IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wlu/wpaper/eg0047.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Revisiting the Coyne Affair: A Singular Event That Changed the Course of Canadian Monetary History

Author

Abstract

The Coyne affair is the greatest institutional crisis faced by the Bank of Canada in its history. The crisis took place in 1959-1961 and led to the resignation of the Governor, once he was cleared of any wrongdoing. The crisis eventually resulted in a major reform of the Bank of Canada. The paper highlights the critical role played by the directive in central banking legislation. Archival and empirical evidence is used to assess the performance of monetary policy throughout the 1950s. In doing so, a real-time dataset is constructed for both Canada and the US that permits estimation of reaction functions. I find that the case against James Coyne is \'not proven\'.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre Siklos, 2008. "Revisiting the Coyne Affair: A Singular Event That Changed the Course of Canadian Monetary History," Working Papers eg0047, Wilfrid Laurier University, Department of Economics, revised 2008.
    • Handle: RePEc:wlu:wpaper:eg0047
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://web.wlu.ca/repec/Working%20papers/2008/LCERPA%202008-02.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Blanchard, Olivier Jean & Quah, Danny, 1989. "The Dynamic Effects of Aggregate Demand and Supply Disturbances," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(4), pages 655-673, September.
    2. Burdekin, Richard C K & Siklos, Pierre L, 1999. "Exchange Rate Regimes and Shifts in Inflation Persistence: Does Nothing Else Matter?," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 31(2), pages 235-247, May.
    3. Pierre L. Siklos, 1999. "Inflation-target design: changing inflation performance and persistence in industrial countries," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, issue Mar, pages 46-58.
    4. Nelson C. Mark, 2009. "Changing Monetary Policy Rules, Learning, and Real Exchange Rate Dynamics," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(6), pages 1047-1070, September.
    5. Michael Bordo & Ali Dib & Lawrence Schembri, 2010. "Canada's Pioneering Experience with a Flexible Exchange Rate in the 1950s: (Hard) Lessons Learned for Monetary Policy in a Small Open Economy," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 6(3), pages 51-99, September.
    6. Sharon Kozicki & Peter A. Tinsley, 2005. "Perhaps the FOMC did what it said it did : an alternative interpretation of the Great Inflation," Research Working Paper RWP 05-04, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    7. Athanasios Orphanides, 2001. "Monetary Policy Rules Based on Real-Time Data," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(4), pages 964-985, September.
    8. Anonymous, 1957. "International Monetary Fund," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(1), pages 176-179, January.
    9. Warren L. Smith, 1958. "The Discount Rate as a Credit-Control Weapon," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66(2), pages 171-171.
    10. Robert A. Mundell, 1962. "The Appropriate Use of Monetary and Fiscal Policy for Internal and External Stability," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 70-79, March.
    11. David C. Smith, 1960. "Monetary-Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth in an Open Economy," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 74(4), pages 614-632.
    12. Cherie Metcalf & Angela Redish & Ronald Shearer, 1998. "New Estimates of the Canadian Money Stock: 1871-1967," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 31(1), pages 104-124, February.
    13. Siklos, Pierre L., 2009. "Not quite as advertised: Canada's managed float in the 1950s and Bank of Canada intervention," European Review of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 413-435, December.
    14. Cayen, Jean-Philippe & van Norden, Simon, 2005. "The reliability of Canadian output-gap estimates," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 373-393, December.
    15. A. W. Phillips, 1958. "The Relation Between Unemployment and the Rate of Change of Money Wage Rates in the United Kingdom, 1861–1957," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 25(100), pages 283-299, November.
    16. Anonymous, 1957. "International Bank for Reconstruction and Development," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 387-389, April.
    17. Anonymous, 1957. "International Monetary Fund," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(4), pages 683-686, October.
    18. Siklos,Pierre L., 2006. "The Changing Face of Central Banking," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521034494, September.
    19. Anonymous, 1957. "International Bank for Reconstruction and Development," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(4), pages 675-678, October.
    20. James E. Pesando, 1975. "The Impact of the Conversion Loan on the Term Structure of Interest Rates in Canada: Some Additional Evidence," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 8(2), pages 281-288, May.
    21. Anonymous, 1957. "International Bank for Reconstruction and Development," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(3), pages 532-533, July.
    22. Kydland, Finn E & Prescott, Edward C, 1977. "Rules Rather Than Discretion: The Inconsistency of Optimal Plans," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 85(3), pages 473-491, June.
    23. Anonymous, 1957. "International Monetary Fund," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(3), pages 537-538, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Michael D. Bordo & Pierre L. Siklos, 2015. "Central Bank Credibility: An Historical and Quantitative Exploration," NBER Working Papers 20824, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. William B.P. Robson, 2009. "To the Next Level: From Gold Standard to Inflation Targets - to Price Stability?," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 285, March.
    3. Michael D. Bordo & Pierre L. Siklos, 2024. "The Importance of Sound Monetary Policy: Some Lessons for Today from Canada’s Experience with Floating Exchange Rates Since 1950," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 66(3), pages 415-453, September.
    4. William R. White, 2013. "Is Monetary Policy a Science? The Interaction of Theory and Practice over the Last 50 Years," SUERF 50th Anniversary Volume Chapters, in: Morten Balling & Ernest Gnan (ed.), 50 Years of Money and Finance: Lessons and Challenges, chapter 3, pages 73-116, SUERF - The European Money and Finance Forum.
    5. Siklos, Pierre L., 2009. "Not quite as advertised: Canada's managed float in the 1950s and Bank of Canada intervention," European Review of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 413-435, December.
    6. Richard C.K. Burdekin & King Banaian & Mark Hallerberg & Pierre L. Siklos, 2011. "Fiscal and monetary institutions and policies: onward and upward?," Journal of Financial Economic Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 3(4), pages 340-354, November.
    7. Lars Osberg, 2018. "Full Employment in Canada in the early 21st Century," Working Papers daleconwp2018-02, Dalhousie University, Department of Economics.
    8. Michael D. Bordo & Pierre Siklos, 2024. "The Importance of Sound Monetary Policy: Some Lessons for Today from Canada’s Experience with Floating Exchange Rates since 1950," Working Papers 320, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies..

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shams, Rasul, 2004. "The World Bank as an International Financial Institution," Discussion Paper Series 26380, Hamburg Institute of International Economics.
    2. Shams, Rasul, 2004. "The World Bank as an International Financial Institution," HWWA Discussion Papers 292, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWA).
    3. Michael D. Bordo, 1993. "The gold standard, Bretton Woods and other monetary regimes: a historical appraisal," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, issue Mar, pages 123-191.
    4. Michael Michaely, 1971. "An Over-all View of Policy Patterns," NBER Chapters, in: The Responsiveness of Demand Policies to Balance of Payments: Postwar Patterns, pages 30-70, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Akhand Akhtar Hossain, 2009. "Central Banking and Monetary Policy in the Asia-Pacific," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12777.
    6. Phillip Edmund Metaxas & Ernst Juerg Weber, 2016. "An Australian Contribution to International Trade Theory: The Dependent Economy Model," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 92(298), pages 464-497, September.
    7. Tarlok Singh, 2007. "Intertemporal Optimizing Models Of Trade And Current Account Balance: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(1), pages 25-64, February.
    8. Sung Y. Kwack, 1977. "Price Linkage in an Interdependent World Economy: Price Responses to Exchange Rate and Activity Changes," NBER Chapters, in: Analysis of Inflation: 1965–1974, pages 447-484, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Anne O. Krueger, 1998. "Whither the World Bank and the IMF?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 36(4), pages 1983-2020, December.
    10. Javier G. Gómez-Pineda, 2016. "Inflación de costos: las devaluaciones de los años cincuenta y el brote populista de 1963," Borradores de Economia 924, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    11. Akram, Q. Farooq, 2011. "Policy analysis in real time using IMF's monetary model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 1696-1709, July.
    12. Codrina Rada & Lance Taylor, 2006. "Developing and Transition Economies in the Late 20th Century: Diverging Growth Rates, Economic Structures, and Sources of Demand," Working Papers 34, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    13. Monnet, Eric & Puy, Damien, 2020. "Do old habits die hard? Central banks and the Bretton Woods gold puzzle," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    14. Waliullah & Mehmood Khan Kakar & Rehmatullah Kakar & Wakeel Khan, 2010. "The Determinants of Pakistan’s Trade Balance: An ARDL Cointegration Approach," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 15(1), pages 1-26, Jan-Jun.
    15. William R. White, 2013. "Is Monetary Policy a Science? The Interaction of Theory and Practice over the Last 50 Years," SUERF 50th Anniversary Volume Chapters, in: Morten Balling & Ernest Gnan (ed.), 50 Years of Money and Finance: Lessons and Challenges, chapter 3, pages 73-116, SUERF - The European Money and Finance Forum.
    16. Mr. James M. Boughton, 2002. "On the Origins of the Fleming-Mundell Model," IMF Working Papers 2002/107, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Jacques J. Polak, 1995. "Fifty Years of Exchange Rate Research and Policy at the International Monetary Fund," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 42(4), pages 734-761, December.
    18. Basu, Santonu, 1997. "Why institutional credit agencies are reluctant to lend to the rural poor: A theoretical analysis of the Indian rural credit market," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 267-280, February.
    19. Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2011. "Stabilization Theory and Policy: 50 Years after the Phillips Curve," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 78(309), pages 67-88, January.
    20. Athanasios Papadopoulos & Giuseppe Diana & Moise Sidiropoulos, 2005. "Central Bank Reform and Inflation Dynamics in the Transition Economies theory and some evidence," Money Macro and Finance (MMF) Research Group Conference 2005 58, Money Macro and Finance Research Group.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Coyne Affair; monetary policy stance; Taylor rules; real-time data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wlu:wpaper:eg0047. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Glen Stewart (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/sbwluca.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.