University to honour former auditor general of Canada

The University of Windsor will recognize the contributions of a government watchdog, along with the accomplishments of almost 900 graduating students, during two sessions of the University’s 96th Convocation ceremonies on Saturday, October 22, at the St. Denis Centre.

Former auditor general of Canada, Sheila Fraser, will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree during the afternoon session.

As auditor general, Fraser ensured that parliamentarians had objective and reliable information by which to scrutinize government activities and hold governments accountable for its stewardship of public funds. She promoted the use of plain language in the office’s performance audit reports tabled in the House of Commons. At her initiative, Canada was the first legislative audit office to request a review of its performance audit practice in an effort to provide assurance about the quality of its work.

She has been awarded the Prix Émérite 1993 by the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec and the designation “Fellow” by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. She received the Governor General's medal commemorating Canada's 125th anniversary in 1992 and was a 2009 recipient of the ICAO Award of Outstanding Merit, the highest honour that the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario can bestow upon its members.

The Fall Convocation schedule begins at 10 a.m., Saturday, October22 at 10 a.m., when degrees will be conferred on the graduating classes in the Faculty of Engineering; Faculty of Nursing; Faculty of Science; Inter-Faculty Programs; and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

At the 3 p.m. session, degrees will be conferred on the graduating classes in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; Faculty of Education; Faculty of Human Kinetics; Faculty of Law; the Odette School of Business; and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.