The fmi*igf Halifax Chapter's next event will be held on Wednesday, January 23, 2019.  The informative professional development session is entitled "Taking the Boredom Out of Financial Management and Controls" presented by Michael Pickup, CPA, CA, FCPA, Auditor General of Nova Scotia.  

Financial management and controls have been one of the bread and butter staples of overall management for many years.  Yet today they are more essential than ever as a key ingredient in a well run public sector environment.  In an ever increasingly complex world within and surrounding us, it is critical that organizations have strong policies, practices and procedures making up their basket of financial management and controls.  While the responsibility to ensure this is working well rests with those running an organization, there are also expectations upon auditors to provide valuable insight on how well these are working.  The Auditor General of Nova Scotia has made examining and commenting on a broad spectrum of such critical matters a key part of his 5 years as AG to date.  This has included work on financial audits and separate performance audits of various aspects of these systems and practices.  The work of the Office of the Auditor General on financial management and controls has been the centre of media coverage in NS and nationally in the recent past.  For example, the National Post reported on the progress of the Government of Nova Scotia in managing fraud risk as reported on by the Auditor General.  In addition, there have been numerous interviews, articles and features on the state of controls reporting by the AG, clearly showing that what gets reported and how you report it can bring light to this seemingly dry topic.

The morning learning session will take place at the Brightwood Golf and Country Club, 227 School Street, Dartmouth from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m.  Buffet breakfast will be provided at 8:45 a.m.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m.

The cost for this session is $75 which includes a buffet breakfast and entitles registrants to a complimentary annual membership with FMI National.  All sessions qualify for 3 verifiable CPD credits.

Membership with fmi*igf provides reduced rates for professional development workshops, on-line access to the fmi*igf Journal and the opportunity to be eligible for a draw that provides free registration and travel subsidy of $1,500 to a national fmi*igf event.  Another benefit of membership is the Chapter's Annual Scholarship for a member or dependent of a member in a full time study at university or community college.  Details are available on the Chapters web page at www.fmi.ca

To register for this event go to www.fmi-igf.ca.  Space is limited, so register early to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registration is January 18, 2019.

Looking forward to seeing you on the 23rd!

Bio

Mr. Pickup is in year 5 of his 10 year term as Auditor General of Nova Scotia.  He leads an Office which reports to the Nova Scotia Legislature approximately four times a year on financial and performance audits.  He and his team deliver roughly ten performance audits a year, as well as audits of the Province's financial statements and selected government organizations.  Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Pickup spent nearly a quarter of a century working at the Office of the Auditor General of Canada both in Ottawa and in a regional office. He was responsible for numerous financial and performance audits with a focus on financial management and control.  He also taught at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa as a part-time professor on many occasions.

The Auditor General is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) and will become a FCPA, FCA effective November 3, 2018.

Mr. Pickup currently serves on CPA Canada's Audit and Assurance Standards Board as 1 of its 14 voting members.  This Board sets professional standards for auditors across Canada in both the private and public sectors.  Prior to this he served on the Public Sector Accounting Board Task Force that defined generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector.

In his free time, Mr. Pickup became a self published author in late July 2018 with his first book entitled "Nan-Made:  How a Grandmother Made a Man".  This first book is a collection of 25 short stories honouring his recently deceased grandmother.  The book has found commercial success and has spent many days in August 2018 as a Number 1 Best Seller on Amazon Canada in its classification and has also made the top 100 Best Seller books on Amazon for self-help books with hundreds of thousands of titles available.  Mr. Pickup has also done a number of television, radio, and print media interviews on this book and his journey.

Join the FMI-CC for an exciting day focused on Leadership!  In collaboration with the OCG and others, we will take you through the key leadership competencies as well as practical experience exercises and tools to take back to your workplace.  This initiative is a first in the FMI-CC professional development portfolio and is at the request of the OCG and leadership partners.  This session will be engaging and interactive and will address the challenges of a much needed practical discussion about leadership today in the pubic service!

This day will be of interest to all levels from EX minus one to the working level.   We will offer practical tips and tools for those wishing to join the executive ranks to those just starting to supervise staff.

Build Relationships Through Positivity
And Pass the BBQ Test!

Overview: Besides experience, many leaders want to know if a financial executive can pass the true test: ‘Would I invite this person to my home for a barbecue?’ Not everyone gets excited about highly technical and complex matters. Professionals who can build relationships as part of a growth strategy, be a voice of reason, bring a calming influence into heated discussions and remain positive in the face of setbacks, are definitely more welcomed to the table. 

Presenter

Gita Badiyan, M.Ed] Gita Badiyan, M.ED, Kiva Corporate Solutions

Gita Badiyan is a consultant, executive coach and university lecturer in the area of leadership. She collaborates with organizations committed to high-performance and value-driven leadership, supporting them in enhancing the human side of business. She has led numerous projects in the private sector, helped boost collaboration in teams, and advised organizations on leadership and talent development. Gita’s professional experience in the international arena (South America, Europe and the South Pacific) has given her work a distinctive depth and dimension helping her clients successfully capture the needs of a diverse workforce.

As the Managing Director of Kiva Corporate Solutions, Gita has directed the design and delivery of hundreds of leadership programs for a cross-section of global organizations.  She has partnered with various schools of business across Canada to provide relevant programs for clients. Ms. Badiyan also teaches Project Leadership at the University of Victoria and Business leadership at Royal Roads University. She has had the pleasure of serving as a volunteer mentor to UVic’s MBA students since 2011.

Presentation and Workshop:
Build Relationships Through Positivity
And Pass the BBQ Test!
In this two-hour highly interactive workshop:

Learn about competencies that are vital for a trusted advisor
Discover what it takes to forge meaningful connections with stakeholders
Familiarize yourself with ways of dealing with negativity and conflict
Explore ways to remain positive and calm in the face of setbacks

Mastering these areas, help us achieve higher levels of influence, be happier at work and of course, get invited to the BBQ!

Join Gita and your FMI colleagues for this brief yet highly interactive session on Wednesday January 30th.

Agenda

8:00 – 8:45 Registration and Breakfast

9:00 – 11:00 Presentation & Workshop

If you have any questions or concerns, please send us an email at victoriachapter@fmi.ca.

At this unique, highly targeted one-day seminar, you can listen to an unmatchable team of financial experts from both the public and private sectors who will supply you with up-to-date information and expert guidance on the latest developments and best practices in accounting, internal controls and cyber security.

Participants will get an overview of key trends that will define the public sector accounting landscape going forward. As well, attendees will receive an update on the latest techniques to improve internal controls in the government sector. They will also hear from a cyber security expert who will share their insights on government security trends and the impact upon the accounting and financial reporting sector.

As always, our PD Day seminars promise to have thought provoking discussions and lively feedback between participants and speakers.

Are you interested in learning more about what it is to be a good project manager? If so, Project Management in the Public Sector is THE PD event you will not want to miss! The Day encompasses the following objectives:

1)    Project Management Fundamentals and Tools

2)    Relevant use of Project Lifecycles

3)    Challenges and Best Practices with Project Management Practice

This PD Day aims to provide those who are interested in project management with insight into current policies and best practices on how to better scope, plan, monitor, and report on time-limited project initiatives. The workshop will help participants understand how to use available guides and tools to assess the complexity and risks of departmental projects, and prioritize them based on available resources. Successful projects don’t just happen – every project needs a manager and this workshop will show you just how success can be achieved!

This session is ideally suited for professionals involved in project management, program delivery, audit, financial management or strategies. This PD Day would also be of interest to those who are clients of the government, and private sector professionals who are involved with managing projects.

The FMI Capital Chapter has had a fantastic year and we are going out with a bang! This is the PD Day you will not want to miss! We have once again, enlisted engaging speakers to highlight some of the Government of Canada's key priorities that are of interest to you and your organization. Dynamic senior leaders, from both inside and outside Government, will share their perspectives on the various government priorities by sector: Economic Policy Priorities; Social Policy Priorities; and Innovation as a top priority. The day will feature several exciting keynote speakers throughout the day.

This PD Day is ideally suited for those involved in delivering on these key priorities, new entrants to the public service, aspiring leaders, those involved in strategic policy, program delivery, financial management or strategies and federal budget submissions. The PD Day will also be of interest to those who are clients of these initiatives and those who wish to understand interactions between departments and central agencies, and the Federal Budget process.

Join the FMI-CC afterwards for a season closing ceremony and networking.  An event not to be missed.