Why is CAMLI promoting
professional designations?

Canada's AML/CTF Compliance Regime stipulates that every reporting entity governed by the Money Laundering legislation must designate an individual as the organization's compliance officer. That individual in turn must develop, implement, and maintain a compliance regime applicable to the designated services offered by the organization. The compliance regime requires different levels of knowledge and training to effectively meet the expectations and standards found in the various Regulations supporting the Act and the Guidelines produced by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC). These requirements suggest the need for professional designations in recognition of the amount and type of experience, education, training, and leadership compliance officers bring to the role.

FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions

What is CAMLI?
CAMLI is a membershi- based educational and resource forum for anti-money laundering compliance professionals to further develop and be recognized for their knowledge and skills in the control of risks from money laundering and terrorist financing activity.

What is the Mission of CAMLI?
About CAMLI

Why was CAMLI created?
CAMLI was created to fill a need for Canadian-focused AML/CTF compliance professionals, designed to recognize and support the on-going education, development, and leadership needs of individuals tasked with the control of money laundering and terrorist financing activities and risks facing Canada's private and public sectors.

Who created CAMLI?
CAMLI was formed by ABCsolutions Inc and was launched at the Sixth National Money Laundering in Canada Conference that took place October 19 - 21st, 2008.

ABCsolutions is a leader in assisting reporting entities to become compliant with Canadian AML/CTF requirements. For more information go to www.moneylaundering.ca

Who should join CAMLI?
Any professionals with compliance responsibilities related to money laundering and/or terrorist financing activity (AML/CTF) should join CAMLI. Any individual practitioner and/or company from the 450,000+ reporting entities across Canada would benefit from their compliance officer being a part of CAMLI.

What are the benefits of joining CAMLI?
Membership information

Do I have to be a compliance officer to join CAMLI?
No, membership in CAMLI is open and most of the training opportunities and resources available can be taken and used by anyone interested in the area. However, achievement of any of the professional designations sponsored by CAMLI will require individuals to demonstrate experience, training, and on-going education in the area.

What makes ABCsolutions a suitable resource for promoting CAMLI and its professional standards?
ABCsolutions has been developing and delivering its various AML/CTF compliance services and resources since 2000, following seven years of leadership in the evaluation of and planning for Canada's proceeds of crime enforcement programs. This experience has exposed our team to various elements of the money launderer's world, as well as the direct experience of reporting entities in controlling for the corresponding risks and threats impacting on the financial and financial intermediary sectors in Canada. That experience, knowledge, and training has pushed ABCsolutions' consultants to recognize the value in an organization that evolves into a premier resource for compliance officers and related officials across all reporting sectors and related public sector departments and agencies.

Is CAMLI intended to replace other AML/CTF compliance organizations actively recruiting membership in Canada?
CAMLI is seen as a competitor to these other groups, however, with a direct focus on the legislative environment in Canada. It was developed partly in response to compliance officers indicating that there was no organization related to AML/CTF compliance management that truly focused on the full range of Canadian compliance requirements. We believe that our membership will be drawn from compliance officials wanting more of a 'made-in-Canada' foundation to their compliance background.

What forms of professional designations are being planned under CAMLI?
We have found from our continuous interaction with compliance officers in various reporting sectors that the job really has several levels of expertise depending on the experience and responsibilities of the job.

  • At the first level , we would categorize professionals who are tasked with the basic compliance responsibilities to ensure a reporting entity meets its legislated responsibilities --- this designation we have named the Practicing Associate or CAMLI - PA .

  • Level Two takes the compliance officer beyond the daily application role to the stage where they are managing a compliance program within the reporting entity, including the responsibility for and experience in overall management activities such as, but not limited to: policy and procedural development; risk management planning; giving direction to senior management; and budgetary control for the compliance program. This designation we have chosen to call the Practicing Specialist or CAMLI - PS .

  • Finally, Level Three involves compliance officials who have demonstrated all of the pragmatic and management experience, knowledge and skills of the first two levels, and have subsequently moulded those into a leadership style that is recognized for its ability and skills with planning, managing and providing training to a compliance program across most reporting entities. This individual is in some respects the consummate AML/TF compliance practitioner capable in developing a successful compliance regime across most reporting sectors --- someone who guides a program and helps it respond to change and new challenges. This designation we are calling the Practicing Consultant or CAMLI - PC .

Will these designations be available all at once?
No, our plan is introduce the various levels in a staged approach, which will provide CAMLI staff and a designated group of compliance practitioner advisors to structure the designation requirements and their subsequent maintenance standards from a pragmatic and dynamic approach.