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The federal government was accused Thursday of flouting its own efforts to make Ottawa more accountable after Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s deputy chief of staff, Derek Vanstone, was appointed Air Canada’s vice-president of corporate strategy, industry and government affairs.

There’s little doubt the appointment of one of Mr. Harper’s top aides was a major coup for the country’s largest carrier. The move, which has been given the green light by the federal ethics commissioner, will see Mr. Vanstone help shape the airline’s corporate strategy and oversee its community and government relations as of Sept. 10.

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Mr. Vanstone will take over some of the duties held by Duncan Dee, 42, Air Canada’s chief operating officer, who announced his early retirement effective this fall.

The appointment came under immediate fire from NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus, who said it flew in the face of Mr. Harper’s Federal Accountability Act, which he was elected on and was meant to crack down on shuffling between minister’s offices, the senior public service and the lobbying industry.