Breakfast

Sponsored by
Felesky Flynn LLP

Opening Remarks

Larry F. Chapman, Executive Director & CEO - Canadian Tax Foundation, Toronto

Current Cases

A review of recent cases from the Tax Court, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court that impact owner-managed businesses and private companies.

Kurt G. Wintermute - MacPherson Leslie Tyerman LLP, Saskatoon
Frank Baldry, CA - PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Saskatoon

Current Issues

A review of recent legislative and administrative developments in federal and provincial tax law.

Douglas J. Forer - McLennan Ross, Edmonton
Glen Thompson, CA - Meyers Norris Penny, Edmonton

Sponsored by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

There have been a number of recent changes to CRA's interpretations and administrative positions relating to charities and not-for-profit organizations.  A number of charities have lost their registration status as a result of certain fundraising activities.  This session will review these activities and changes and the impact they will have on the business and fundraising activities of these organizations.  Some of the changes directly impact the activities of First Nations organizations.  The impact on these organizations will also be addressed.

Robert Hayhoe, Miller Thomson, Toronto
Gail Black, Miller Thomson, Calgary

The Status of the US Estate Tax in 2011 and Beyond

Changes to the US Estate Tax that took effect in 2011 will have significant impacts on US citizens and Canadians owning US property.  This session will provide an update on how the reinstated estate tax will impact planning techniques employed by US citizens and Canadians owning property in 2011 and beyond.

Leslie R. Kellogg - Hodgson Russ LLP, Buffalo/Toronto
James Merkosky, CA - PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Edmonton

Lunch

Guest Speaker:
Dr. Karyn Gordon – Understanding and Motivating Gen Y

Handling Tax Audits and Disputes with Tax Litigation in Mind

Tax audits and disputes can often unexpectedly result in litigation.  This session will provide practitioners with practical dos and don'ts to position taxpayers with the best opportunity for success if litgation arises.

Cheryl A. Gibson, FCA, J.D. - Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, Edmonton
Dan Misutka - Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, Calgary

Professional Negligence - How to Avoid Being Sued 

This session will examine the main reasons for negligence actions against professionals and actions that can be taken to limit and avoid liability.

Stuart J. Weatherill - Emery Jamieson LLP, Edmonton
Derek J. Hopfner - Emery Jamieson LLP, Edmonton

Employee Stock Ownership in Private Corporations 

Despite the difficult issues that can arise when employees are given ownership interests in private corporations, a number of high profile private companies have been able to make the model work successfully.  This session will address the following:

• successful models for employee ownership
• tax and non-tax issues for employers and employees
• impact on control by majority owner - corporate law rights including minority shareholder rights
• accounting and disclosure implications

Jeremy Herbert - Felesky Flynn LLP, Edmonton
Kent Davison, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Edmonton

Monday Evening Reception
5:00 pm
2200 Oxford Tower

Hosted by:
MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman 
 

  

Breakfast

Sponsored by
Meyers Norris Penny LLP

   

Owner-Manager Remuneration Update

This session will examine the impact of changes to corporate and personal tax rates and the dividend taxation regime on owner-manager remuneration, including integration and other pertinent changes in legislative and administrative practice.

Dustin Burbank - Ernst & Young LLP, Edmonton

The Top 10 GST, HST and PST Issues 

In this session, the Top Ten issues impacting the computation of GST, the HST and the PST will be discussed including:

• Issues involving real estate
• Charges between related companies
• Penalties
• Place of supply rules
• Inter-provincial issues
• PST issues

Brad Perkins - KPMG LLP, Edmonton

This session will provide an update on income and commodity tax issues encountered by First Nations businesses and individuals.

Peter Ranson, CA - KPMG LLP, Prince George
Howard Morry - Pitblado, Winnipeg

This session will examine the practical and technical issues encountered in winding up companies where either section 88(1) or 88(2) have application. 

Timothy P. Kirby - Felesky Flynn LLP, Edmonton
Christopher J. Montes - Felesky Flynn LLP, Calgary

Recent changes to provincial regulation of the professions in Alberta have created new opportunities for tax planning using professional corporations.  This session will review the tax and other advantages and disadvantages of using professional corporations.

Mark H. Woltersdorf - Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, Edmonton

Recent Developments in Estate Planning and The Use of Trusts

Comments by the CRA at the 2010 Annual Conference Round Table have left practitioners wondering about the use of techniques to avoid double taxation.  This session will update practitioners on the key developments in the past year and will review the post-mortem planning techniques commonly used to reduce taxes. 

In the last two years, there has been a significant focus on issues involved with trusts as a result of high-profile court cases and CRA's increased audit focus.  This session wil update practitioners on the key developments in the past year and provide pactical guidance on how to structure and maintain trusts and what to do if the CRA comes calling.  The session will also discuss practical issues encountered when winding up a trust before or after its 21-year anniversary.

Bryan Anderson, CA - Deloitte & Touche LLP, Edmonton

Tax Administration Panel

The panel will discuss key audit focus areas, recent audit issues and other tax administration developments impacting small and medium-sized businesses.