April 15, 2004
Opening statements
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January 22, 2004
Release of the Monetary Policy Report Update
Three developments have led us to modify our outlook for economic growth and inflation in Canada, since our October Monetary Policy Report. These include: stronger-than-expected world economic activity, the continued sharp depreciation of the U.S. dollar against major world currencies (including the Canadian dollar), and a somewhat larger output gap in Canada at the end of 2003. -
October 23, 2003
Opening Statement before the Senate Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee
The last time that I appeared before this committee was after the release of our April Report. Since then, our economy has been hit by a number of unusual shocks. Because of these shocks and other factors, growth has been weaker than expected. We now estimate that there is more slack in the economy than we had projected in April. -
October 22, 2003
Release of the Monetary Policy Report
Since our April Report, the Canadian economy has been hit by a number of unusual shocks: SARS, BSE, the Ontario electricity blackout, and the severe forest fires in British Columbia. Inflation has also fallen faster and further than expected. -
October 22, 2003
Opening Statement before the House of Commons Finance Committee
The last time that Paul and I appeared before this committee was after the release of our April Report. At that time, inflation was well above its 2 per cent target, and short-term inflation expectations had edged up. Although inflation was being pushed up by special factors, there were also signs that strong domestic demand was working to broaden pressures on prices. -
July 17, 2003
Release of the Monetary Policy Report Update
Today, we released our Update to the April Monetary Policy Report. The Update reviews economic and financial trends in the context of Canada's inflation-control strategy. -
April 30, 2003
Opening Statement before the Senate Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee
The last time I testified before this committee was in the spring of 2002, because we were unable to arrange our regular meeting last fall. You will recall that following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, we quickly and aggressively cut our policy interest rate to shore up confidence and support domestic demand. By last spring, evidence had already started to build that demand was growing faster than the economy's production capacity. -
April 29, 2003
Opening Statement before the House of Commons Finance Committee
Last week, we released our spring Monetary Policy Report, in which we discuss economic and financial trends in the context of Canada's inflation-control strategy. I last testified before this committee in October, following the release of our autumn Monetary Policy Report. -
April 23, 2003
Release of the Monetary Policy Report
Since our October 2002 Monetary Policy Report, both core and total CPI inflation have been well above the 2 per cent inflation target. In this environment, inflation expectations have edged up. -
January 23, 2003
Release of Monetary Policy Report Update
Core inflation has been higher than anticipated in recent months. This reflects not only a stronger-than-expected increase in premiums for auto and home insurance, but also some broadening of price pressures resulting from strong demand in the economy.