As you just mentioned, six or seven weeks ago, I received a number of letters from several premiers who wanted to influence my decision. I told them that we were quite content to hear the premiers tell us about the impact that inflation and rising interest rates were having in their province and how those developments affected their fellow citizens.
However, I also told them that it wasn't helpful for them to give us instructions on how to handle interest rates because that might create the impression that monetary policy isn't independent of government. But I think everyone agrees on the futility of such instructions.
The independence of the central bank is important if we want to maintain price accessibility.