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The Canadian Experience with Targets for Inflation Control

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  • Gordon G. Thiessen

Abstract

This article reflects on Canada's experience with inflation targeting in the 1990s. The discussion opens with a synopsis of the evolution of inflation targets against a backdrop of other monetary policy approaches. The author then proceeds to outline the main advantages of explicit inflation targets - advantages that go beyond the well-known benefits of low inflation. Increased transparency and accountability, and an improvement in the Bank's internal decision making, are highlighted in particular. It is also argued that inflation targets provide a useful mechanism for dealing with demand and supply shocks in a way that reduces disruptive fluctuations. The major criticisms of targeting low rates of inflation (related to wage rigidity, a zero floor on nominal interest rates, and concerns about deflation) are also examined. Although it is too early for definitive conclusions, the author's view is that inflation targets lead to better policy decisions, better economic performance over time, and greater accountability for autonomous central banks.

Suggested Citation

  • Gordon G. Thiessen, 1998. "The Canadian Experience with Targets for Inflation Control," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 24(4), pages 415-428, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpp:issued:v:24:y:1998:i:4:p:415-428
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frederic S. Mishkin & Adam S. Posen, 1997. "Inflation targeting: lessons from four countries," Economic Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 3(Aug), pages 9-110.
    2. Charles Freedman & Tiff Macklem, 1998. "A Comment on "The Great Canadian Slump"," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 31(3), pages 646-665, August.
    3. Gordon Thiessen, 1995. "Uncertainty and the transmission of monetary policy in Canada (HERMES-Glendon Lecture) [speech]," Bank of Canada Review, Bank of Canada, vol. 1995(Summer), pages 41-58.
    4. Ben S. Bernanke & Frederic S. Mishkin, 1997. "Inflation Targeting: A New Framework for Monetary Policy?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(2), pages 97-116, Spring.
    5. Pierre Fortin, 1996. "The Great Canadian Slump," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 29(4), pages 761-787, November.
    6. Paul R. Masson & Miguel A. Savastano & Sunil Sharma, 2019. "The Scope for Inflation Targeting in Developing Countries," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Macroeconomic Modelling and Monetary and Exchange Rate Regimes, chapter 10, pages 331-383, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. George A. Akerlof & William R. Dickens & George L. Perry, 1996. "The Macroeconomics of Low Inflation," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 27(1), pages 1-76.
    8. Summers, Lawrence, 1991. "How Should Long-Term Monetary Policy Be Determined? Panel Discussion," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 23(3), pages 625-631, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Jenkins & Brian O'Reilly, 2001. "Monetary Policy and the Economic Well-being of Canadians," The Review of Economic Performance and Social Progress, in: Andrew Sharpe, Executive Director & France St-Hilaire, Vice-President , Research & Keith Banting, Di (ed.), The Review of Economic Performance and Social Progress 2001: The Longest Decade: Canada in the 1990s, volume 1, Centre for the Study of Living Standards;The Institutute for Research on Public Policy.
    2. Pierre L. Siklos, 2003. "Assessing the Impact of Changes in Transparency and Accountability at the Bank of Canada," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 29(3), pages 279-299, September.
    3. Willem H. Buiter, 1999. "The EMU and the NAMU: What is the Case for North American Monetary Union?," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 25(3), pages 285-305, September.
    4. Carare, Alina & Stone, Mark R., 2006. "Inflation targeting regimes," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(5), pages 1297-1315, July.
    5. C Freedman, 2001. "Inflation Targeting And The Economy: Lessons From Canada'S First Decade," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 19(1), pages 2-19, January.
    6. William B.P. Robson, 2009. "To the Next Level: From Gold Standard to Inflation Targets - to Price Stability?," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 285, March.
    7. Aaron Drew, 2002. "Lessons from Inflation Targeting in New Zealand," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Norman Loayza & Raimundo Soto & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Series Editor) (ed.),Inflation Targeting: Desing, Performance, Challenges, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 12, pages 501-538, Central Bank of Chile.
    8. Badarudin, Z.E. & Ariff, M. & Khalid, A.M., 2013. "Post-Keynesian money endogeneity evidence in G-7 economies," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 146-162.
    9. Z. E. Badarudin & M. Ariff & A. M. Khalid, 2011. "Money supply endogeneity and bank stock returns," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(14), pages 1035-1048.
    10. Julien Champagne & Guillaume Poulin‐Bellisle & Rodrigo Sekkel, 2018. "The Real‐Time Properties of the Bank of Canada's Staff Output Gap Estimates," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 50(6), pages 1167-1188, September.
    11. David Longworth & Brian O´Reilly, 2002. "The Monetary Policy Transmission Mechanism and Policy Rules in Canada," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Norman Loayza & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Series (ed.),Monetary Policy: Rules and Transmission Mechanisms, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 13, pages 357-392, Central Bank of Chile.
    12. Scott Aquanno & Jordan Brennan, 2016. "The Politics of Canadian Monetary Policy: Reassessing Canadian Inflation, Part II," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(3), pages 814-833, July.

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