Posted on 02 November 2011
Charlottetown Senator Percy Downe has drafted the following question for the Government, which he intends to table in the Senate. This question arises from yesterday’s appearance in the Senate of Privy Council Office officials Ms. Patricia Hassard (Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Senior Personnel and Public Service Renewal) and Ms. Michelle d'Auray (Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada) as well as Mr. Michael Ferguson, (nominee for the position of Auditor General).
In the past decade, the number of employees at the Privy Council Office has risen from 777 (FY2000-2001) to 1051 (FY2009-2010), an increase of 35%. In spite of that, and for the first time, the Government of Canada decided to hire an outside firm - Odgers Berndtson – to conduct its search for a new Auditor General. This represents an additional cost incurred by the Canadian taxpayer, as well as a break from the previous longstanding procedure of using existing PCO resources to recruit Auditors General.
Why the change? Why, with so many more additional resources at PCO, did this government engage a private headhunting firm to conduct its search? After all, the previous process, without the extra cost of retaining any headhunting firm produced outstanding Auditors General, most recently Sheila Fraser and Denis Desautels.
These questions are particularly relevant because the final candidate for the position proposed does not even meet the Government’s publically advertised requirements.
· Who selected the headhunting firm?
· Was there a competition for the contract?
· If so, what was the nature of the competition?
· If not, who suggested or recommended Odgers Berndtson?
· What was the total cost incurred by the Government of Canada in employing Odgers Berndtson to manage the Auditor General selection process?
“The Government keeps repeating how they are so careful in spending the taxpayers’ money,” said Senator Downe. “So why did they incur the additional and unnecessary cost of a headhunting firm?”
-30-
For further information:
Senator Percy Downe: 613-943-8107
Or toll free at 1-800-267-7362
www.sen.parl.gc.ca/pdowne