History of the AICPA

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and its predecessors have a history dating back to 1887, when the American Association of Public Accountants (AAPA) was formed. In 1916, the American Association was succeeded by the Institute of Public Accountants, when there was a membership of 1,150. The name was changed to the American Institute of Accountants in 1917 and remained so until 1957, when it changed to its current name of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The American Society of Certified Public Accountants was formed in 1921 and acted as a federation of state societies. The Society was merged into the Institute in 1936 and, at that time, the Institute agreed to restrict its future members to CPAs. (Read more about the AICPA digital archives in the August 2007 Journal of Accountancy article "A Treasure Trove of Accountancy’s Past".)

Professional Judgment and the Auditor (1995)

The 1995 CICA Research Report Professional Judgment and the Auditor discusses the nature and practice of professional judgment in auditing. The Report considers professional judgment in the context of a financial statement audit but, because judgment must be applied in any type of engagement an auditor undertakes, the findings may be equally applicable to other assurance engagements. The Report focuses on concepts and principles of professional judgment rather than prescriptive rules because rules, by their very nature, cannot state the most that is expected of an auditor but simply the least. Rules can only define a minimum level of acceptable professional conduct; they can neither pre-empt nor usurp auditor judgment.

Professional Judgment in Financial Reporting (1988)

The 1988 CICA research study Professional Judgment in Financial Reporting examines the nature and practice of professional judgment on accounting measurement, presentation and disclosure issues. The focus is on the responsibilities of both preparers and auditors. Such professional judgment is shown to be, at its best, a systematic and analytical process of reaching objective conclusions about issues that may be difficult and complex. Impediments to quality in this process are identified and recommendations are directed to removing or reducing such impediments. The close relationship between professional judgment and professional standards is given particular attention, as are such aspects of professionalism as integrity, knowledge and consultation. The study analyzes practices and standards in Canada, the US, UK and International accounting standards. Most recommendations will be relevant to standard-setters, professional accountants and others in all countries.

Digital Archives - Canadian Enterprises Gallery

The Canadian Enterprises Gallery states "The heritage of Canada as a nation is inextricably interwoven with the growth and development of a diverse spectrum of Canadian enterprises. From the small family business to the large multi-national corporation, Canada has largely been built on the foundations laid by a broad range of private as well as public institutions." A 2001 posting notes "One of the leading and largest professional accounting bodies in the world, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA, as it is more commonly known) received its federal charter in 1902. Since then, it has been the pre-eminent accounting organization in Canada and has kept pace with the growth of Canada's economy. The mission of CICA is to serve the interests of society and the CA profession by providing leadership to uphold the professional integrity, standards and pre-eminence of Canada's Chartered Accountants, nationally and internationally."

Learn more at the Canadian Heritage Gallery, the most extensive collection of historical Canadiana on the Internet.

Going digital - Global Accounting Alliance

The Global Accounting Alliance (GAA) comprises the world's leading professional accountancy institutes. It promotes quality services, shares information and collaborates on important international issues. As part of this effort, the GAA publishes an online journal to which its member organizations, including the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), contribute articles. The April 2010 issue of GAA Accounting is available online and as a Digital Edition. Digital archives date back to June 2008.

Going digital - Canada's CAmagazine

Canada's CAmagazine has an online digital edition. Depending on user preferences and computer system attributes, a reader can choose between the Rich Interactive Digital Edition and the Digital Anywhere version. Digital Anywhere is a high-quality, user-friendly version with interactive features such as Share, Bookmarking and RSS feeds. It also enables readers with older computers to view the full digital edition content. Digital archives are available from April 2009.