Former CPA Canada CEO to receive honorary doctorate

Kevin Dancey, FCPA, FCA, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at a ceremony on June 12, 2019 (Photograph by 3Print)

KEVIN DANCEY TO RECEIVE HONORARY DOCTORATE

Former president and chief executive officer of CPA Canada, Kevin Dancey, FCPA, FCA, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Waterloo at a ceremony on June 12, 2019.

Dancey oversaw the unification of the professional accountant bodies in Canada and was recently named to the Order of Canada for his dedication to the profession and the development of a national financial literacy program.

In the past, Dancey has held positions as the assistant deputy finance minister of the Tax Policy Branch of the Canadian Department of Finance and as the CEO and senior partner of PwC in Canada. He is currently the chief executive officer of the International Federation of Accountants.

CPA CANADA AND ZIMBABWE’S CA BODY SIGN RMA

On April 1, the first Reciprocal Membership Agreement (RMA) signed between CPA Canada and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ) came into effect. The RMA outlines the criteria for membership to each other’s bodies.

“We’re excited to offer a pathway to achieving the Canadian CPA designation for Zimbabwean CAs, while also creating an entryway for Canadian CPAs,” says Joy Thomas, president and CEO, CPA Canada. “These agreements, which help facilitate career opportunities and economic growth, are a great example of how professional bodies can span borders and work in harmony.”

In the past year, CPA Canada has signed RMAs with the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Here is a complete list of affiliations with international accounting bodies. 

CPA CANADA SPEAKERS ‘JOIN’ STUDENTS IN JAMAICA 

Thanks to technology, two CPA Canada speakers were able to participate in a student conference in Jamaica without having to be physically present.

Utilizing Skype for Business, Michael Wong of research, guidance and support (RGS), and Lennox Parkins, another CPA Canada member with roots in Jamaica, were live as needed during the half-day conference in February, talking through slides and taking audience questions. CPA Canada International worked with the RGS group and the internal IT department to make it possible, including setting up wifi, two-way audio and screens required at the venue of choice.

This first joint initiative between CPA Canada and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) helped deliver on the promise to support the growth of the accounting profession by reaching prospective students, as well as key accounting faculty and stakeholders. The two bodies signed an MOU earlier this year.

BLOCKCHAIN SESSION ATTRACTS CPAs IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Forty Canadian CPAs recently attended a half-day workshop designed to explain blockchain technology and its potential benefits in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

“We acknowledge that blockchain is one of the key drivers of change impacting the accounting profession, making it important for CPAs to have a better appreciation, at a high level, of its potential,” says Anil Seeterram of the CPA Canada Trinidad and Tobago Chapter, who organized the event.

The session aimed to inform members how businesses can leverage the technology to create value, new opportunities and address traditional problems. Experts in attendance included Saad Imran, Canadian CPA and co-founder of Node Blockchain Inc. (Toronto), who led a session titled Blockchain 101, as well as, Lily Dash, CEO and president of Rexy.com and Peter George Jr., chairman of Bitt Inc., both of whom provided examples of blockchain applications.