Posts By: Brent White

Big Party at Queen’s

Posted by & filed under Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis.

Description: Last Wednesday police broke up a major street party on University Avenue near Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Though the crowd was estimated at 3,000 — well in excess of tbe 100 person limit under the Covid restrictions – less than 20 participants were arrested or charged. Queen’s University stated “consequences for this behaviour… Read more »

Outage at Rogers

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Student life.

Description: Last Monday a software problem caused a loss of data and phone service to many customers of Rogers Communications. The loss of service hit customers in all parts of Canada, but Montreal and Southern Ontario appear to have suffered the most. The timing of the outage was particularly relevant for those who may have… Read more »

Summer Job Situation

Posted by & filed under Student life.

Description: As economics student Ethan Gilhula puts it, “It’s hard to find a job, especially when the one you’re looking for doesn’t exist.” Last summer much of the country was in some form of Covid containment, cutting off many traditional summer jobs for students. And though the promise of a vaccinated population creates a hopeful… Read more »

Pay now? Pay later?

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy, Canadian Government.

Description: You can pay me now, or pay me later; so goes the old saying from the Fram oil filter commercial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHug0AIhVoQ Well, the Government of Canada appears to have chosen the pay me later approach with its latest budget, delivered last week by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. The budget did contain a few revenue… Read more »

CRA Position “Absurd” Says Judge

Posted by & filed under Personal Tax.

Description: Well, if you’re arguing against the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) about your taxes, you are probably feeling pretty good when the judge says that CRA’s position is “absurd.” Dave Nonis, one-time general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, found himself in that position. When the Leafs fired Nonis in 2015, he returned to his… Read more »

Still Stuck?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Careers.

Description: The massive ship Ever Given has been freed from the Suez Canal, yet the cargo vessel is still “stuck” in Egypt. Authorities have impounded the Ever Given until its owners settle up with the canal authority on the damages stemming from the incident. Costs may hit upwards of $900 million, including the operational costs… Read more »

Optimistic Entreprenuers

Posted by & filed under Financial Reporting and Analysis, Student life.

Description: Optimism and entrepreneur seem like two words that should be linked. But with the Covid-19 pandemic still entrenched in Canada and around the world, some might be surprised to see entrepreneurs optimistically plowing forward with major capital projects in the tourism sector. In Cape Smokey, Cape Breton Island, the ski hill is set to… Read more »

Beer Store Losing Money?

Posted by & filed under Marketing & Strategy, Student life.

Description: It’s a headline that sounds like a joke: the Beer Store is losing money. But the retailer owned by the big breweries has lost about $50 million in the last year. Part of the problem is the pandemic, with tavern closures shutting down the sales of kegs. The availability of beer at grocers has… Read more »

Alternative Housing

Posted by & filed under Accounting Careers, Student life.

Description: With housing prices sky-high in some urban areas, communal living of a sort is making a comeback. Author Diana Lind argues these points in her work Brave New Home: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing. Lind notes that the notion of having our own space is relatively recent. With shrinking households, sharing living… Read more »