Author: Michelle Causton, FCPA, FCGA, MBA
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The Stories We Tell
Originally published in September 2026 in https://tokyomango.com/ Let’s flip our approach to ethics. Instead of a top down, rules bound approach let’s make it personal. Instead of codes of conduct, let’s talk about integrity, trust and personal responsibility. We can change the world by changing our story. Society is made up of individuals. Society works…
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The Collective Brain
Previously I wrote that trust cannot replace judgement. Today I want to explore how judgement is formed collectively. Most boards are filled with capable, intelligent people. Yet even smart boards sometimes miss important risks, ask too few questions, or move too quickly to consensus. The reason is simple: no individual sees everything. Well-constructed boards strive…
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Trust Does Not Replace Judgement
Imagine a board meeting where everyone agrees that the Executive Director is competent, hardworking, and deeply committed to the organization. The reports are clear. Projects appear to be progressing. The organization is stable. There are no obvious warning signs. No significant risks have been identified for discussion. As a result, questions are few and predictable.…
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What We Stop Caring About
We tend to believe that ethical failures are caused by bad people making bad choices. But what if the real issue is simpler—and more uncomfortable? This reflection explores how good people can make questionable decisions when one priority takes over and others quietly fade from view.
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The Psychology of Tax Season: Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions at Tax Time
Every year during tax season I see something fascinating. Some of the smartest people I know suddenly start making surprisingly questionable decisions about their own tax returns. Consider a familiar situation. A business owner who carefully reviews contracts all year long sits down to finish their tax return on April 29. The receipts are incomplete.…
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Side Hustle Income in Canada.
There is a persistent belief that if you make a bit of money on the side, it doesn’t really count. Selling a few things online. Consulting occasionally. Driving for a platform here and there. Renting out a property a few weekends a year. “It’s not really a business.” I’ve even had people ask: *How much do you have…
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Hiring a Tax Professional Doesn’t Transfer Responsibility
Hiring a tax professional is wise. Assuming it transfers responsibility is not. A Notice of Assessment is not approval—and your return is still yours.
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When Resilience Turns Adversarial
We often admire toughness in the face of setbacks. But when resilience hardens into anger or resistance, it can quietly turn adversarial. This piece explores how easily disappointment is misread as hostility — and what real resilience asks of us instead.
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The Bare Trust Debacle
Canada’s expanded trust reporting rules were introduced with good intentions — transparency and accountability. But their application captured far more everyday arrangements than expected, leaving many Canadians confused and concerned. Here’s what happened, what changed, and why most people shouldn’t panic.
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When Rights Aren’t the Answer
I was talking about ethics at The Foundation for Critical Thinking Conference and I made this statement: “Despite a valiant attempt, sociologists have been unable to identify something that is considered universally wrong.” I think it is interesting that the closest the researchers came was that you shouldn’t take something that doesn’t belong to you.…
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