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Men of Account

Accession number: 
1966.0061
Production Years: 
1966 to 1967

Languages:

Film Properties: 
Bibliography: 

Crawley Films, Free Films: Sources of Free 16mm Sponsored Films in Canada Compiled and Published by Crawley Films (Ottawa: Crawley Films, April 1969): 11, 22.
"The involvement of a young CA with three of his firm's clients; a small businessmen, a manufacturer and a building products distributor."

"Abilities of a CA and recognition."

Peter McKenzie-Brown and Stacey M. Phillips, In Balance: An Account of Alberta’s CA Profession (n.d.: Chartered Accountants of Alberta, 2000).
"But the most important of the new recruitment packages was a film called Men of Account, which CICA began to develop in 1966. In a favourable review of the script for this production, the Public Relations Committee’s Bruce Mitchell nonetheless expressed concern that 'there did not seem to be any direct reference to monetary reward upon attaining a CA and on into the future... We think there should certainly be a very direct message given to the audience... This should probably also include the fact that students during their training receive a reasonable salary for their level of experience.'
Stressing the committee’s opinion that actors should be used in the film, Mitchell observed that 'it is much easier for the accountant to write the script for the professional [actor], rather than have the professional attempt to teach the CA to act.'
A major delay occurred, however, because of financial troubles at CICA. The national council endured heated debate in June 1966, when CICA proposed an annual fee increase of $7.50. The institute cited increased staff needs, inflationary trends, professional development courses and other major projects, including production of the recruitment film.
The arguments over this increase were the Canadian experience in miniature. Western Canada and Newfoundland supported the increase, while Nova Scotia pleaded poverty. Ontario (whose membership and resources dwarfed those of other institutes) argued that $30,000 could be shaved from the public relations budget, for example, if that area were left to the provinces. And Quebec argued that its provincial institute was 'unique, with one-half of the membership being French-speaking and one-half [of the membership] being in areas other than public practice. The fee increase will have to be approved by the members of the Quebec institute, and unfortunately the Canadian Institute does not mean much to many of the members, particularly those who are French-speaking, because they feel that they do not get much return from the Canadian Institute.'
In the end, the English-speaking provincial institutes agreed to a $5 increase effective the following May, while Quebec asked for time to consult its members. When the increase in fees arrived in 1967, CICA proceeded with production of the film. The Alberta Institute arranged for it to be screened at educational institutions, career fairs and service clubs throughout the province."