CPA Canada versus Trudeau, or: taken to task!

“CPA Canada takes PM to task over remarks on accountants,” announced a recent release. It’s worth reproducing the entire bulletin here: In the wake of the criticism over the Budget 2024 propose to increase the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused wealthy Canadians of “using accountants” to reduce their tax payments. In a…

Post-implementation review of IFRS 15: we always knew it would be like this!

“IASB review concludes the revenue Standard is working as intended,” announces a recent news release. This announced the publication of the Project Summary and Feedback Statement relating to the Post-Implementation review of IFRS 15. These are the headline conclusions: there are no fundamental questions (fatal flaws) about the clarity or suitability of the core objectives…

Canada’s proposed sustainability standards, or: you’re trying to crush us!

As we addressed here, the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board issued for comment its first two proposed standards. These are proposed Canadian Sustainability Disclosure Standard (CSDS) 1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information  and CSDS 2 Climate-related Disclosures, built on the pre-existing IFRS S1 and S2; the CSSB didn’t propose any major changes to…

We’re selling trust, and we know you’re all ready to buy!

CPA Ontario recently issued Trust in New Frontiers: Putting AI Governance into Practice. The foreword states: “The question of trust is at the heart of the debate surrounding artificial intelligence and its impact. And as the use of AI becomes even more commonplace in business and society, that question of trust is also at the…

Disclosing material changes, or: the wall’s falling in!

This is from a recent Globe and Mail opinion piece by Douglas Sarro, a securities law professor at the University of Ottawa: An upcoming Supreme Court of Canada case deals with public companies’ obligation to immediately disclose material changes that occur within their business rather than waiting until their next financial quarter to tell investors…

Canada’s proposed sustainability standards: we’re just too small!

As we addressed here, the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board issued for comment its first two proposed standards. These are proposed Canadian Sustainability Disclosure Standard (CSDS) 1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information  and CSDS 2 Climate-related Disclosures, built on the pre-existing IFRS S1 and S2. As we’ve previously noted, the key decision on…

Canada’s proposed sustainability standards, or: there’s no time like a different time

As we addressed here, the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board issued for comment its first two proposed standards. These are proposed Canadian Sustainability Disclosure Standard (CSDS) 1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information  and CSDS 2 Climate-related Disclosures, built on the pre-existing IFRS S1 and S2. One major issue is whether issuers should be…

The challenges of accounting, or: let’s make a game of it!

Yet another reflection on accounting’s current woes… This is by Matt Levine on Bloomberg.com, titled Accounting isn’t Cool Anymore. The article (which draws heavily on an underlying article on Business Insider) quotes a retired accountant as saying that “”The pay is crappy, the hours are long, and the work is drudgery,” and notes that “Students…