Moved the adoption of the report.

He said: Honourable senators, in June 2022, the Senate adopted the fifth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Audit and Oversight, which requested funds to engage the services of a recruitment firm to assist the committee in the recruitment process for a chief audit executive. The funds expired at the end of the 2022-23 fiscal year.

This budget request seeks to release funds to extend the contract with the recruitment firm that was selected after a competitive process in the last fiscal year. The budget contains the funds needed to complete this process, as per the initial contract signed with the firm in the previous fiscal year, and does not include a request for additional funds.

I am pleased to inform this chamber that the hiring process is close to completion. I expect the committee will make a formal offer soon and am hopeful we can begin onboarding in the weeks to come.

Thank you.