Canada's auditor general Michael Ferguson has died at 60

Michael Ferguson, Canada's auditor general, has died, his office confirmed to CBC News on Saturday. He was 60.

"Mr. Ferguson had been undergoing treatment for cancer since last November," the Office of the Auditor General of Canada said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the treatment was unsuccessful. He passed away surrounded by his family in Ottawa."

"Much appreciated by his staff and respected by parliamentarians and government officials alike, Mr. Ferguson will be remembered by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him as a humble, compassionate and thoughtful man," the statement continued.

Ferguson had cancelled his media appearances for his 2018 fall reports due to health concerns.

He was appointed as Auditor General of Canada in November 2011, and his term was set to end in 2021.

Prior to his federal role, he served in various positions in the New Brunswick provincial government, including a stint as its auditor general.

Ferguson was not shy about expressing his frustrations. In the summer, he told CBC Radio's The House he was getting tired of filing annual reports recommending reforms to the way the government does business — only to see those recommendations disappear down the memory hole afterward.

Some of the issues he paid particular attention to were the Phoenix pay system, Indigenous services and sexual misconduct in the military.

"He cared deeply about conducting audits that brought value to the public service, always for the greater good of Canadians," the Office of the Auditor General of Canada said. Ferguson is survived by his wife and sons.

The auditor general is an officer of Parliament appointed for a 10-year, non-renewable term. He or she is responsible for auditing and providing reports to Parliament on federal government departments and agencies, Crown corporations, and other national organizations.