Accountability in government means that elected officials and public servants must answer for their decisions, explain how public money is spent, and accept responsibility for the results of their actions. Several mechanisms ensure accountability: Parliament's Question Period, the Auditor General's reports, Access to Information laws, and ultimately, elections where voters can remove governments they're dissatisfied with. In a budget context, accountability means governments must show taxpayers exactly how their money was used and whether programs achieved their intended goals. Ministerial responsibility—the principle that ministers must answer for their department's actions—is a cornerstone of Canada's parliamentary system.