I don't mind the general use of the word “audit” for the exact same function. It's still auditors who are going to be asked to do it.
The reason it's important is, for one thing, we're leaving it open. The audit is generally worded, so at some level the Chief Electoral Officer, with the auditor, determines what kind of audit will achieve that purpose and then that's as much as we can ask if we don't specify more.
But I would note that it says:
the Chief Electoral Officer shall engage an auditor that he or she considers to have technical or specialized knowledge—other than a member of his or her staff or an election officer
Here is where I have two concerns. One, Elections Canada has within it a standing team of trained auditors who are on salary, as I understand it, and if they weren't enough, then you'd be adding some temporary bodies, but it would be part of sunk costs. Effectively, this is almost like it must be an external auditor to Elections Canada. This brings up huge cost questions unless I'm misinterpreting and that's why I'm wondering how extensive the audit will be and whether the costs will be there.
Second, how necessary is it for it to be an external auditor? Elections Canada is the body that regulates anything to do with the Elections Act, including precisely the provisions that we're talking about. They have the internal expertise. I'm just a bit worried that adding that in is not only unnecessary but it's another implicit provision saying that somehow or other the Chief Electoral Officer's team is not independent enough to do it.
So if you add the costs and you add the fact that they have the team, I'm not sure why it has to be external. That's my big concern.