Public Accounts committee  I'm not sure I can even pronounce it. I believe it is Odgers Berndtson.

Public Accounts committee  I recognize the importance of being able to communicate in both official languages and as mentioned in my introduction I have not yet reached a sufficient level of competency in French, but I am well aware that in order to respect Parliament and the citizens of Canada duly, I am going to have to improve my fluency in French.

Public Accounts committee  The only thing I can say to that is that I have filled three important roles in the province of New Brunswick. I believe I have been successful in those roles. New Brunswick is a wonderful province with a wonderful, rich heritage in both cultures. I have worked in the provincial government for a number of years in those roles.

Public Accounts committee  Yes it is.

Public Accounts committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, for that question. Fundamentally I think what I bring to the table is a well-rounded set of experiences. In the human resource world there is a concept referred to as 360-degree feedback. If you look at my history in the province of New Brunswick you will see that I went from a position of being a comptroller in the province of New Brunswick, which is a position that receives recommendations from the auditor general's office and has to implement them, to then being the auditor general for five years and having to be in a position to make recommendations that I felt would be and could be implemented, to now the position of Deputy Minister of Finance, whereby I am in the position of having to try to implement some of the recommendations that I myself made.

Public Accounts committee  Good afternoon and thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am very honoured to be here today as the nominee to be the next Auditor General of Canada. The role of Auditor General of Canada is a very significant one in the accountability structure of Canadian democracy. My name has been put before you after a lengthy selection process conducted by the government but I want to assure this committee that having been Auditor General in New Brunswick for five years, I fully understand that the position is that of an agent of Parliament.