Mastering Money Conference 2018

(Breakfast session - optional)
Learn to extend the value of any conference or event you attend by choosing to be strategic and purposeful. You’ll learn to capitalize on the human potential and use your e-tools to strengthen your social network and your learning.

Li Zhang ; Odette Lawrence

Joy Thomas ; Lori Mathison, FCPA, FCGA, LLB ; Francesco Di Scianni

(Plenary session)
Join our panel of leaders as they discuss their organizations’ roles in raising the financial knowledge and competency amongst Canadians.

Jane Rooney ; Joy Thomas ; Elizabeth Mulholland ; Cary List ; Terry Goodtrack, MPA, B.Admin, CPA, CGA, CAFM, CAPA, C.Dir

(Plenary session)(introduction by John Groves, Coast Capital)

Insights of behavioral science to help create better financial decision-making structures for the irrational and illogical.

Jeff Kreisler – Editor-in-Chief of PeopleScience.com and award-winning co-author of "Dollars and Sense,” exposes the hidden forces that secretly drive our choices about money. He explains why our irrational behavior often interferes with our best intentions when it comes to managing our finances.

Why don’t we value our future comfort and security as much as our present pleasure and spending? Why does paying for things often feel like it causes physical pain? Why do complex financial options cause us to make irrational financial choices? We’ll explore these questions and more as we get to the heart of our financial decision-making process.

Jeff Kreisler

In this lunch address, Canada’s Financial Literacy Leader, Jane Rooney, will provide an overview of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s financial literacy initiatives and discuss how other organizations can help to further strengthen the financial literacy of Canadians and collectively move the needle. Jane will highlight the trending themes throughout the conference, such as workplace financial wellness and Indigenous communities, as well as current issues affecting personal finance, such as rising interest rates and debt management. This session will offer a forward-thinking approach pointing to practical steps and tools that organizations and individuals can use to strengthen their financial literacy.

Jane Rooney

(Concurrent session)

Indigenous Peoples must be an integral part of Canada’s economic future, in full control of their own cultural and economic destiny. Understanding the language of money – at the personal level, at the entrepreneurial level, and at the level of independent Nations, will be critical for Indigenous Peoples to take their proper place in building a prosperous future. What does that economic potential look like? How do we work together to understand and unlock the vast potential of Indigenous Peoples to nurture and build healthy prosperous Communities?

Carlana Lindeman ; Terry Goodtrack, MPA, B.Admin, CPA, CGA, CAFM, CAPA, C.Dir

(Concurrent session)

Growing a business is one of the hardest aspects of being an entrepreneur. Many small businesses can struggle through the most important aspect – funding. Gain insights from leading experts in the field, who will discuss the tips and tricks of the trade to help you understand and navigate the complex landscape in seeking financial resources for businesses.

Shannin Metatawabin ; Michel Bergeron ; Karen Horcher FCPA, FCGA ; Michael Deepwell, CPA, CA

(Concurrent session)

Fraud is a looming issue in Canada and fraudsters are becoming increasing sophisticated. This session speaks to the growing trends in technology and the potential dangers as it relates to personal and organization fraud – from digital elements such as Fintech, blockchain and hacking to the tried and true phishing emails and harassing telephone calls. Experts from the field and law enforcement share how this new connected world leaves us open to becoming victims and how we can protect ourselves and our clients/customers.

Robert G. Parker ; Caroline Hillyard, CPA, CA ; Keith Ward

(Concurrent session)

Reconciliation must lead to the social and economic inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in Canada’s future growth. One of the first steps is ensuring Indigenous Peoples have full access to the benefits and opportunities to which all Canadians are entitled. This conversation will focus on two things: understanding some of the cultural and historical challenges to inclusion, and on initiatives proven to work. The big question is: how will Indigenous communities, governments and Canadians work together to support the social and economic conditions required to achieve financial wellness and prosperity? Panellists will draw from the experiences and lessons learned in Indigenous communities in Canada to explore the social, economic and reconciliation goals needed to achieve financial wellness for Indigenous Peoples.

Simon Brascoupé, MA, CAPA, CFNHM

(Concurrent session)

In 2017, the Business Development Bank of Canada conducted a study that found 41% of all entrepreneurs are likely to leave their businesses within the next five years and 52% of them expect to sell or transfer their business outside the family. Learn about these upcoming trends and what that means to the small business ecosystem as well as the challenges and often confusion around exiting a business – whether the business will transfer to a family member or externally.

Matt Price ; Liisa Atva, CPA, CA ; Michael Deepwell, CPA, CA

(Concurrent session)

Financial illiteracy in Canada has been made worse in the investment field where convoluted jargon and smart sales tactics have combined to confuse consumers. At worst, the confusion has led to investment schemes where high fees and early exit penalties trap buyers in investment programs that are legal yet detrimental to their retirement. At best, many of the sales practices go unchallenged because the customer “does not know what they do not know.” Knowledge and awareness of these traps will protect you and your loved ones and better enable you to achieve your investment goals.

Larry Short, CPA, CGA ; Jessica Sanders, CPA, CMA

Reflect on the excitement of day one while listening to local musical entertainment from Pk3 Jazz trio. Meet and network with attendees who share your financial literacy interests through the communities of interest section. This section will have tables assigned to different communities of interest including, students, small businesses, Indigenous communities and more! Find the table that interests you or wander from table to table to find out about the new and exciting financial literacy initiatives taking place across the country.  

(Breakfast session - optional)

Since 2010, the CPA profession has been committed to furthering financial knowledge amongst Canadians. Join us for this optional breakfast session to hear about how far the program has come and how CPAs and community organizations can benefit from the program, at no cost!

Li Zhang

Michael Deepwell, CPA, CA

(Plenary session)

There is a growing body of research that links financial wellness to overall wellness. In the workplace, financial stress can lead to absenteeism, low productivity and negative morale. Evaluating the relationship between financial stability and its impact on health, our panelists reflect on the research, explain linkages between healthy Canadians and their finances and looks at the adverse effects poverty has on health.

Tashia Batstone, FCPA, FCA, MBA ; Jenna van Draanen ; Lori Mathison, FCPA, FCGA, LLB

(Plenary session)

People are inundated with messages in today’s world. So to survive the onslaught, people tune out the noise. People will even ignore information that is critical - especially in financial matters. Knowing that, the way to break through is to use emotion in your messaging. Emotion moves people, it gets attention, and more importantly, emotion gets people to act on your ideas. Join Terry O’Reilly as he talks about how to use emotion to change the conversation around money.

Terry O’Reilly

(Plenary session)

Measuring input is easy but how do we measure the effectiveness of our programs over long term. Evaluations that are underway or are in process as well as how does an organization go about measuring tangible results, not just having provided the education?

Dr. Jennifer Robson

Interest rates and inflation are on the rise. This inflection affects both what we teach and how we teach financial literacy. As a result, it is timely to assess the process by which we capture the principles of sound financial management to ensure the framework remains useful and adaptable. Wallace offers some thoughts on changes to the framework and its affect on teaching financial literacy. Assumptions about longevity, interest rates, inflation and rates of return are always important. As each of these changes, how does their interrelationship vary? How does the reasonable range of assumptions change? How do we help Canadians determine that range? From an educational perspective, what makes a good example? How do we communicate examples through the use of “sticky” stories?

(Concurrent session)

Managing finances varies greatly depending on an individual’s situation. Hear stories from those working with low-income Canadians – trapped in volatile income situations, to Canadians living in remote communities in the northern territories and everyone in between. Challenge your perceptions of how money is viewed from various socio-economic positions.

Jodi M. Dueck-Read ; Stacy Yanchuck Oleksy ; Eitan Dehtiar, CPA, CMA ; Jessica Sanders, CPA, CMA

(Concurrent session)

Government plays a big role in helping Canadians make better financial decisions. Hear from Canada’s top government insiders and departments on how they are moving the needle in terms of financial empowerment, education and programs to support Canadians in all their life stages.

Evelyn Jacks ; Pierre Labbée ; Michael Deepwell, CPA, CA

(Concurrent session)

Concern about finances is the single biggest source of stress for Canadian workers. It affects not only their overall health and happiness, but their on-the-job performance. This session provides insights into the current state of financial stress, how it affects workers, and the kinds of information, education and support employers can provide to create a workplace culture of financial wellbeing.

Doretta Thompson ; Mary Ann Baynton ; Janice MacLellan ; Jérémie Ryan

(Concurrent session)

Canadians with disabilities face unique challenges, often including the realm of finances. Many organizations are actively working to improve the lives of these Canadians by providing the supports that are necessary for them to thrive and build successful futures. Learn from the experts on how they are changing the landscape for Canadians with disabilities, from the government level to the local community.

Timothy Ames

(Concurrent session)

Tax clinics are a key component in helping low-income and vulnerable Canadians access necessary programs and supports to get their life on track. Join our panelists as they discuss barriers Canadians face to access tax benefits, the CRA’s CVITP program and how it’s improving and a pilot in Northern Ontario supporting indigenous communities.

Allison Patterson ; Jeff Cates

(Concurrent session)

There are a lot of buzz words out there – boomers, millennials, gen z. What does it all mean when we place them into the context of money? Our panelists, representing many of these labels, share their thoughts of how the changing demographics of the Canadian population affects how we need to alter our messages to fit these audience. From talking with millennials to our aging seniors to indigenous communities – what makes them the same and what makes them different from each other?

Janine Rogan, CPA ; Wanda Morris, CPA, CA