Internal Audit Committee

The Internal Audit Committee (AC) is an essential component of the internal audit regime established within OPC and reflective of both the Treasury Board Policy on Internal Audit which came into effect on April 1, 2006 and the Joint Agreement of the Working Group of Officers of Parliament. The latter reinforces OPC's status as an Officer of Parliament.

The AC is advisory to the Commissioner. The Committee provides objective advice and recommendations to the Commissioner regarding the sufficiency, quality and results of assurance on the adequacy and functioning of the department's risk management, control and governance frameworks and processes.

To give the Commissioner this support, the AC exercises active oversight of core areas of OPC control and accountability in an integrated and systematic way, such that the results of internal audits may be incorporated into the OPC priority-setting and strategic planning processes. Hence, the work of the Committee reinforces the quality and reliability of the financial and other performance information used by OPC managers for decision-making and reporting and, in so doing, contributes to enhanced managerial accountability. The AC also serves to reinforce the independence, effectiveness and accountability of the Chief Audit Executive.

Membership

There are two external members who are not currently members of the Federal Public Service and the Commissioner is an ex-officio member. The Chief Audit Executive (CAE)/Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and a secretariat member also attend all meetings.

External Members

  • Ms. Laurel Murray has been a chartered accountant since 1989. She is a Corporate Director at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), the Chair of the LCBO Audit Committee and a member of the Audit Committee of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. Ms. Murray is also the President of Murray Management Consulting Inc. (a management consulting firm specializing in helping strengthen public sector management and accountability). Ms. Murray was also the lead in developing the Treasury Board Secretariat's Guidebook for Departmental Audit Committees. Prior to starting her own firm, Ms. Murray was a senior manager with the Ontario Government's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and previous to that she was a manager with KPMG, one world's largest public accounting firms.
  • Ms. Elisabeth Nadeau is a former senior federal public servant with over 34 years of experience, including 15 years at the level of Assistant Deputy Minister. She worked in several departments and agencies, including the Privy Council Office, Public Safety Canada, Transport Canada, Consulting & Audit Canada, as well as Public Works & Government Services. Her responsibilities included the provision of financial and other corporate services.  She has worked with departmental audit committees over many years. From 2001 to 2006, she served as Director of Queens Quay West Land Corporation, a then federal Crown Corporation. She completed a Bachelor of Arts with specialization at the University of Ottawa, majoring in geography with a minor in economics.  She also completed the Corporate Governance Training Program for Directors of Crown Corporations at the Schulich School of Business, York University.  She has been a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society since 1997, served as Governor between 2003 and 2009 and was appointed vice-president of the Society in 2013. She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal on the recommendation of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Related Documents