As of January 8, the Canadian accounting professions is united across all provinces and territories. Both the North West Territories and Nunavut merged their existing legacy bodies, creating the Chartered Professional Accountants of Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
This historic event was made possible due to the dedication, perseverance and hard work of the Transitional Steering Committee, comprised of volunteers and led by Executive Director, Marlene Sutton. Among this group was our very own Partner, Matthew Bannister, from our Yellowknife office.
Matthew describes the unification process as very organized, but still had its challenges, "Unlike most other jurisdictions in Canada, Nunavut has three official languages (English, French, and Inuit language that includes both Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun) in which all bills are required to be read by the legislature. Given the nature of the bill governing the accounting profession there were some areas of the bill that required additional time to translate to ensure consistency in the bill amongst all of the official languages of Nunavut."
Now, after 20 years of independent governing CPA Northwest Territories and Nunavut is positioned to work alongside its members across Canada and Bermuda, and sign national collaboration agreements. Matthew notes this is a huge advantage for the entire organization as it "move[s] the profession forward into the future," allowing the CPA to "face the challenges together as a fully unified profession."
So what's next?
As the Transitional Steering Committee prepares to dissolve, Matthew will still be heavily involved in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut’s CPA as he has been elected as the very first chair of the unified organization.
With this milestone, Matthew's focus is now on positioning members as trusted advisors. "This will allow our members to continue to provide valuable insights to business, governments, and not-for-profit organizations going through significant technological and generational changes," Matthew adds. "We look forward to continuing to work with our membership to refine their skills to meet the unique market demands in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut."
Congratulations Matthew, on your hard work on this historic moment for the CPA. We are excited to see your work as the Board Chairperson, and look forward to our profession advancing as a unified front.
For the official announcement visit the CPA Canada website.
Read more on Matthew Bannister and the services he provides.
About Crowe MacKay
Crowe MacKay is a vibrant team of Chartered Professional Accountants providing a full range of accounting services for 50 years. With a team of over 300 professionals, spread across eight offices in Western and Northern Canada, Crowe MacKay LLP is built on a foundation of diverse talent. We specialize in a vast number of complex accounting related services and are dedicated to delivering expert advice across a spectrum of industries and organizations. We have the skills to keep your company competitive and profitable.
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