Government of Canada

About: Government of Canada is a government organization based out in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Monetary policy & Debt. The organization has 796 authors who have published 886 publications receiving 21366 citations. The organization is also known as: federal government of Canada & Her Majesty's Government.

Were 1990s Labour Markets Really Different

Abstract: In the early 1990s, observers of the labour market often pointed to emerging new phenomena. How many of these trends have survived the strong economic expansion of 1997 to 1999? The rise of self-employment, which was thought to result from a decline in full-time paid employment, has continued through the buoyant labour market of recent years. Job tenure has risen, not fallen, and the number of firms people can reasonably expect to work for over their career is, as a result, lower, not higher. The participation and employment rates of younger workers have remained below their former peaks, but this seems mainly due to more young people staying in school. Finally, quit rates remain lower than might be expected at this point in the economic cycle, a fact which may reflect increased employment anxiety, despite the low unemployment rate.

Capital Intensity in Canada and the United States, 1987 to 2003

Abstract: Official data from statistical agencies are not always ideal for cross-country comparisons because of differences in data sources and methodology. Analysts who engage in cross-country comparisons need to carefully choose among alternatives and sometimes adapt data especially for their purposes. This paper develops comparable capital stock estimates to examine the relative capital intensity of Canada and the United States. To do so, the paper applies common depreciation rates to Canadian and U.S. assets to come up with comparable capital stock estimates by assets and by industry between the two countries. Based on common depreciation rates, it finds that capital intensity is higher in the Canadian business sector than in the U.S. business sector. This is the net result of quite different ratios at the individual asset level. Canada has as higher intensity of engineering infrastructure assets per dollar of gross domestic product produced. Canada has a lower intensity of information and communications technology (ICT) machinery and equipment (ME however, it has a deficit in M&E that goes beyond ICT assets.

Small Business Exporters: A Canadian Profile

Abstract: Provides a statistical profile of Canadian smallbusiness exporters for the years 2000-2002, with data drawn from theExporter Registry and Statistics Canada’s Business Register. Thereport establishes new baseline information in order toprovide a basisfor policy development to foster small business exports. The principal findingis that, although small businesses individually export much less than largefirms, because of the large number of SMEs the value of their exports intotalis significant at 20 percent. Presents data on the number of exporters and impact of small exporterscompared with large ones. Of 35,594 exporters, 84 percent were smallbusinesses. The majority (78 percent) exported less from $1 million (Canadian$) annually. Also examines small business exporters by annual export value andanalyses their contribution to the overall value of exports.In 2002the total value of exports was $343 billion, of which small businessescontributed 20 percent. Data is also presentedon thevalue of exports by province,industry, and export destination. The largest exporters were Ontario andmanufacturing; the major destination was the United States. A comparisonof exports in Canada and the U.S. is given; Canadian and U.S. exportpatternsare very similar, except that Canadian exporters are more activeinternationally. Observations on the profiles and impact of small business exporters aregiven, as are barriers and economies of scale that mayhinder smallbusiness exporters. Suggests public policy be tailored towards the special needof small firms in order toincrease their export activity. (TNM)

How to Improve Inflation Targeting in Canada

Abstract: Routine publication of the forecast path for the policy interest rate (i.e. 'conventional forward guidance') would improve the transparency of monetary policy. It would also improve policy effectiveness through its influence on expectations, particularly when there is a risk of low inflation, and the policy rate is constrained by the effective lower bound. Model simulations indicate that a potent macroeconomic strategy, for returning the Canadian economy to potential, combines conventional forward guidance with a fiscal stimulus. As a response to the effective lower bound constraint, and the decline in the world equilibrium real interest rate, this strategy is preferable to raising the inflation target.