Historical feature article on the Receiver General's 250th anniversary
October 2014
Long, long ago, back when horses and canoes were the main means of transportation in a newly colonized land that was to become modern-day Canada, the first Receiver General was chosen.
The year was 1764, and on September 14, Walter Murray was appointed Receiver General by the Governor of the Province of Quebec on behalf of King George III of England. His appointment came from the need to have a “receiver of revenues” to alleviate the financial problems facing the province at that time.
And today, more than 250 years later, the position of the Receiver General for Canada still exists and boasts the title of the oldest cabinet position in Parliament. Yes, this position existed even before Confederation!
You may have noticed the title and signature of the Receiver General on any government cheques issued to you. Some people know the Receiver General as the title written on cheques payable to the Government of Canada—for example, when taxes are owed. Today, the Receiver General is also responsible for transferring Government of Canada funds directly into the bank accounts of Canadians and Canadian businesses opting for direct deposit.
But the Receiver General is so much more than that. In reality, the role the Receiver General plays is that of Canada's bookkeeper, banker and custodian of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, where all monies are paid and deposited for the Government of Canada. All our money must be tracked and accounted for, and so the Receiver General produces the Public Accounts of Canada, which includes the Government of Canada's Consolidated Financial Statements.
In 1996, the title of Receiver General came to rest with the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, where it remains today. Throughout their long history, the roles and functions of the Receiver General and the Public Accounts have evolved along with Canadian government administration.
From 1764 until 1791, the Receiver General exercised his authority on behalf of the King of England. Soon after, in 1795, the first “public accounts” was presented to the Assembly of Lower Canada. From 1840 until Confederation in 1867, the Receiver General received monies paid and issued monies from the “consolidated revenue fund,” which also still exists today. In 1858, the Public Accounts was published for the first time in dollars. The Receiver General was merged with the Department of Finance in 1879, and this arrangement continued for 90 years. In 1935, the Bank of Canada was created, and the Receiver General opened an account for day-to-day operations. In 1969, things came full circle and the Receiver General assumed treasury functions again, separated from the Department of Finance and became a part of the Ministry of Supply and Services, now the Department of Public Works and Government Services.
The passage of time has seen many changes, including new levels of control and standards implemented on the public purse and how it was governed. Two hundred and twenty-two years after Walter Murray became Receiver General, in 1986, Canada appointed the first woman as Receiver General for Canada: the Honourable Monique Vézina. Since then, there have been three more: the Honourable Diane Marleau, the Honourable Rona Ambrose and our current Receiver General, the Honourable Diane Finley.
These days, the Receiver General for Canada handles over 2.3 trillion dollars of cash flow. So the next time you get a benefit from, or have to pay, the Government of Canada, know that there's a long and rich history of those financial transactions.
Find out more on the history of the Receiver General as we celebrate the 250th anniversary.
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