Canadian Macroeconomic Policy

Curriculum Guideline

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Course
ECON 2491
Discontinued
No
Course Code
ECON 2491
Descriptive
Canadian Macroeconomic Policy
Department
Economics
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15 Weeks X 4 Hours per Week = 60 Hours
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours
Lecture: 3 Hours Seminar: 1 Hour Total: 4 Hours
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning Activities

Lecture and seminar.

Course Description
Canadian Macroeconomic Policy utilizes the principles of macroeconomics to examine current macroeconomic policy issues. A variety of issues such as the cost of inflation and unemployment, the causes and effects of the government deficit and debt, the relationship between inflation, interest rates, and the exchange rate, and the macroeconomic effects of free trade agreements will be examined. Recent monetary, fiscal, and exchange rate policies will be discussed thoroughly. Practical applications of basic macroeconomic theory will be stressed in this course.
Course Content
  1. Review of national income and price level models
  2. Recent Canadian economic performance
  3. The problem of unemployment and inflation
  4. Fiscal policy
  5. Government deficits and debt: Causes and Consequences
  6. The Bank of Canada and monetary policy
  7. The debate of Disinflation
  8. Balance of Payments issues and Exchange Rate policies
  9. The macroeconomic effects of North American Free Trade.
Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

  1. utilize aggregate demand-aggregate supply models to examine the recent performance of the Canadian economy;
  2. analyze the relationship between inflation, interest rates, and exchange rates;
  3. evaluate the government deficit and debt problem;
  4. examine recent monetary policy and its impact on inflation, interest rates and the exchange rate;
  5. analyze the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the Canadian economy
Means of Assessment
Final Examination        30% - 40%
Term Tests  40% - 70%
Assignments   0% - 20%
Participation    0% - 10%
Total          100%

THERE WILL A MINIMUM OF THREE (3) EVALUATIONS.

Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.

Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

 

The main texts are to be chosen from the following, as determined by the instructor:

 

Carson, Robert.  Economic Issues Today, Latest Ed.  St. Martin's Press.

Laidler, D. and W. Robson.  The Great Canadian Disinflation:  The Economics and Politics of Monetary Policy in Canada, 1988-1993, Latest Ed.   C.D. Howe Institute.

Luciani, Patrick.  Economic Myths: Making Sense of Canadian Policy Issues, Latest Ed.  Addison-Wesley.

Schultze, C.L.  Memos to the President: A Guide Through Macroeconomics for the Busy Policymaker, Latest Ed.  Washington:  Brookings Institution.

 

Supplementary material may be chosen, as determined by the instructor.

Prerequisites

ECON 1150 and ECON 1250

Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses