The Harper government is set to appoint New Brunswick's former auditor general, Michael Ferguson, as the country's top spending watchdog, according to a news report.
OTTAWA — The Harper government is set to appoint the country's new top spending watchdog — launching a 10-year period during which one person will assume critical responsibility for overseeing the public till.
Michael Ferguson, New Brunswick's former auditor general and a member of that province's legislative assembly, will be named the next federal auditor general, sources said Wednesday.
The Prime Minister's Office declined comment, saying an appointment will be announced in "due course."
Ferguson would replace John Wiersema, who has been the interim auditor general since Sheila Fraser left the post in May after 10 years in the job.
Ferguson didn't return calls on Wednesday.
Experts have said it will be one of the most important appointments of the Tories' first few months as a majority government.
The AG's office was established in 1878 and audits federal government departments and agencies, most Crown corporations and several other federal organizations. The office reports to the House of Commons on matters that the auditor general believes should be brought to its attention.
During her term, Fraser earned a reputation as a fearless and no-nonsense spending watchdog whose credibility was strengthened by her non-partisanship.
Political critics say the choice of her successor, with another 10-year term in the job, will speak volumes about whether Harper's Conservatives are truly interested in accountability.
A year ago, the government provided a clue of what it was seeking when it published a job notice for the position. It said the next auditor general must have "integrity, tact, and sound judgment," and be a "team player."
Moreover, it said the person must "possess a constructive approach" and have the capacity to anticipate the "implications" of their actions.
Increasingly, the role of an auditor general is central to the political system in Ottawa. Among the examples of high-profile and politically sensitive probes are audits of the Liberal sponsorship program several years ago, and more recently, the Tory government's expenditures at the G8 Summit in 2010.
Ferguson has a long history in public service and financial oversight, having served as New Brunswick's comptroller from 2000 to 2005.
He was appointed auditor general in 2005 by former Tory premier Bernard Lord's government and remained in the job until 2010, when he became deputy finance minister in the New Brunswick government, a position he still holds.
Ferguson also has a history of speaking his mind.
It was during his tenure as auditor general that he highlighted how New Brunswick's budget deficit had deep structural roots.
His reports questioned whether the government could meet its commitment to balance the books within a timeline of four years.
Ferguson was a vocal critic of the former provincial Liberal government for failing to draft a clear plan for pulling the province out of debt. He targeted former New Brunswick Liberal premier Shawn Graham (who followed Lord) for his government's proposal to sell NB Power to Hydro-Quebec to help solve the province's debt problem.
He said the plan wouldn't fix the debt crisis and was possibly counterproductive because it would eliminate a stable source of government revenue and potentially undermine the province's financial position even further.
Former New Brunswick Tory finance minister Norman Betts — who managed the province's purse strings while Ferguson was comptroller and dealt with him when he was AG — said his longtime friend would make a great auditor general because he's no government lapdog.
Betts describes Ferguson's time as AG like a "dog with a bone" that kept on digging until he got to the bottom of an item the office was investigating.
"Being popular will be the last of his concerns. His concerns will be doing a good job for the citizens of Canada," Betts said. "I don't know what the opposite of a lapdog is, but if you Google it, Mike's picture will come up."
The auditor general is appointed by the prime minister but must be approved by the House of Commons and Senate.
The government launched a "thorough national selection process" to select the next AG. Under the Auditor General Act, the government is required to consult with the leaders of all recognized parties in the House of Commons and the Senate on its nominee. The nomination is then introduced in Parliament for consideration and approval.
OTTAWA — The Harper government is set to appoint the country's new top spending watchdog — launching a 10-year period during which one person will assume critical responsibility for overseeing the public till.
Michael Ferguson, New Brunswick's former auditor general and a member of that province's legislative assembly, will be named the next federal auditor general, sources said Wednesday.
The Prime Minister's Office declined comment, saying an appointment will be announced in "due course."
Ferguson would replace John Wiersema, who has been the interim auditor general since Sheila Fraser left the post in May after 10 years in the job.
Ferguson didn't return calls on Wednesday.
Experts have said it will be one of the most important appointments of the Tories' first few months as a majority government.
The AG's office was established in 1878 and audits federal government departments and agencies, most Crown corporations and several other federal organizations. The office reports to the House of Commons on matters that the auditor general believes should be brought to its attention.
During her term, Fraser earned a reputation as a fearless and no-nonsense spending watchdog whose credibility was strengthened by her non-partisanship.
Political critics say the choice of her successor, with another 10-year term in the job, will speak volumes about whether Harper's Conservatives are truly interested in accountability.
A year ago, the government provided a clue of what it was seeking when it published a job notice for the position. It said the next auditor general must have "integrity, tact, and sound judgment," and be a "team player."
Moreover, it said the person must "possess a constructive approach" and have the capacity to anticipate the "implications" of their actions.
Increasingly, the role of an auditor general is central to the political system in Ottawa. Among the examples of high-profile and politically sensitive probes are audits of the Liberal sponsorship program several years ago, and more recently, the Tory government's expenditures at the G8 Summit in 2010.
Ferguson has a long history in public service and financial oversight, having served as New Brunswick's comptroller from 2000 to 2005.
He was appointed auditor general in 2005 by former Tory premier Bernard Lord's government and remained in the job until 2010, when he became deputy finance minister in the New Brunswick government, a position he still holds.
Ferguson also has a history of speaking his mind.
It was during his tenure as auditor general that he highlighted how New Brunswick's budget deficit had deep structural roots.
His reports questioned whether the government could meet its commitment to balance the books within a timeline of four years.
Ferguson was a vocal critic of the former provincial Liberal government for failing to draft a clear plan for pulling the province out of debt. He targeted former New Brunswick Liberal premier Shawn Graham (who followed Lord) for his government's proposal to sell NB Power to Hydro-Quebec to help solve the province's debt problem.
He said the plan wouldn't fix the debt crisis and was possibly counterproductive because it would eliminate a stable source of government revenue and potentially undermine the province's financial position even further.
Former New Brunswick Tory finance minister Norman Betts — who managed the province's purse strings while Ferguson was comptroller and dealt with him when he was AG — said his longtime friend would make a great auditor general because he's no government lapdog.
Betts describes Ferguson's time as AG like a "dog with a bone" that kept on digging until he got to the bottom of an item the office was investigating.
"Being popular will be the last of his concerns. His concerns will be doing a good job for the citizens of Canada," Betts said. "I don't know what the opposite of a lapdog is, but if you Google it, Mike's picture will come up."
The auditor general is appointed by the prime minister but must be approved by the House of Commons and Senate.
The government launched a "thorough national selection process" to select the next AG. Under the Auditor General Act, the government is required to consult with the leaders of all recognized parties in the House of Commons and the Senate on its nominee. The nomination is then introduced in Parliament for consideration and approval.
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