for an industry, job security and gold-plated pensions for a growing number of government employees, etc.) quickly become ironclad entitlements. On top of this, each year, our governments deploy new pro-
grams, along with the related bureaucratic structures and contingents of civil servants. The years go by and the bill just grows. The worst thing about all this is that even though Canadians
pay more to governments, Ottawa and seven provinces chalked up deficits last year. The solution lies in controlling — and reducing — expenditures. Taxpayers, for their part, have been squeezed dry.
DAVID DESCÔTEAUX is a Montreal-based business columnist. He recently published a collection of his columns entitled L’Argent des autres
MPAcc Students Give Back to Community
B
etween filing tax returns and completing year-end audit engagements, students in the Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) program at offices across Western Canada were busy planning their annual community service event; MPAcc Gives Back.
Now in the ninth year, MPAcc students invite local elementary school kids to invade the University of Saskatchewan campus and spend a fun day working on teamwork and leadership activities.
The Master of Professional Accounting program at the Edwards School of Business is an innovative graduate degree program that attracts top-notch accounting students from across Canada. Over the course of two summer terms, students complete a comprehensive program that acts as a proven alternative route for students seeking the CPA designation in Canada. MPAcc is the only program of its type in Canada with a focus on giving back to the community. The initiative is completely student-lead and not College mandated.
“Our goal for MPAcc Gives Back is to encourage elementary students to start thinking about their educational future and begin developing the leadership and teamwork skills they can apply throughout their lives in a fun and meaningful event at the University of Saskatchewan,” said Elizabeth Tseung, a second year MPAcc student at Edwards School of Business.
“The event also encourages MPAcc students to become well-rounded professionals who not only excel academically, but also possess the passion of making a difference in their communities,” added Tseung.
MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING
Students in the second year of the master’s program take on the organizing role and bring together roughly 160 MPAcc students to run the community event. Grades 4, 5, and 6 from St. Maria Goretti Community School and École Lakeview School in Saskatoon were the two schools paired together for the event held in May 2017, and together brought over 90 elementary school students to the University Campus.
“The MPAcc Gives Back event was an excellent experience,” said Graham Patola, a teacher at St. Maria Goretti. “The kids formed new friendships amongst the two schools and enjoyed spending time learning on campus.”
The schedule this year included nine teamwork activities ranging from three legged races to a campus wide scavenger hunt. The elementary students experienced firsthand the wide range of areas that are available on campus including the dinosaur exhibit, Indigenous art, the dairy barn, stock market ticker and more. The kids also had an inside look at what it is like to sit in a university lecture hall.
Jayme McColl, one of the original co-founders of the event and MPAcc alumna says she felt fortunate to develop leadership skills amongst other technical competencies while enrolled in the Edwards MPAcc program. “I felt our skill building should extend beyond the classroom with the long-term goal that MPAcc graduates continue to be leaders in both business and in their community,” said McColl. “I am extremely humbled the event recently completed its ninth year and I wish it continued success!”
Special thanks to the Grandey Leadership Initiative for financial support of the event.
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NOVEMBER 2017 | CPA MAGAZINE | 21 9/28/2017 2:38:46 PM
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