Oversight Bodies and Functions
Oversight responsibilities exist in all public sector organizations and are assigned to managers and personnel working under a variety of governance structures. While some structures are common and well regulated, like the boards of directors of Crown corporations and agencies, others are more ad hoc and are subject only to internal rules.
To add to the complexity of this situation, the nomenclature used to describe oversight bodies is far from consistent. The term “board,” for example, is not restricted to the boards of directors of public or private corporations. It can also refer to administrative tribunals, regulatory agencies, investigative and advisory bodies, operational organizations, and organizations mandated to manage public monies. It is therefore important for public sector auditors to go beyond names and to clearly define the characteristics and functions of the oversight bodies they may choose to audit.
In this section of the Practice Guide, auditors will find information on:
- The oversight responsibilities that exist at different levels of hierarchy in various kinds of public sector organizations;
- Oversight bodies and their main characteristics;
- The oversight functions generally exercised by oversight bodies;
- The oversight of public agencies, boards and authorities; and
- The oversight of major initiatives (critical programs, projects, services or horizontal initiatives) in departments and ministries.
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