During
the mid 1970's, there was considerable change in municipal government in Ontario as a number of new Cities, Towns, and
Regions were created by the Province. These Cities, Towns,
and Regions were separated into two different municipal tiers that would enable these municipalities to keep pace with the
growth in population, and the increasing demand for programs and services.
Lower tier municipalities included Cities and Towns, and the Upper tier included Regional municipalities.
The Province divided municipalities into these tiers so
that programs and services for the most part, could be delivered as efficiently and effectively by the tier best equipped.
Smaller localized programs like Parks and Recreation and Fire and Emergency services would be delivered by
Cities and towns.
Larger programs like water and
waste water and public health services would be delivered by Regional municipalities.
As municipalities grew and the demand for programs and services increased rapidly, concerns around adequately
controlling finances and processes in some of these municipal organizations began to emerge. Part of the answer in addressing those concerns involved increasing the amount of, and improving
the quality of staff in Treasury and Finance Departments.
At the same time, the Internal Audit function was also emerging as an important part of the solution that could help both
public and private sector organizations deal with control and process related issues.As a result, a few municipalities established Internal Audit functions and others were considering
doing so as well.
During the
early 80's, some of these Municipal Internal Auditors began to meet each other at professional meetings and workshops
similar to this one.
The first meeting was in 1981 at
the Inn on the Park in Toronto at the Audit and Computer Technology Conference put on by the CICA, the IIA and ISACA. As staff from various municipalities were already meeting and talking to each
other about Finance, Public Works, and Planning related issues and concerns.
These Auditors began talking about how they too could share ideas and how it would be beneficial for
them to get together from time to time to talk about audit related issues and possible solutions. As such, the Municipal Internal Auditors Association was informally formed and the first meeting
was held at the Region of Peel on January 4, 1984.
At that first meeting, there was representation from 7 different municipalities that included the Cities of Mississauga,
Scarborough, Windsor, London, the Regional Municipalities of Peel and Hamilton-Wentworth, and the Town of Oakville.
Some of these founding members included:
o Chuck McClure – City of Mississauga
o Ron Dell’Agnese –
City of Scarborough
o John Gadja – City of Windsor
o David
Sexsmith – City of London
o Larry Hawes – Region
of Peel
o
Maureen Peacock – Region of Hamilton-Wentworth, and
o John Maltby- Town of Oakville
Informal meetings continued for another year or so where it was then decided that this group of auditors
should formalize and incorporate as an association.
Goals
and objectives for the association were developed and approved at a fall meeting held on October 29, 1985.
At that meeting, it was also decided the group would be incorporated as the Municipal Internal Auditors
Association of Ontario – known today as MIAA. From
its humble beginnings, and with significant contributions from these founding members, and from a number of other individuals
over the next 25 years, MIAA continued to grow flourish.
Some of these other significant contributors included:
o Don Ogilvie – City of Mississauga – who wrote MIAA’s original Constitution and By-laws,
o Rudy Huisman – City of Burlington – former Chair, Vice-Chair and Program Advisor,
o Beate Wilson – Region of Peel – who served in numerous capacities including Chair; Vice-Chair;
Secretary and Treasurer,
o
Steve Harris – City of Toronto – long time Chair of the Association
who now serves as Past-Chair and advisor,
o Paul Duggan – York Region
– Vice-Chair and Program,
o Gary Powell
– City of Toronto – long time secretary of the Association,
o Barb Morris –with the Region of Peel who was recently with Peel Police – who is our workshop coordinator
and responsible for ensuring we are all looked after while we are at workshops,
o Debra Williams – City of Toronto – who brought MIAA into the 21st century with an updated website
and internet exposure,
o
Our City of Windsor Members – who for years hosted our website on
their own server,
o
Lorraine Bradbury – Region of Peel – who is our current secretary
and who for years was responsible for keeping Larry Hawes, Beate Wilson and the rest of the executive organized and ready
to go at MIAA workshops,
As well as others like:
o Dick Beecroft – Toronto Transit Commission
o Dana Styra – Toronto Police
o Tom Johnson – City of
London
o
Cam Weldon – Halton Region / City of Toronto,
o Jerry Shaubel – City of Toronto
o Jeff Griffiths
– City of Toronto
As well as the current Executive
and all other former Executives who have contributed in one form or another to what MIAA is today.
MIAA today is stronger than ever. There
are well over 30 different member organizations in our Association representing more than 100 audit staff.
Our member organizations include:
o Municipalities
o Police Services
o School Boards
o Transit commissions, and
o MPAC
From its humble beginnings, through
to now, and into the future, MIAA will continue to promote the interests of its members in performing their mandated roles
and responsibilities to management. MIAA will continue to
provide networks where members can discuss audit related issues and develop solutions collaboratively.
MIAA will continue to develop and provide training and skill development opportunities for members and member
organizations, and MIAA will continue to market and promote
the benefits of Internal Audit to other Municipalities, Agencies, Boards, Commissions and related services.
