NEWS RELEASES
November 24, 2005 (10:25 a.m. EST)
No. 234
MINISTER PETTIGREW ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT
TO IDRC BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced the appointment of former
auditor general Denis Desautels to the International Development Research Centre’s
(IDRC’s) Board of Governors.
“The IDRC is fortunate to acquire the experience and knowledge that Denis Desautels
will bring to its board,” said Minister Pettigrew. “I am certain that he will make a
significant contribution to the continued success of the IDRC.”
In addition to a distinguished career in the private sector, Mr. Desautels has extensive
experience in public-sector auditing and accounting at the federal, provincial and
municipal levels. Mr. Desautels earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill
University in 1964, and became a chartered accountant in 1966. He was Auditor
General of Canada from April 1, 1991, until March 31, 2001. At the time of his
appointment, Mr. Desautels was Ernst & Young’s Regional Director of Consulting
Services for the Province of Québec and the National Capital Region.
Mr. Desautels is also an executive-in-residence at the School of Management of the
University of Ottawa, and is a member of both the accounting and the assurance
standards oversight councils of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants; of the
National Awards in Governance Advisory Committee of the Conference Board of
Canada; and of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. A Chair of
the Capital Health Alliance, Mr. Desautels is also a member of the board of directors of
CARE Canada, the Laurentian Bank of Canada, Groupe Jean Coutu (PJC) Inc.,
Bombardier Inc., and Alcan Inc.
The IDRC’s 21-member Board of Governors oversees the direction and management of
the IDRC. While the IDRC Act stipulates that a majority of members, including the chair
and vice-chair, must be Canadian, by tradition, 10 governors come from developing
countries and member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD). The international composition of its board makes the IDRC
unique among Canada’s public corporations and helps to ensure that the Centre’s
programs and operations effectively respond to the needs of the developing world.
Governors are appointed to the IDRC Board by the Canadian government.
The IDRC is one of the world’s leading institutions in the generation and application of
new knowledge to meet the challenges of international development. For 35 years, the
IDRC has worked in close collaboration with researchers from the developing world in
their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous
societies.
The IDRC is a Crown corporation that reports to Parliament through the Minister of
Foreign Affairs.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
James Christoff
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
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