Interim Auditor General of Canada has a local connection

By Ken Johnston
Editor

How often do you watch the news and get to say, “That guy has a Rainy River connection?”
Well if you were paying attention to the retirement of Auditor General of Canada’s (Sheila Fraser) retirement lately you may have said just that when you heard the name of her interim replacement.
John Wiersema was the Deputy Auditor General of Canada from March 2004 until May 2011 when Fraser retired. He was then appointed Interim Auditor General of Canada until Nov. 30, 2011 or until such a time as a new Auditor General is appointed.
If you know Rainy River you know it is Wiersema country with several Wiersema families having settled here and raising families over the past several decades. Archie, Eltjo, John, Corrie and Anne VanLeeuwen are all uncles and aunt to John who’s late father was Fred Wieresema. His aunt Thea Sinninghe and uncle Louie Wiersema also lived here but have passed away.
Interim AG John Wiersema has visited the Rainy River area many times. Aunt Eleanor Wiersema said, “You may have seen Canada’s new interim AG, John Wiersema, walking the streets of Rainy River. His most recent visit was last summer when he attended the Wiersema reunion, held at Archie and Eleanor’s”
Eleanor said that John was offered Fraser’s job but declined as he hopes to retire soon.
He took over job on May 31st and his father, Fred, passed away a week later on June 7th. Many family members from here travelled to Ottawa for the funeral and to congratulate John. Some of them even had a chance to tour the Auditor General’s office!
Prior to his appointment, he was the Deputy Auditor General of Canada from March 2004 until 30 May 2011. In that capacity, he assisted the Auditor General in carrying out the functions of the position and, when necessary, represented the Auditor General. As Deputy, his focus was on the overall management of the Office, on strategic issues, and on issues that had not been resolved through the established processes. He also participated in an advisory role on high-risk audits on behalf of the Auditor General.
During his 33-year career at the Office, Mr. Wiersema has carried out a broad range of audit and functional responsibilities covering virtually all aspects of its professional work. He also undertook two secondments to other organizations. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Auditor General in March 2004, he served as Acting Comptroller General of Canada for four months.
An active supporter of the standard-setting work of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), Mr. Wiersema was a member of the Public Sector Accounting Board of the CICA from 2005 to 2009, and Chair of the Board from 2009 to 2011. He served as a member of the CICA Auditing and Assurance Standards Board from 1999 to 2003 and has participated in numerous task forces. In December 2008, he was appointed to the CCAF-FCVI Board of Governors.
Mr. Wiersema received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Carleton University in 1978, became a Chartered Accountant in 1981, and was elected to the Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in 2003.