IPAC

1
IPAC Ontario Information And Privacy
Commissioner Right to Know Day Jim
McCarter Auditor General Halloween, 2007

• Office of the Auditor Generalof Ontario, Canada

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Overview

• Some Background on the Ontario Auditor
  Generals Office
• Observations on government openness and
  transparency
• Possible future trends

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Independence of the Auditor

• The Auditor General is appointed under the
  provisions of the Auditor General Act by the
  Lieutenant Governor in Council on the address of
  the Assembly after consultation with the Chair
  (opposition member) of the Standing Committee on
  Public Accounts.
• As an Officer of the Assembly, the Auditor
  General is independent from the government. The
  Legislative Assembly is the Offices client.
• The Auditor General is only removable for cause
  on address of the Assembly.
• The Auditor has a 10 year non-renewable term.

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What Is Primary Job Of The Auditor General

• Provide information to the Legislature to help it
  ensure taxpayer funds are prudently spent and
  ministries and organizations in the broader
  public sector follow sound business practices.
• Encourage improvements in the way public services
  are delivered (better and more cost-effective
  service delivery).
• Traditional auditor role - provide assurance that
  financial accounts are fairly presented.

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Size of Office

• Offices annual estimates approved by the all
  party Board of Internal Economy
• In comparison to the other larger provincial
  audit offices
• Population Office Budget Staff
• Quebec 7.6M 22.5M 224
• Alberta 3.2M 18.6M 131
• Ontario 12.5M 15.3M 117
• BC 4.2M 12.2M 89

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What Types of Audits does the Office do?
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Transparency and Openness

• All 3 political parties publicly support concept
  in Legislature.
• Standing Committee on Public Accounts hearings
  have been supportive
• Web based results information
• Web based customer service info
• Formal support for any Auditors recommendations
  in this area

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Transparency Initiatives Involving Our Office

• Expansion of Auditor Generals mandate to audit
  broader public sector organizations
• Full audit access hospitals, school boards,
  universities / colleges, CASs, long-term care
  homes, hydro corporations, etc
• Advertising Act A.G. pre-approves all
  government advertising to ensure non-partisan

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Transparency Initiatives Involving Our Office
(Contd)

• Fiscal Transparency Accountability Act
  Requires pre-election financial report on
  expected future fiscal results and A.G. to opine
  on reasonableness of fiscal forecasts
• Getting more special requests (2 reported in
  2007 so far)
• Bruce Nuclear Refurbishment
• Premiers request to review Citizenship yearend
  grants
• CAS Follow-up (to come late December)

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Other Transparency Initiatives

• Improved public performance reporting
• Wait times and Kirby Report
• Website reporting, i.e. college job placements
• Registrar General time guarantee
• Expanded Fiscal Annual Report (more disclosure
  similar large corporations ARs)
• Detailed Public Accounts expenditure, salary,
  etc, details now posted on web
• Crown agencies 3 year ministry annual business
  plan

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Some Areas A.G. Watching

• Key program outcomes are they being measured
  and reported publicly
• Performance results not cherry-picked
• Estimates summary disclosure, i.e. LHINs 19
  billion
• Open transparent purchasing practices

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Possible Future Trends

• Will government manage what info is made
  transparent?
• Reliability of reported info role of A.G. in
  some jurisdictions
• Public push for more web-based disclosure
• Keep the K.I.S.S. principle in mind

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Thank youandAny Questions?

• Office of the Auditor General of Ontario,
  Canada