Description
Résumé: L'objectif des auteurs est ici d'isoler les contributions respectives des politiques budgétaire et monétaire canadiennes et étasuniennes à l'évolution des taux de chômage des deux pays. La méthode utilisée consiste à estimer des modèles VAR et à utiliser des restrictions d'identification de long terme pour faire une analyse structurelle. Les chocs de politique budgétaire sont définis comme la partie des innovations du VAR entraînant un changement de la tendance du ratio des dépenses publiques au PIB. Par choc de politique monétaire, les auteurs entendent la partie des innovations du VAR qui modifie la tendance de l'inflation. Le résultat principal est que l'évolution comparée des taux de chômage canadien et étasunien est liée en premier lieu aux choix différents des deux pays en matière de politique budgétaire. La politique monétaire n'est pas sans effet sur l'évolution du taux de chômage dans les deux pays, mais elle n'explique pas les tendances divergentes, principale cause de l'écart de chômage observé depuis la fin des années 70. Nous estimons par ailleurs que la tendance du taux de chômage canadien a connu une baisse importante au cours des dernières années.
Abstract: The authors' purpose in this paper is to isolate the respective contributions of budgetary and monetary policy in Canada and the United States to the behaviour of unemployment rates in the two countries. Their method consists of estimating VAR models and using long-term identification restrictions to perform a structural analysis. Budgetary policy shocks are defined as those VAR innovations that cause a change in the trend of the public-spending-to-GDP ratio, while monetary policy shocks are those innovations that modify the trend of inflation. The major finding is that the comparative evolution of unemployment rates in Canada and the United States is linked primarily to the different budgetary policy choices in the two countries. Monetary policy does have some effect on the behaviour of unemployment rates in the two countries, but it does not explain the divergent trends, the primary cause of the U.S.-Canada unemployment gap that has been apparent since the 1970s. The authors estimate, moreover, that the trend in the Canadian unemployment rate has declined significantly over the last few years.
Abstract: The authors' purpose in this paper is to isolate the respective contributions of budgetary and monetary policy in Canada and the United States to the behaviour of unemployment rates in the two countries. Their method consists of estimating VAR models and using long-term identification restrictions to perform a structural analysis. Budgetary policy shocks are defined as those VAR innovations that cause a change in the trend of the public-spending-to-GDP ratio, while monetary policy shocks are those innovations that modify the trend of inflation. The major finding is that the comparative evolution of unemployment rates in Canada and the United States is linked primarily to the different budgetary policy choices in the two countries. Monetary policy does have some effect on the behaviour of unemployment rates in the two countries, but it does not explain the divergent trends, the primary cause of the U.S.-Canada unemployment gap that has been apparent since the 1970s. The authors estimate, moreover, that the trend in the Canadian unemployment rate has declined significantly over the last few years.