For example, in the latter days of the 2011 election campaign,
as Jack Layton's orange wave was gathering momentum, Harper and then -
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty jumped all over Mr. Layton for allegedly violating the sacrosanct principle of central bank independence. Layton had responded to a reporter's question about interest rates, indicating it would be better for Canada's economy if they stayed low. Harper and Flaherty denounced this statement violently, calling it a «
rookie mistake» that threatened the independence of the Bank. Layton quickly issued a clarification confirming that he, too, accepted the doctrine of central bank independence.