CPABC in Focus November/December 2014 | Page 26

Rick: We also stayed harmonized with our affiliates across the country, paying particular attention to the National Regulatory Steering Committee’s recommendations. How did you handle the most complex issues? Roger: We involved subcommittees, with staff who made recommendations to the RWG. So there was a way of “kicking the tires” on a recommendation, and then it would get refined along the way. In some cases, we went back and did additional research, which could involve finding out what other provinces or regulatory bodies were doing. Pamela: That’s a good point Roger. We got staff members involved who were actually dealing with the reality of applying regulations on a daily basis, so we weren’t detached from how this affects members in real life. YOU SEE A HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDING. WE SEE A LOW-RISK INVESTMENT. Did you also consult with external volunteers? Jamie: Yes, and this included public representation. We also worked hard to make sure these groups included members who would be affected by the recommendations. Pamela: We also made sure there was representation from all three bodies. Rick: To add to what Jamie and Pam said, it really goes beyond just volunteers. I think it’s beneficial for the membership to get a sense of the steps we took to get to where we are today. It started out with the working group staff, then went to the senior regulatory team. From there it went to a discussion group of volunteers with lay representatives, and then it was vetted by the Executive Management Committee. After that, it went to the TSC for their approval, and then went to the legacy boards/council. This process helped us ensure that the interests of all stakeholders would be well served. How did volunteer input strengthen the recommendations? Ted: In all of the sessions we did with volunteer groups, no fatal flaws were identified. Of course, there were certain issues that attracted a lot more discussion than we expected... Pamela: Yes, and while their input did not result in many changes to the recommendations, it did—in several cases—lead us to refine recommendations. Jamie: And when we were presenting the recommendations to the TSC later on, it was helpful to refer to the input of volunteers. ACQUISITION | MANAGEMENT | DEVELOPMENT | PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION FEASIBILITY STUDIES | DEPRECIATION REPORTS | CONSULTING 26  CPABC in Focus • Nov/Dec 2014 Looking at specifics, what’s the rationale for making an ethics course a pre-certification requirement rather than a postcertification requirement? Roger: There was discussion around timing, with pros and cons to both, and at the end of the day we felt it was important that students/ candidates get that exposure just prior to becoming a member.