A trio of Western alumni, including the former head of the nation’s central bank, have been named to guide the university’s top economic think tank, Western and Ivey Business School announced June 15.
Former Bank of Canada Governor Stephen S. Poloz, MA’79, PhD’82 (Economics), has been appointed Chair of the Advisory Council of Ivey’s Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management.
Additionally, the centre named Perrin Beatty, BA’71, LLD’13, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, a new advisory council member and Maclean’s magazine senior writer Paul Wells, BA’89, a new centre fellow.
“Canada’s economic recovery will depend on an unprecedented level of cooperation between governments, businesses, and universities. Together, we must act based on research and evidence – and much of that comes from academia,” Western President Alan Shepard said. “I am thrilled that the Ivey Lawrence Centre, with proud alumni at the helm, will be at the forefront of our nation’s efforts to thrive in the aftermath of this crisis.”
Poloz first joined the Bank of Canada in 1981 and held increasingly senior positions over a 14-year span, culminating in his appointment as chief of the bank’s research department in 1992. The Oshawa, Ont., native left the bank for a career in the private sector and later joined Export Development Canada, where he served in a variety of roles, including as President/CEO, before rejoining the Bank of Canada as governor in 2013.
He was recently followed to the bank’s top post by fellow Western alumnus Tiff Macklem, MA’84, PhD’89 (Economics).
“I look forward to working with the team at the Ivey Lawrence Centre at a time when Canadians will be expecting even more from our long-term economic policies,” Poloz said.
Beatty spent 21 years in Parliament, first elected to the House of Commons in 1972. He served as Minister in seven different portfolios including Treasury Board, National Revenue, Solicitor General, Defence, National Health and Welfare, Communications and External Affairs.
Wells has been one of Canada’s leading political journalists for more than 20 years. His best-selling 2013 book The Longer I’m Prime Minister won the Shaughnessy Cohen Book Prize, the John W. Dafoe Book Prize, and the Ottawa Book Award for non-fiction writing.
Ivey Dean Sharon Hodgson said the appointments align with the research pillars guiding the centre.
“We need to consider policy that will enable development of robust and differentiated physical and digital infrastructure to increase competitiveness and address pressing concerns in our country,” she continued. “We are fortunate to have such esteemed individuals team up with the Ivey Lawrence Centre at such a critical time.”
Driven by their collective wealth of experience, Poloz, Beatty, and Wells will enhance the Ivey Lawrence Centre’s goal of advancing research designed to inform the policies that amplify Canada’s competitiveness.
The announcement comes within days of Western partnering with Bell Canada to create an advanced 5G research centre – turning the campus into a ‘living lab.’
“We are incredibly inspired to be working with our newest advisory council members to advance evidence-based policy for the prosperity of Canada, nationally and internationally,” said Romel Mostafa, Director of the Ivey Lawrence Centre.