Conservatives stack panel

[jdobbin]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...mp;refer=canada

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who can't choose a new central bank chief himself, has done the next-best thing: stacked the panel that nominates David Dodge's successor.

Since taking office in 2006, Harper's government has replaced eight of 12 Bank of Canada board directors, instead of reappointing them when their three-year terms expired. New faces include William Black, a former official in the ruling Conservative Party's Nova Scotia branch, and Douglas Emsley, who worked for a Conservative premier of Saskatchewan.

The board and Harper may decide to restore a tradition of selecting one of the bank's five deputy governors, or they could pick an outsider, as the previous Liberal Party government did for the first time with Dodge. Reshaping the panel may help Harper ensure that the next steward of the world's eighth-largest economy shares his priorities on taxes and spending, as well as monetary policy.

``There would be hints and nudges and winks'' if the panel were looking at someone Harper opposed, said Tim O'Neill, principal of O'Neill Strategic Economics in Toronto, and a former chief economist at the Bank of Montreal. ``The board doesn't want to be put in the embarrassing position of putting forward a name, only to have the government come back and say that's not acceptable.''

More patronage appointments by Harper.

Edited August 31, 2007 by jdobbin

[geoffrey]

Oh God forbid... did you expect him to appoint a communist or something as head of the bank. The Liberals just drew an insider. Thankfully the CPC at least has a review panel, the public will get to see a little bit before the choice is made.

Non-story. Whoop-de-do.