82.1 Control of Inflation
Whereas, The Government of Canada recognizes inflation as the number one economic problem in Canada today and the membership of the National Council of Women of Canada has singled out inflation as the number one problem requiring government action; and,
Whereas, There is a need in Canada for more public disclosure and an explanation of the reasons for current and future economic policies; and,
Whereas, Irregular price increases do not correspond with periodic wage increases, resulting in an unstable and difficult pattern of budgeting for many Canadians; and,
Whereas, High prices, high interest rates, and other effects of inflation, place a heavy financial burden on Canadians;
RESOLVED, That the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to consider the use of a number of methods to deal with inflation:
- Through reducing the deficit, curbing government expenditures and controlling the money supply;
- Through direct controls, tax incentives and improved management labour relations to encourage productivity and to spread as widely as possible the effects of any necessary reduction in living standards by:
a. Wage and price guidelines;
b. Tax concessions for firms maintaining a balance pertaining to wages, prices and profits;
c. Tax concessions which encourage the investment and innovation required for increased productivity;
d. Ensuring that public service wages follow, not lead, private wage settlements;
e. Restricting the use of credit; - Through encouragement of citizen participation in the measures, by providing the general public with a clear report of the aims and expectations of the measures introduced by the government; and,
- Through protection of fixed incomes by continuing universal OAS (Old Age Security) and indexing of OAS (Old Age Security) and CPP (Canada Pension Plan); and,
- Through protection against inflation of income of supplementary pension plans under federal jurisdiction by the mandatory application of excess interest earnings.