Circus Carney

So what did you think about the story that Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney reportedly received an "informal" overture about possibly taking over as head of the Bank of England?

The Financial Times of London says it had three sources on this story, obviously unidentified, as any such chat would be confidential. But if the FT says it has three sources in agreement, the reporter in me wants to take that as the truth and work back from there.

The Court of the Bank of England -- a largely non-executive body which oversees the central bank -- immediately issued a statement, saying it had made no approach to Carney. Court Chairman Sir David Lees pointed out that it is actually the government that appoints the Bank of England's governors, not the Court of the Bank of England.

The Bank of Canada said the FT story was "not accurate" and maybe that was the detail it was referring to. But it's a bit of a leap to call that a denial, as some newsrooms did.

I would say the two responses were not denials but ambiguous replies.

The Bank of England's claim that it had not approached Carney was likely accurate. BoE Governor Mervyn King's term expires in June of 2013 and they have to start looking for his successor. For anyone -- at the BoE or in government -- to make a formal overture to a potential candidate would be highly inappropriate and distracting for everyone involved. But there would really be nothing wrong with a friend of a friend of a friend bringing up the subject.

Informal contact could easily have been made -- as veteran CTV anchor Sandie Rinaldo said to me -- "over dinner" without any impropriety. That sounds about right.

Fortunately, Carney, with his customary eloquence, thrust a stick into the gears of the rumour mill by saying he intends to complete his 7-year term as governor of the Bank of Canada, which expires in February of 2015.

So let me re-iterate my opening question: Have I made a credible case that the Financial Times actually had a story there?