Profile
A Man of Action
CGA-Canada honours member of Parliament John Williams, FCGA, with the John Leslie Award for his outstanding commitment to public service.
FROM:
SEP-OCT 2005 ISSUE | BY
PEGGY HOMAN
Take a brisk walk on Parliament Hill with John Williams, FCGA, and a Conservative Party member of Parliament for Edmonton-
St. Albert, Alberta, and it quickly becomes apparent that
Mr. Williams is a
well-known figure in Ottawa's corridors of power. Not that his high profile is a surprise, given his dedication, active record, and international media attention over the past few years. Catapulted into the spotlight by his leadership role in investigating the sponsorship scandal, Williams is a tireless crusader for government accountability, and is known as a man who is not afraid of hard work, particularly when it involves uncovering the truth about public accounts and federal spending.
Steadfast and charming with just a faint lilt to his speech, the 2005 John Leslie Award winner says his interest in politics was sparked at a young age in Scotland, as his father sat on a number of boards. "I was raised on the periphery of the political world," Williams recalls. With his highly accomplished journey from the periphery to the House of Commons, John Williams was an obvious choice to receive the John Leslie Award. Named after the Association's founder and first president, the award honours CGAs whose exceptional achievements have raised the profile of the CGA designation in Canada. The award is typically given to only one person each year, although not necessarily every year. The
CGA-Canada Board of Directors established the
John Leslie Award in 1988.
So while the seeds of a political career were planted early, it was Williams' interaction with people in his constituency in the late '80s and early '90s that prompted his decision to run for office. "The business community in Alberta was concerned about federal debt and high taxation. I felt things had to change and I had many conversations with citizens about these issues. Over time, more and more people were asking me to go to Ottawa to do something about the issues. I had an active accounting practice, having obtained my CGA in 1989, so I was able to obtain the support of my tax clients. I was also active in the community and drew on that support as well."
Williams was first elected to the House of Commons in October of 1993, and was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet as the Treasury Board Critic for the Reform Party Caucus. He was re-elected in June of 2004 for his fourth term. When asked about highlights of his political career, he responds without hesitation that chairing the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP) through the sponsorship scandal and the creation of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) were clearly defining moments.
"The decision to establish GOPAC was something of an epiphany. I recall saying, 'let's start an organization to take action against corruption,' but then it became a question of how do you go about starting a worldwide organization?" he says. As is his character, Williams took charge to set the wheels in motion, and under his leadership, the first GOPAC meeting was held in October of 2002. "We set three goals for the agenda: to establish peer support; to provide education for parliamentarians; and to establish goal-oriented results," he recounts. Williams also chairs the Canadian arm of the organization, Canadian Parliamentarians Against Corruption.
As for his work with the Public Accounts Committee, Williams has a long and active history of involvement. "I was first named to the committee as a member in 1993," he recalls. "Back then, the Chair was from the Bloc Québécois and the committee was firmly mired in the status quo, which meant that eventually all the committee work ground to a halt." Williams learned some important lessons in those early days. "By the time I was elected Chair of the PACP in 1997, I had seen the pitfalls of my predecessors. And years earlier, I had gained some valuable committee experience with the Junior Chamber of Commerce." That background laid the foundation for Williams' outstanding success as Chair; in fact, he is currently the longest-serving Chair of any of the House of Commons Standing Committees.
And when it comes to committees, the PACP is not one to be taken lightly. The committee's main role is to investigate government spending through the work of the Auditor General. It is one of three Commons' standing committees chaired by a member of the official Opposition. The PACP deals with all departments and has a great breadth of experience across government from the Auditor General to Deputy Ministers.
"When we meet [with witnesses], it is not for a tea and crumpets chat; rather, it is more like an informal trial," Williams says with a wry smile. As for the process, the facts are presented; there is a rebuttal, questions by both sides, and then a request for government to respond to recommendations for change.
"Under normal circumstances, two researchers and a clerk work four hours a week for the committee. But on
Feb. 10, 2004, the Auditor General's report on sponsorship was released and the committee moved front and centre into the limelight. So in the Spring of 2004, we had a team backed by 50 to 70 support staff working seven hours a day, five days a week. The committee hearings were televised five days a week," he recalls.
However, in May 2004, the PACP's work was cut short. "We had a list of about seventy-five witnesses we weren't able to hear because of the election call. We also had ten million pages of documents — the same documents delivered to the Gomery inquiry — to review. And after the
June 2004 election, there was a new Parliament, which meant there were new members on the committee. The learning curve was steep and there was a lot of work involved in finding out what happened to a million and a half dollars of taxpayers' funds, channeled through the sponsorship program into several advertising agencies that paid kickbacks to the Liberal Party," he recounts.
"I firmly believe that corruption can be controlled, but not eliminated. Corruption exists in both developed and underdeveloped nations, the only difference is control. And in Canada, Parliament must be vigilant to hold the federal government accountable on a daily basis. At this point, the Public Accounts Committee and the Parliament of Canada have to move into governance reform, so we change the rules so this type of scheme doesn't happen again. And that's not the Gomery Commission's job; that's Parliament's job and the Public Accounts Committee's job," he states emphatically.
When he's not in Ottawa, Williams spends his time at his hobby farm in Riviere Qui Barre, a small country hamlet
25 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. "The farm is my oasis — a place to relax and recharge," he says. It is also a place filled with family memories, as Williams and his wife of many years, Carol, shared time at the farm with their two sons, Munro, 27, and Allan, 25, until Carol's passing in 1998.
On a final note, Williams offers a few words of wisdom for CGAs considering a career in politics. "Running your own practice is good training, but imagine doing that while facing media scrutiny and spending six months away from home each year," he states matter-of-factly. "That being said, I find political life to be both extremely demanding and extremely rewarding," he adds with certainty.
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Peggy Homan is associate publisher and editor of
CGA Magazine.