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.