Canada - July 2007
PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS EVENT AND 2007 GRADUATION
Toronto, Canada, July 2007
ACCA Canada hosted its seventh annual graduation and long-standing member acknowledgement ceremony in July 2007, held in the Albany Club, Toronto; the event also provided the opportunity for ACCA to highlight its initiatives in promoting professionalism and ethics in accountancy.
Some 120 graduates, affiliates, long-standing members, new CGA MRA members, and numerous honoured guests and dignitaries were present at the event. Guest of honour was the new ACCA international deputy president, Richard Aitken-Davies, and guests also included a member of the Public Accountants Council (PAC) of Ontario; the chair, past chair, and a board member of CGA Ontario; the president of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries; the vice president of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators; and representatives from Seneca College, Stouffville College and Robert Half Canada.
Following a welcome by ACCA Canada president Phil Hodgson, guests heard from ACCA Council member Raphael Joseph, of Markham, Ontario, who spoke on the need for members to become more involved with the ACCA Council.
Richard Aitken-Davies then gave the keynote address. As Richard noted, it is a time of unprecedented opportunities for young finance professionals, with new markets developing and new demands being placed on qualified, multi-skilled accountants. Members need to show outstanding technical expertise, and demonstrate professionalism and an ethical approach which will enable them to stand out from their competitors in a new, post-Enron and WorldCom environment. As Richard explained, ACCA has ensured that professionalism and ethics is at the core of its new Qualification and its CPD initiatives.
Richard went on to say: ‘We believe that in order for our members to be able to demonstrate professionalism, they need to not only have a high level of technical skill, but also show that they work to a code of conduct and that they have the public interest at heart. As finance professionals you will be at the sharp end … since that is where the markets and the media will be looking, and we are determined to help you meet the challenges which will arise in your working lives.
‘The really tough choices are not between right and wrong, but often between right and right – with individuals having to decide between truth and loyalty, the needs of the individual against the needs of the community, short term versus long term, and justice versus mercy. Ethics is much more than simply blind compliance; it is about an attitude of mind which we hope to instil in all our members.’
Richard's speech was followed by an address from graduate Colm Lynn, who began his accountancy studies in Ireland, and overcame many challenges before scoring some of the highest marks of any Canadian graduate in the December 2006 exams.
Following the speeches the graduation ceremony took place, followed by presentations to those members celebrating their 25th or more year with ACCA. This was followed by a cocktail reception where ACCA Committee members and staff met with guests, graduates, long-standing members and their families before going on to dinner.
At the close of the evening, the head and president of ACCA Canada took the opportunity to thank ACCA past president Hin Leong for his tireless efforts during the previous three years. Hin Leong made many improvements to ACCA Canada during his tenure, and in recognition of this he was presented with a Mont Blanc pen.
Related photographs
(click on each photograph to see a bigger version)
Photo 1: L-R: Phil Hodgson, ACCA Canada President, Mohadissa Visram, Richard Aitken-Davies, ACCA President
Photo 2: Ahad Ishoop with Richard Aitken-Davies
Photo 3: Richard Aitken-Davies speaking to new graduates