Charles-Antoine St-Jean (BCom 1976) served as the Comptroller General of Canada from 2004 to 2007 during a critical time for the internal audit profession. Prior to serving in the federal public sector, he worked with Ernst & Young and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young as partner and vice-president. Since returning to EY, he is the National partner for Public Sector in Canada. In this role, he advises clients at the federal and provincial levels in Canada and abroad on strategy, governance and risk management. Active in the non-profit sector, he has served as Chair of the CCAF, a Canadian foundation dedicated to the advancement of good governance in the public sector in Canada and abroad. He is a Governor of the University of Ottawa, a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Audit Committee. Among his many awards, the University of Ottawa, Telfer School of Management recently presented him with the Trudeau Medal in recognition of his contribution to the public sector management.
While serving as Comptroller-General of Canada, Charles-Antoine spearheaded renewal of the Government of Canada's Policy on Internal Audit, entrenching the IIA Standards into the practice of internal auditing in the public sector. This significant enhancement incorporated creation of external Audit Committees into the Government's governance regime, clarity of qualifications and reporting structures for Chief Audit Executives, and approval of significant incremental funding for internal audit and the Office of the Comptroller-General. These initiatives represented significant steps in advancing professionalism of the internal audit profession in Canada.
For his impact on the internal audit profession in the Canadian public sector, Charles Antoine St-Jean is being recognized with the 2014 IIA Canada Contribution to the Profession Award.
