News and Announcements

Howitt Wins Renowned BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award 

Peter Howitt (MA ’69) and Philippe Aghion have been presented with the prestigious BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award for their fundamental contributions to the study of innovation, technical change, and competition policy. Howitt and Aghion’s theory built on the idea that productivity growth at the macroeconomic level stems from a process of creative destruction. The economists developed their idea and published their first and most highly cited paper during Howitt’s time at Western (1972-96). Howitt is currently an Honorary Professor at Western. The article on his accomplishment can be found at BBVA.

Bowlus Co-Leads Academic Survey

Professor Audra Bowlus will be co-leading an academic survey, Intimate partner violence and its financial costs, to determine the extent to which intimate-partner violence impacts survivors, perpetrators and witnesses at the university workplace. Western is the first institutional survey in North America to participate. The article on the research survey can be found at Western News.

Economics Alumnus Named Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada

Toni Gravelle (BA’88, PhD’96) has been named a Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada. As Deputy Governor, Gravelle will join the Bank’s Governing Council, which sets the strategic direction of the Bank and is its policy-making body. Since May 2015, Gravelle has been Managing Director of the Bank’s Financial Markets Department, leading the execution of the bank’s financial market activities as they relate to monetary policy implementation and financial system liquidity and overseeing domestic debt and foreign reserve operations on behalf of the Government of Canada. To read more about Gravelle, see the Western News and the Bank of Canada.

John Whalley Featured by Social Science

The Faculty of Social Science is featuring Professor Emeritus John Whalley's research on varying levels of tariffs on manufactured goods. Whalley, along with co-authors, Chunding Li and Jing Wang, find that as tariff levels increase, the US loses more on overall manufacturing employment than it gains in the protected sector. To read more about the working paper “Trade Protectionism and US Manufacturing Employment” and Whalley's views on recent trade developments, see the Western Social Science News.

Economics Alumni to Receive Honorary Degrees

Robert McEwen (BA '73) and Stephen S. Poloz (MA '79, PhD '82) will receive honorary degrees, Doctors of Laws, honoris causa, at Western's 313th Convocation this spring. McEwen serves as the Chairman and Chief Owner of McEwen Mining Inc. and is the former Chairman and CEO of Goldcorp Inc. Poloz, the Governor of the Bank of Canada since 2013, additionally serves as Chairman of the Bank's Board of Directors and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements. The article on all nineteen distinguished individuals can be found at Western News

Economics Alumni Featured in the Globe's Report on Business

Economics Alumni, Tiff Macklem (PhD '89), Munir Sheikh (PhD '73), and Carolyn Wilkins (MA '88) were all featured in the February 1st edition of the Globe and Mail's Report on Business. Macklem, Dean of the Rotman School of Management, discusses Canada's potential growth in the labour force in an opinion piece, and Sheikh, Professor at Carleton University, has an opinion piece on the gaps in Canadian data. Wilkins, Senior Deputy Governor at the Bank of Canada, addresses concerns regarding consumer debt levels. 

Alumnus Named Among Order of Canada Honorees

Henri-Paul Rousseau (PhD’74) has been named a Member to the Order of Canada. This national order, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Rousseau has been named for his contributions to the economy and his social and community involvement. Prior to retiring in 2018, Rousseau served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of CDP Capital Inc. The article on Western alumni and faculty who are new Members, including Rousseau, can be found at Western News.