Mr. Speaker, a gathering will take place on Parliament Hill this evening to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.
In 1878 the government of Alexander Mackenzie proposed a bill that would free the auditing of public accounts from any interference on the part of the administration. That legislation laid the groundwork for 125 years of dedicated service to Parliament and to Canadians.
From the first Auditor General, John McDougall, to the current Auditor General, Ms. Sheila Fraser, the office has been serving all Canadians with the utmost of professionalism, integrity and credibility. As parliamentarians, we know that when the Auditor General speaks, the nation listens.
As chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, I have had the privilege of working closely with the office over the years. On behalf of all parliamentarians and Canadians, I wish the Office of the Auditor General success in the future as it continues to assist parliamentarians and helps to protect the hard earned dollars of Canadian taxpayers.