Earlier, we reported Ray & Berndtson/Tanton Mitchell Inc., an executive search firm with ties to the provincial Liberals, had been chosen (following a competitive bid process) to assist in the hiring of the province's new auditor general. Those connections include donating time and money to the party, as well as an apparent relationship between a managing partner in the firm's Vancouver office - Kyle Mitchell - and the premier. And now communications staff confirm Ray & Berndtson/Tanton Mitchell were used to hire two of the government's most controversial appointees: David Hahn and Paul Taylor. As our astute readers may remember, Mr. Hahn's background as the chief operating officer of Ogden Corp.'s aviation division had some questioning his qualifications to run British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. And Mr. Taylor's past as a mover and shaker in Alberta's Klein government was the source of unfounded fears he would privatize the Insurance Corp. of British Columbia as its chief executive officer. So one wonders what rabbits Ray & Berndtson/Tanton Mitchell will pull out of its hat when the firm conjures up the short-list of candidates interested in becoming the province's next top financial watchdog?