During the last Parliament, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts was an effective forum to focus attention on the sponsorship scandal and other matters. According to the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, that committee is one of two Commons’ committees that the Liberals will get to chair and for which opposition party members will have a majority. John Williams (Edmonton-St. Albert), (left) who is a chartered accountant, was the chair of that committee in the last Parliament. I asked him about the irony, if you will, of the Liberals getting the chance to chair the committee which shone such a powerful on Liberal backroom dealings:
Williams: Well, standing orders require that the opposition chair the Public Accounts Committee and I’ve enjoyed the responsibility since 1997 in the opposition and of course now I’m glad to take my seat on the government side and hand that position over to presumably a Liberal from the Official Opposition.
Akin: Do you expect [the Liberals] will be as effective as — that committee was very effective under your leadership. Do you think the Liberals have the same zeal for that?
Williams: Well, of course they know what stones not to unturn — turn over so we’ll see if they have the same zeal to begin with. I certainly enjoyed my stint as the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee holding the government accountable. As a parliamentarian that was my responsibility, still is my responsibility to see that the government responds to the needs of the people. And but of course, as I say, from a Liberal perspective, the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee there may be some areas that they want to stay away from and we’ll try and find them out ourselves.