About the Audit Committee

The 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. Suzanne Morris is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and experienced senior executive and board member. She sits on the Board of Governors of the University of Ottawa and is a member of the Audit Committee of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. From 2009 to 2015, she was the Vice-President and CFO of CBC/Radio-Canada, where she oversaw the financial stewardship of Canada’s national public broadcaster. Ms. Morris also served as Vice-Chair of the CBC Pension Board of Trustees. Before becoming a member of CBC/Radio-Canada’s senior executive team, she was Secretary/Treasurer to the CBC Pension Board. Prior to that, she was Vice-President, Small Business Financial Services, at Export Development Canada (EDC), leading the line of business serving small and mid-size companies across Canada. She has also held senior positions at EDC in risk management and internal audit, as well as at Deloitte, where she provided assurance and business advisory services to large corporate and public sector clients. Suzanne was an advisor to the Dean of the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, is a past Corporate Director of SiriusXM Canada and past Board member of the Forum for International Trade Training.
• 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.