In my wide ranging experiences in public life, I have often noticed the professionalism and the dedication of many leaders in the public service.

Sheila Fraser, our guest today, has demonstrated herself to qualify among the best of the best of those dedicated public servants.

Not the least of her accomplishments is making the audit function relevant and of interest to ordinary Canadians, who are usually unfamiliar with the more exciting aspects of accounting, and audit in particular.

In a City like Calgary and a Province like Alberta we have always celebrated the achievements of remarkable women such as the famous five and their role in the Persons Case, an early turning point in achieving justice and fairness for women in the nation. We have raised statues to recognize them, in Calgary and on Parliament Hill.

In her own distinctive way, our guest today has helped raise the bar of public sector accountability. Most notably she has succeeded in the way in which she has brought that work to the attention of Canadians.

She has set a "tone at the top" in public sector governance standards that has resonated at the very highest levels of the nation, as should be the case.

Sheila Fraser, if you keep this up you are at risk of finding Albertans raising funds to place a statue of you somewhere to recognize your own accomplishments, which, I dare say, are substantial, and one day likely worthy of such recognition.

Please welcome Sheila Fraser to Alberta.