PACC Committee Report
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HOUSE OF COMMONS
CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES
OTTAWA, CANADA
K1A 0A6
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(e), the Standing Committee on Public Accounts has the honour to present its
SEVENTH REPORT
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts has considered the Evaluation Policy and the Policy on Internal Audit of the Government of Canada and has agreed to report the following:
Introduction
On 14 February 2001, the President of Treasury Board announced that the Government of Canada would implement two new policies on evaluation and internal audit effective 1 April 2001. In making the announcement, the Hon. Lucienne Robillard indicated that the new policies will be “part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to continuous management improvement and accountability.[1]”
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts has a strong interest in good financial management and control in government departments and agencies. The Committee is also concerned with accountability, transparency, and the delivery of government policies, programs and initiatives that is efficient, effective, and economical.
Government policies on internal audit and evaluation relate directly to each of these major concerns, which are also shared by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. This is reflected in the close scrutiny of the Government’s internal audit and evaluation functions by the Committee and by the Office of the Auditor General dating back many years. Accordingly, the Committee decided to review the new policies with Treasury Board Secretariat and the Office of the Auditor General at a meeting held on 27 March 2001. Mr. Denis Desautels, FCA, Auditor General; Dr. Maria Barrados, Assistant Auditor General; and Mr. Douglas Timmins, Assistant Auditor General, Audit Operations Branch, appeared on behalf of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Mr. Richard Neville, FCA, Deputy Comptroller General; Mr. Keith Coulter, Assistant Secretary, Planning, Performance and Reporting Sector; and Mr. Rodney Monette, Assistant Comptroller General and Assistant Secretary, Financial Management Policy and Analysis Sector, appeared as witnesses for the Treasury Board Secretariat.