January-February 2010 | CAmagazine.com

January-February 2010

March 2010


		Strong & steady Despite the red ink and the relentless scaling back of growth forecasts, the Canadian accounting profession appears to be weathering the financial storm, as the generally positive results of the CICA’s 2009 CA profession compensation survey suggest BY JOHN LORINC Going for gold Come the Olympics, most Canadians will be glued to TV screens, cheering on the athletes, unaware of the trial organizers faced in preparation for the big event. Three of the senior management team are CAs, who by all accounts have been calm and resolute BY ROBERTA STALEY


People Two days a week, Suzanne Schultz is ready for her close up. The financial planner and CA gets in front of the camera to dish out advice, tough love and sometimes even cash to couples on HGTV’s reality show House Poor News and trends • SMEs set to increase international business • Numbers game • Boards a boon to CAs • Ask an expert • Going concern Bits and Bites • Secrets to saving • Ethics oath • Canadian pensions score high worldwide • Sustainable developments • Small biz's best friend Value added • Is IT ready for IFRS? • Flex plans gain in popularity


		Taxation As the CRA challenges offshore trusts, many cases and appeals are working their way through the judicial system BY JENNIFER SMITH Technology Engineering is usually required to create cultured pearls; similarly intervention is needed to achieve a PEARL system BY RIZWAN SULEMAN Personal financial planning US real estate is attractive, but a few tax and estate planning strategies can help you avoid tax and probate issues BY DAVID ALTRO

News from the profession PotashCorp big winner at Corporate Reporting Awards 2009 presented by Canada’s CAs • Canada’s CAs helping business owners with estate planning • Stable platform for 2011 IFRS adoption • Not-for-profits — future financial reporting direction update • Ontario’s information and privacy commissioner speaks at CA event • New IFRS resources — free and online • Accounting standards for Canadian private enterprises now in the Handbook

Standards digest Recently issued pronouncements


From the editor CAs are holding their own Netwatch Stranger than science fiction Outlook Managing the monster Letters to the editor