<OPTIONAL INFO>

Public Sector
CertificateProgram

NEW!

Increase your skills,

confidence and expertise
in public sector finance
Featuring:
Superior academic rigor with content relevant to your field
Online modules that provide flexibility and innovation
Capstone session to bridge theory and practice
Virtual forums to connect with peers across Canada

Developed in collaboration with:

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
2 Public Sector Certificate Program

Deepen your expertise in public sector finance

and gain the recognition you deserve
Todays public sector environment demands a new kind of business and accounting
professional one with strong technical knowledge and well-developed skills in
decisionmaking, communication and resource management.

This program provides you with manybenefits:

Knowledgeable facilitators who offer extensive real-world experience in the publicsector
The most current Canadian curriculum to help you succeed in the marketplace
A valuable peer network that connects you with other bright public sector
financialprofessionals
Professional development to complement your Canadian CPA designation

This program provides your employer with many benefits:

A positive impact at work as you progress through the program
A unique format that accelerates your development in public sector finance
Quick, out-of-the-gate value to offer in public sector accounting, financialreporting and
financialmanagement
A strong return on their investment that fosters productivity and excellence

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
 Public Sector Certificate Program 3

Program Overview
The Public Sector Certificate Program provides the most comprehensive, practical and rele-
vant public sector training for financial professionals in Canada, and it is an ideal foundation
for those seeking quality senior positions in the publicsector.

Better Learning: Two Levels

The curriculum is extensive and complete, ensuring that you are prepared with the knowledge
and skills needed to build a long and successful career in government.

This unique two-level program provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in an exceptional

learning environment that is flexible, interactive and complements on-the-job training.

Level I addresses public sector foundations and Level II covers advanced topics in the public
sector, concluding with a two-day capstone session that will also be availablevirtually.

Blended Learning: A Modern Delivery Model

Based on sound adult education principles, the Public Sector Certificate Program includes
40hours of online modules in Level I with 30hours of online modules plus twodays of
in-person study for LevelII, with real-life scenario application, comprehensive case work and
first-class facilitators.

To enhance your learning, you will have access to Public Sector Connect throughout the
program. Use this exclusive online discussion forum to collaborate with fellow students
and engage with experienced facilitators, researchers and public sector standards staff at
CPACanada.

There are also self-assessment checks along the way to help you evaluate your success at
different stages of the program.

Certificate of Achievement
Students who successfully complete the Public Sector Certificate Program receive a
CPACanada Certificate of Achievement, which is a nationally recognized symbol of
excellence in continuingeducation.

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
4 Public Sector Certificate Program

Advanced Standing
There are two options available to earn advanced standing in the Public Sector Certificate
Program. Advanced standing is available to:
alumni of the Public Sector Financial Reporting and Accounting Course
professionals who have completed the public sector elective in the Advanced Certificate
inAccounting and Finance (ACAF)

For more information, contact AlyssaHammerstrom at 604-605-5067 or

ahammerstrom@cpacanada.ca.

ProfessionalDevelopment Partners
CPA Canada has brought together an unprecedented group of professionals to create the
Public Sector Certificate Program, including facilitators, academics, instructional designers,
authors, consultants and more.

As subject matter experts, our delivery partners combine extensive public sector knowledge,
government experience and wide-ranging advisory work with a desire to share their
strategies andskills.

This team of professionals includes:

Andrew Graham
Andrew conducts research, teaches and writes on public sector management, financial
management, integrated risk management and governance. He teaches at the
Queens University School of Policy Studies, as well as at a variety of international and
Canadianvenues.

Andrew is the author of Canadas leading source on managing public money, Canadian
Public Sector Financial Management, which has been adopted as a textbook by a number of
Canadas leading universities and is used for governmental staff training. He is also the Series
Editor of the Case Study Program of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC),
Canadas leading source of public sector case studies.

He was an Assistant Deputy Minister for 14years in the federal government and has over
30years of service with in-line operations (Kingston Penitentiary) and complex regional
operations knowledge as well as experience in a number of national policy and corporate
leadership roles, including Senior Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Service Canada.

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
 Public Sector Certificate Program 5

As subject matter experts, our delivery

partners combine extensive public sector
knowledge, government experience and
wide-ranging advisory work with a desire
to share their strategies andskills.

Andrew Hill
Andrew is the CEO of Smartfirm, Inc., where he focuses on designing custom learning and
development programs for professional services firms and associations. From 2000 to
2015, he played a leading role with the Atlantic School of Chartered Accountants (ASCA)s
online pre-qualification program. He also helped CPA Canada develop a strategy to adopt
computer-based testing and a digital app to manage member competencies.

Outside of Canada, he also advises accounting and consulting firms in the United States,
Europe and Asia. His work has been recognized with several industry excellence awards
sponsored by Brandon Hall and the American Talent DevelopmentSociety.

Prior to founding Smartfirm, Andrew practiced auditing and consulting with a Big Four firm.
In that role, he audited and advised government agencies at the federal, provincial and
municipal levels.

Martin Boucher
Martin is a partner in the Montreal office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)s National
Accounting Consulting Services Group. Martin has extensive experience working with a range
of clients in the private and public sectors. He is a key resource within PwC Canada on Public
Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) standards. He is also an International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS) subject matter expert within PwC Canada and a member of the Global
Accounting Consulting Services Group of the PwC international network, which provides
assistance on complex accounting matters. Martin is a frequent lecturer on accounting and
auditingmatters.

Steve Marcotte
Steve is a partner in the assurance practice of PwC in Ottawa. He has over 15 years of
experience in auditing and financial reporting in the public and private sectors. Over the last
10 years, Steve has assisted many public sector organizations with financial statements, audit
readiness and internal control over financial reporting projects. He manages various financial
statement audits and contribution agreement audits on behalf of public sector organizations,
including federal government departments and agencies. Steve has also been an active
facilitator in CPA Canadas Public Sector Financial Reporting and Accounting Course.

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
6 Public Sector Certificate Program

Program Agenda
Public Sector Certificate Program Level I
40 hours of interactive online learning
Access to Public Sector Connect the exclusive discussion forum for
CPACanada Public Sector Certificate Program participants and facilitators
Assessment after each module and upon completion of the course

el I
Lev
cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
 Public Sector Certificate Program 7

Topics Learning Outcomes

Governance and Understanding the typical legislative authorities and provisions defining how
Decision-Making governments receive, disburse and manage public funds
Process Being able to understand the elements of governance and decision-making
in public sector environments, including how government staff work and
communicate with elected officials and their staff, federal members of
Parliament, members of provincial parliaments and city councillors
Understanding government stakeholders, including the public, and their
expectations of accountability, transparency, value for money and the
sustainability of taxpayer-funded spending

Planning and Being able to explain the government planning and budgeting process,
BudgetingProcess which culminates in an annual budget
Being able to describe the steps in the government planning and
budgetingprocess

Government Understanding the difference between operating and capital budgets, and
Operating and between funding for operations versus funding for capital
Capital Budgets Being able to prepare a budget component for a program, division or other
smallsegment that will be rolled up into the overall budget

Public Sector Understanding public sector accounting as a basis of government financial

Accounting and reporting and the role of sovereign governments in that process
Reporting Being able to explain or support the preparation of the statements, notes,
schedules and other components of a typical set of public accounts
Knowing how to evaluate which government agencies, government business
enterprises and other government organizations are part of the Government
Reporting Entity (GRE)
Knowing how to evaluate whether an organization needs to be consolidated with
its host ministry or department and perform consolidations where indicated
Being able to apply public sector GAAP measures to government transactions
Being able to explain and account for all government revenues, including taxes,
transfers and non-tax revenue
Being able to describe the different types of government transfer payments

Decision Support Knowing how to use financial analysis of program-specific financial reports and
annual financial statements to assess the financial strength of agencies and not-
for-profit organizations delivering government programs
Being able to compare and contrast performance measurement in government,
not-for-profit and for-profit organizations

Auditing Being able to describe the concept of public sector auditing and the
accountability relationship with the public
Knowing how to assess financial control and related risks associated with
government program delivery, including third-party organizations such
asagencies
Being able to identify process weaknesses and recommend appropriate financial
and internal controls to address identified weaknesses
Being able to apply internal audit procedures to assess value for money in
government programdelivery
Understanding the types of internal and external audits most frequently
encountered in a public sector context
Being able to explain the methodology applied in these engagements including
value-for-money audits (versus audits that focus on fair presentation)

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
8 Public Sector Certificate Program

Public Sector Certificate Program Level II

30 hours of interactive online learning and an in-person two-day capstonesession
Curriculum:
applied financial reporting
financial management
leadership development
Embedded principles:
ethics
accountability and transparency
risk management
communications
strategic thinking
sustainability
Access to Public Sector Connect the exclusive discussion forum for CPACanada
Public Sector Certificate Program participants and facilitators
Assessment after each module and upon completion of the course

Level
II

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
 Public Sector Certificate Program 9

Part 1: Financial Reporting

Launches winter 2017

Topics Learning Outcomes

Introduction Being able to provide an overview of the CPA Canada Public Sector Accounting (PSA)
Handbookstandards
Being able to describe PSA concepts and principles and summarize the application of
PSAstandards
Being able to define the components of a financial statement in accordance with
PSAstandards

Financial Understanding the requirements for financial statement presentation under the
Statement PSAHandbook
Presentation Being able to explain the differences in financial statement presentation under the
CPACanada Handbook Accounting

Revenues Being able to assess PSA Handbook guidance on Revenue and be able to apply principles
outside of GAAP to transactions (such as PS1000 Financial Statement Concepts, PS1201
Financial Statement Presentation)
Understanding basic revenue recognition criteria
Being able to describe PS 3100 Restricted Assets and Revenues
Understanding case studies on revenue versus cost recovery and revenue recognition

Capital Assets Being able to explain measurement issues related to tangible capital assets in accordance
and Related with PS3150 Tangible Capital Assets and PSG 2 Leased Tangible Capital Assets
Topics Being able to describe why and how tangible capital assets are recorded, including what
disclosures are important
Knowing how to identify eligibility for capitalization, amortization application, thetreatment
of subsequent valuations, impairment anddisposals

Government Understanding the revised version of PS 3410 Government Transfers and when to
Transfers recognize a transfer, how to distinguish the main types of transfers and how to account
forthem
Being able to consider the perspective of both the transferring government and the
recipient for capital contributions
Understanding the identification of transfer type; recognition; accounting versus
appropriation, transfer to industry, and conditional and unconditional repayments

Liability for Knowing how to identify the new standard on Liability for Contaminated Sites (PS3260)
Contaminated and scopeconsiderations
Sites Being able to define recognition, measurement and disclosure requirements under PS3260
Being able to recognize and measure the liability for contaminatedsites

Emerging Being able to assess new or revised standards such as PS 2601 Foreign
Issues CurrencyTranslation
Recognizing projects in progress with the Public Sector Accounting Board

Consolidations Being able to identify when to consolidate under the PSA Handbook using the indicators
ofcontrol
Understanding why the definitions of control are similar in the PSA Handbook and the
CPACanada Handbook Accounting
Being able to explain why differences can occur when applying control standards

(continued...)

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
10 Public Sector Certificate Program

Topics Learning Outcomes

Financial Being able to assess the categories, the measurement and presentation requirements for
Instruments financial instruments under the PSA Handbook
Knowing how to identify the significant differences between public sector requirements and
the reporting of financial instruments under the CPA Canada Handbook Accounting

Employee Being able to describe retirement benefit plans and their measurement and recognition
Future Benefits under PSAstandards
Understanding the differences between PSA standards and CPA Canada Handbook
Accounting requirements for retirement benefit plans
Being able to assess key aspects of post-employment benefits and compensated absences,
along with additional liabilities recognized under the PSA Handbook

Part 2: Financial Management

Launches spring 2017

Topics Learning Outcomes

The Public Understanding the scope of government size, extent and impact
Sector Context Knowing how to identify public sector values and ethics
Being able to describe stakeholders and their interest in financial information
Being able to assess how public policy is made and works in practice, from research and
development to implementation and evaluation
Understanding leadership in government

Planning, Be able to describe the role of financial information and financial reports for planning and
Budgeting monitoring program delivery
andDelivering Be able to assess the public processes required to develop program and budget plans,
i.e.the role of stakeholders
Understanding costing programs and monitoring costs
Being able to explain public dimensions and political elements of the planning and
budgeting cycle
Knowing how to ensure the sustainability of programming through the budgetprocess

Delivering Being able to assess risk and practice risk management in budget delivery
Public Services Being able to identify control through financial and non-financial information
and Goods Being able to successfully execute performance measurement and reporting
Understanding program reviews and evaluation

Decision Knowing how to organize and communicate useful financial information

Support Being able to describe the financial advisor as a key player
Being able to assess values and practice in accountability and transparency
Being able to identify links between program inputs, outputs and outcomes
Being able to apply values of efficiency and effectiveness

Effective
Understanding the value of effective resource management
Resource
Being able to account for political oversight, audit and evaluation in resourcemanagement
Management
Being able to describe the role of external monitoring groups, think tanks and their use of
financialreporting
Being able to explain the quality and accessibility of regular financial performance
information howgood, for whom and when is enough?
Knowing the role of program reviews, strategic reviews and reallocation exercise in
resource management

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
 Public Sector Certificate Program 11

Capstone Session
Facilitated by experts in the public sector, the capstone session is an in-person
two-day workshop with virtual options available.

In the capstone session, you will collaborate with other program participants on a
variety of applied learning activities, including case studies about financial reporting,
financialmanagement and valuable leadership development in the public sector.

The first capstone session takes place in the summer of 2017. It is designed as a
comprehensive finalexercise to complete the Public Sector Certificate Program.

cpacanada.ca/PSCertificate
Public Sector
CertificateProgram

NEW!

Increase your skills,

confidence and expertise
in public sector finance