PD News

Upcoming Professional Development

CAs in Industry PD Day

Financial professionals in industry have to stay informed about many facets of business, including emerging financial management trends, compliance and reporting changes, and other outside influences that could affect their businesses.

This conference is designed to provide relevant information for use in the workplace, and will focus on building skills in participants' areas of responsibility.

Dec 6,8:40am-5pm, Vancouver

Corporate Controllership Program

Due to unprecedented demand, we've added an additional offering of the Corporate Controllership Program on January 25-30, 2008, at the Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta. For more information, or to register, visit www.controllership.ca.

Audit & Accounting

Business Combinations: The Asset Changes

Changes made in July 2001 to the accounting standards for business acquisitions have had a ripple effect on the CA Handbook, which now defines "a business," prescribes the methods for a business combination, and segregates capital assets. The Handbook has also introduced valuation testing and a measurement of fair value.

This seminar will help participants understand the practical application of these accounting standards.

Dec 5, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

CICA Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation awards are a common form of compensation offered to bodi employees and non-employees.

This seminar will provide participants with the knowledge needed to make policy decisions, (each policy decision affects how such awards are accounted for), and to apply the detailed rules underlying this standard. It has been amended to focus on the fair value method, and will include the Black-Scholes model and its required inputs.

Nov 26, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities: A Guide to Practical Issues

By now, most companies have addressed the implications of AG-15, but many accountants continue to find its application challenging. This workshop will provide a forum in which to discuss practical issues arising from the guideline's application, and issues arising from interpretations that have surfaced since its initial adoption. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the guideline, and of the various factors that should be considered when assessing an entity for consolidation under the variable interest model, or when assessing the accounting impact of various structures.

Dec 5, 9am-12:30pm, Vancouver

Revenue Recognition

In addition to basic principles, this seminar will include a survey of many of the more significant revenue recognition issues addressed by EIC-141 and EIC-142.

The course material that will be covered is intended to apply to a broad range of industries. By the end of the session, participants should have the ability to analyse contractual arrangements, identify revenue recognition issues, and formulate solutions.

Nov 29, 9am-12:30pm, Vancouver

Telling It like It Is - Auditor Communications with Management and Audit Committees

Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) require that auditors communicate with both management and audit committees on an everexpanding range of topics.

As the scope of GAAS continues to expand, so do the risks for auditors. You can minimize your risk by making sure you know what and when you are required to report back to both management and audit committees.

This seminar will review, in thorough detail, what should be included in these communications, when they need to be issued, and how they can be presented.

Nov 30, 9am-12:30pm, Vancouver

Management

Active Listening Skills: Listen Twice, Speak Once

This workshop is designed to help you develop that rare talent of active listening. It will help you improve your interaction and communication with others by giving you specific, practical skills that you can use immediately to increase listening effectiveness. This workshop will provide useful tips and techniques for anyone who needs to elicit accurate information from others.

Dec 3, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Building Better Business Cases

Wise capital expenditure is critical to business success. Yet many capital expenditure (CAPEX) business cases are littered with flaws that end up costing companies thousands of dollars.

This seminar will give participants the tools needed to better evaluate and critically monitor CAPEX business cases. It will be particularly valuable for members in industry, and for practitioners who regularly review and evaluate these kinds of cases.

Nov 27, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Performance Measurement: Balanced Scorecard for the Public Sector

This seminar will give participants a well-established methodology with which to implement the balanced scorecard and meet strategic goals. It will be of interest to public sector managers who are looking for accurate ways to measure organizational performance and align resources with strategic goals.

Through lecture, discussion, and a public sector case study, you will learn how to apply performance measurement in practical ways.

Nov 21, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Practical Tips for Controllers and CFOs The Case Course

This seminar will help sharpen the skills of industry members and their advisors. Using group and break-out sessions, this practical course will involve working through a number of in-depth, realistic cases. By the end of the seminar, attendees will have increased their practical knowledge and gained many useful tips for dealing with everyday responsibilities.

Topics covered will include: improving the relevancy of financial reporting to users, negotiating an offer to finance with a bank, resolving ethical dilemmas, contract review from a financial perspective, and practical foreign exchange risk management.

Nov 28, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Negotiating Workshop

The objective of this two-day workshop is to enhance participants' negotiating skills.

Negotiating is not only a skill that can be learned but also an approach to life that can determine not only your own prosperity, but also the quality of life of those around you. Your negotiating skills will be much more effective once you possess the comfort and confidence of knowing how to create win-win solutions.

Dec 4-5, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Negotiating for Cross-Cultural and Team Negotiations

Today, most business negotiations in BC involve discussions among people from different cultural backgrounds. Understanding the different behavioural expectations of these various cultures is vital to your success as a negotiator.

In addition, most corporate negotiations are conducted in teams, and it's crucial that participants in this unique forum understand bargaining dynamics and principles.

Exploring concepts specifically related to cross-cultural and team negotiation, this workshop will enhance your abilities as a negotiator.

Dec 6, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Taxation

Planned Giving - Inter Vivos & Post-Mortem Strategies

Numerous legislative changes pertaining to charitable giving have been made over the past several years. This seminar will inform attendees about these changes and other current, related developments so that they can advise philanthropic clients and/or charities on the various inter vivos and post-mortem charitable giving strategies.

Nov 2, 9am-12:30pm, Vancouver

RIP: Compliance Matters Related to Terminal Filing Preparation

This seminar will focus on detailed tax compliance matters related to preparing filings for deceased individuals and testamentary trusts. It will include a significant degree of technical detail to address the myriad issues that can arise when planning and preparing the various individual testamentary filings.

Nov 29, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

RIP: Estate Planning to Minimize Tax Leakage

This seminar will focus on estate planning matters for owner-managers and high-net-worth individuals. It will address, in detail, tax matters relevant to a typical estate freeze transaction. It will also cover the important matters to consider when estate freeze transactions involve the use of various types of trust relationships.

Other technical topics will include various charitable giving tax considerations, as well as interesting life insurance concepts that should be considered when planning the owner-manager estate.

Dec 13, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Section 85: Transfer of Property

CAs are often engaged by their clients to assist with transactions designed to accomplish objectives such as creditor-proofing, estate planning, and corporate restructuring.

Section 85 of the Income Tax Act is often required to ensure that clients' objectives can be met in a tax-efficient manner. However, the provisions of this section are complex, and interact with a number of related anti-avoidance provisions.

This seminar will cover selected tax aspects of the transfer of property to a corporation, as well as the use of the section 85 rollover rules.

Dec 6, 9am-5pm, Vancouver

Tax & Other Issues for Investors (and Their Advisors)

The landscape of investment alternatives continues to evolve. This seminar will update your knowledge of the more recent portfolio investments available in the marketplace, and of the related income tax issues for the investment owner or advisor. In addition to addressing the taxation of portfolio investments, the seminar will discuss practical planning issues to improve portfolio tax efficiency.

Nov 29, 9am-12:30pm, Vancouver

Executive Breakfast Seminars

Investing in China-An Introduction from Tax and Transaction Perspectives

This seminar will provide an overview of China's tax regime, and examine the critical transactional matters investors need to be aware of when contemplating investing in China. It is designed for company executives who plan to expand into China, or for advisors who are advising clients to do so.

Nov 13, 7:30-9:30am, Vancouver

Handling Termination of Employment

This seminar will provide an overview of the issues surrounding employment termination, and will include any recent updates in this area. By attending this executive briefing, participants will receive a comprehensive summary, become more aware of all the issues relating to employment termination, and learn a practical framework for planning.

Nov 14, 7:30-9:30am, Vancouver

Transfer Pricing: Latest Developments

This seminar will provide participants with up-to-date information on the latest transfer pricing developments, both in Canada and internationally. Key aspects of economic analyses will be covered, with an emphasis on sharing best practices. The seminar will also focus on resolving disputes with taxation authorities.

Nov 14, 7:30-9:50am, Vancouver

Reduce Your Exposure to Directors' & Officers' Liabilities

To what extent are corporate directors personally liable for their actions? This seminar is designed for members who are directors or officers, or who want to help their organizations and their clients minimize risks and liabilities.

Every corporate client has a board of directors. Members of a board have extensive legal duties, with corresponding liabilities.

At this session, participants will learn about the obligations and pitfalls to which directors and officers are exposed, and more importantly, about practical procedures to avoid personal liability.

Nov 14, 7:30-9:30am, Vancouver

[Sidebar]

CPD REMINDER

The 2007 CPD reporting form must be completed and submitted by January 31, 2008.

All CAs resident in British Columbia must have a minimum of 14 hours, and must complete a 3-year cycle requirement of 70 hours for the period ending Dec 31, 2007.

For more information on the CPD requirements, visit www.icabc-pd.com.

[Sidebar]

For details on these seminars and the fall 2007 PD program, please refer to your latest PD brochure or visit our website at www.icabc-pd.com.