richard joined CPABC in 2020 and his position includes oversight of CPABC’s MAS team and the CPABC Benevolent Fund. As a member of CPABC’s MAS team, Richard will be available to answer questions from the public about the profession and to advise members on standards and ethical matters.
Before joining the organization, Richard worked for national and mid-size accounting firms for more than 10 years, providing assurance and tax services to private and public companies across a range of industries. He was involved in executing quality monitoring engagements, and he also performed technical reviews for CPABC PD courses and CPA Canada Professional Engagement Guide templates.
You can contact Richard by email at professionaladvisory@bccpa.ca.
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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 providing opinions on risk management, advice concerning ongoing engagements (including resignations), assistance with complaints to CPABC, and representation in court.
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Bridget Noonan, CPA, CA is an assurance partner at Clearline CPA and co-founder of Clearline Consulting.
Bridget helps small to mid-size firms meet regulatory compliance requirements including annual monitoring, cyclical monitoring, engagement quality control reviews and practice review action plans.
Bridget has consulted with over 150 small firms in Western Canada assisting in areas of accounting, assurance, practice management, internal training, and succession planning. Bridget continues to be actively involved in the profession as a consultant for CPABC, a member of various CPA Canada taskforces and committees and a facilitator of professional development courses.
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Shane Onufrechuk, FCPA, FCA, is a Partner, Tax at KPMG LLP.
Shane's focus in the firm is in the area of Canadian Corporate Tax with an emphasis on PPP project finance structuring, corporate reorganizations, acquisitions and providing tax advisory services to other professionals. Shane speaks at CPABC PD events, plays an active role in CPABC professional development, and had been involved in teaching and course development for the CPA Western School of Business as well as the Sauder School of Business.
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Debora Monteiro has focused on Cyber Security Services for over seven years and as part of MNP’s Cyber Risk Services practice advises various government and corporate IT organizations across several industries, from ethical hacking to developing cyber security protection strategies.
She empowers business managers to prepare, detect and respond to cyber threats and make the right decisions on how best to protect their digital assets. At MNP she has been focusing in Incident Management, developing Incident Response Plans, Playbooks, performing Tabletop exercises and leading Incident Readiness engagements.
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Judy Sin is an accomplished innovation and transformation professional who works with organizations in assisting in both preparatory and post-incident activities, such as plan and playbook developments, tabletop exercises, and hands-on compromise responses.
She’s also worked with a variety of organizations across multiple industries in assessing its protective and detective capabilities, not only at MNP but at her previous organization (Deloitte), to assess the maturity of cyber security capabilities using NIST, CIS, ISO, PCI DSS and Cyber Strategy Frameworks (CSF) and recommend areas of improvement to enhance the client’s cyber security posture.
Past Participant
“Relevant opening session tied into what most are going through in the current landscape and useful information throughout the conference.”
“Good mix of options and session lengths...”
“Loved it, great information and wonderful to see practitioners sharing information and learning from each other...It was a great show of support for the profession.”