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Auditor General Act
(A-17)

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Description:
The role of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development is to assist Parliament in its oversight of the federal government's efforts to protect the environment and foster sustainable development, by providing parliamentarians with objective, independent analysis and recommendations.

The Commissioner also assists the Auditor General in the performance of his duties by

  • Monitoring Departmental Sustainable Development Strategies
  • Assisting in Audits and Special Studies of Government Activities
  • Responding to Public Petitions
  • Undertaking Studies of special interest to Parliament.
Making the government accountable for greening its policies, operations and programs is a key part of the Commissioner's mandate. The Commissioner monitors and reports annually to the House of Commons on the federal governments progress toward sustainable development. Twenty-four federal departments and agencies have been required to prepare sustainable development strategies, and four other organisations have volunteered to prepare strategies (e.g. Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.) The Commissioner is responsible for monitoring the extent to which departments have implemented the action plans and met the objectives outlined in their strategies.

In accordance with ss 24.(5) of the Act, the Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, make regulations prescribing the form in which sustainable development strategies are to be prepared and the information to be contained in them.

Traditionally the Office of the Auditor General has conducted value-for-money audits that look at economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government activities - known as the three "Es". With the amendments to the Auditor General Act, "environment" formally becomes the fourth "E". The Auditor General must now take all four elements into consideration when deciding what to report to the House of Commons..

The amended Auditor General's Act also provides a formal vehicle for the public to express their concern about environment and sustainable development issues to federal departments.

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