Christopher.Ragan [at] mcgill.ca (Christopher Ragan) is an Associate Professor and the founding Director of Â鶹AV’s Max Bell School of Public Policy.
Ragan was the Chair of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission, which launched in November 2014 with a 5-year horizon to identify policy options to improve environmental and economic performance in Canada. He was also a member of the federal finance minister’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth, which operated from early 2016 to mid 2019. During 2010-12 he was the President of the Ottawa Economics Association. From 2010-13, Ragan held the David Dodge Chair in Monetary Policy at the C.D. Howe Institute, and for many years was a member of the Institute’s Monetary Policy Council. In 2009-10, Ragan served as the Clifford Clark Visiting Economist at Finance Canada; in 2004-05 he served as Special Advisor to the Governor of the Bank of Canada.
Chris Ragan’s published research focuses mostly on the conduct of macroeconomic policy. His 2004 book, co-edited with William Watson, is called Is the Debt War Over? In 2007 he published A Canadian Priorities Agenda, co-edited with Jeremy Leonard and France St-Hilaire from the Institute for Research on Public Policy. The Ecofiscal Commission’s The Way Forward (2015) was awarded the prestigious Doug Purvis Memorial Prize for the best work in Canadian economic policy.
Ragan is an enthusiastic teacher and public communicator. In 2007 he was awarded the Noel Fieldhouse teaching prize at Â鶹AV. He is the author of Economics (formerly co-authored with Richard Lipsey), which after sixteen editions is still the most widely used introductory economics textbook in Canada. Ragan also writes frequent columns for newspapers, most often in The Globe and Mail. He teaches in several MBA and Executive MBA programs, including at Â鶹AV, EDHEC in France, and in special courses offered by McKinsey & Company. He gives dozens of public speeches every year.
Ragan received his B.A. (Honours) in economics in 1984 from the University of Victoria and his M.A. in economics from Queen’s University in 1985. He then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts where he completed his Ph.D. in economics at M.I.T. in 1989.
Curriculum vitae
Course offered:
Core Policy Course:Â Global Macroeconomic Policy
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Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Economics)Â
MA, Queen's University (Economics)
BA, University of Victoria (Economics)
Articles by Chris Ragan
Academic Writing
- What's New?
- Books
- General Economic Policy
- Inflation and Monetary Policy
- Mandated Job Security in Labour Markets
- RRSPs and National Saving
- Long-Term Labour Contracts
What's New?
- , C.D.Howe Institute, Commentary 413, July 2014.
- , Institute for Research on Public Policy,Policy Options, pages 66-70, March-April, 2014.
- , C.D. Howe Institute E-Brief 158, June 25 2013.
- , Interview with Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, authors of Why Nations Fail, published in the International Productivity Monitor, December 2012.
- , C.D. Howe Institute Commentary 338, January 2012.
Books
The Canadian Priorities Agenda: Policy Choices to Improve Economic and Social Well-Being
The Canadian Priorities Agenda is designed to stimulate debate about Canada's policy priorities over the medium term. Governments cannot do everything and thus they must choose which policies to pursue and which to leave behind. Such choice requires comparing the costs and benefits of very different policies. The complete book is now available at the website for the . The editors' and the editors' are available here.
In the Spring of 2004, Bill Watson and I edited a book on Canadian government debt for the called Is the Debt War Over? Dispatches From Canada's Fiscal Frontline.
Click here for our .
General Economic Policy
- , C.D.Howe Institute, Commentary 413, July 2014.
- , Institute for Research on Public Policy,Policy Options, pages 66-70, March-April, 2014.
- , Interview with Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, authors of Why Nations Fail, published in the International Productivity Monitor, December 2012.
- , published by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, November 2011, Revised Version (March 2012). Click here for the presentation [.ppt]
- , Policy Options, pages 72-79, October 2010.
- , published as an on-line "Additional Topic" for Economics, 13th Canadian Edition, Pearson Education Canada (February 2010).
- , Policy Options, pages 43-50, October 2009.
- , paper presented at the budget conference held at the John Deutsch Institute at Queen's University, May 7-8, 2009.
- , Policy Options, pages 16-27, October 2008.
- , a report written under contract for Export Development Canada, April 2008.
- , Policy Options, pages 4-11, April-May 2006.
Inflation and Monetary Policy
- , C.D. Howe Institute E-Brief 158, June 25 2013.
- , C.D. Howe Institute Commentary 338, January 2012.
- , C.D. Howe Institute E-Brief 125, November 2011.
- ", paper written for a festschrift in honour of Ian Stewart, New Directions for Intelligent Government in Canada, published by the Center for the Study of Living Standards, September 2011.
- , C.D. Howe Institute E-Brief 111, March 2011.
- , C.D. Howe InstituteCommentary 321, February 2011.
- ", interviews with six economists on the connection between asset prices and monetary policy, Central Banking, pages 39-52, Fall 2008.
- , interview on the new monetary-policy tools being used by central banks, Central Banking, pages 53-54, Fall 2008.
- , Policy Options, pages 29-35, February 2008.
- , Bank of Canada Review, pages 19-25, Winter 2006-07. (© Bank of Canada. Reprinted with permission)
- , Bank of Canada Review, p. 41-50, Autumn 2005. (© Bank of Canada. Reprinted with permission)
- , Issues in Inflation Targeting (Bank of Canada conference volume), Ottawa, April 2005, pages 3-45. (© Bank of Canada. Reprinted with permission)
- , Bank of Canada Working Paper, 2005-34.
- , 2005.
- , Policy Options, , March 2002.
- , Policy Options,, May 2001.
- , (August 2000), pages 19-31.
- , (December 1999), pages 34-37.
- , Working Paper 98-15 (1998).
- , Working Paper 95-1 (1995).
- , in Economic Behaviour and Policy Choice Under Price Stability,, 1994, pages 419-468.
Mandated Job Security in Labour Markets
- , Labour Economics5 (1998), pages 185-204 (joint with S. Hogan).
- XXIX (November 1996), pages 976-993 (joint with S. Baker and S. Hogan).
- , XXI (June 1995), pages 74-86 (joint with S. Hogan).
- , Economica 62 (November 1995), pages 495-505 (joint with S. Hogan).
Economics (14th Canadian Edition)
This principles of economics textbook is now in its 14th Canadian edition. The latest edition was published in February 2013.
The textbook is published by Pearson Canada. The textbook is available as a single hard-cover comprehensive volume (Economics) or as soft-cover splits, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.
World Economic Affairs
I was the Editor-in-Chief of World Economic Affairs from its inception in the summer of 1996. We published eight issues over the next three years. WEA is no longer being published, but if there is someone "out there" who would like to bankroll it, we could dust it off anytime!
Below you will find a selection of articles and columns from the various issues, beginning with my editorials. All are in PDF format.
My editorials from World Economic Affairs:
Selected articles and columns from World Economic Affairs:
- Pierre Fortin,
- William Robson,
- Paul Volcker,
- Paul Kennedy,
- Jeffrey Sachs,
- Helmut Schmidt,
- Roger Bootle,
- John Crow,
- Paul Krugman (Interview),
- Jerry Hausman and Gregory Leonard,
- John Shingler,
- Seamus Hogan,
- Marc Van Audenrode,
- Myron Frankman,
- John Kenneth Galbraith (Interview),
- Manuel Agosin,
- Archibald Ritter,
- Paul Martin (Interview),
- Christopher Lingle,
- Oliver Landmann,
- Sylvia Ostry,
- Hugh Courtney,
- Sammy Linebaugh,
- Antal Deutsch,
- Jan-Peter Olters,
- John Richards,
- John Pugsley,
- Padraig Flynn,
- Stephen Poloz,
- Hugh Courtney,
- Georges Tanguay,
- Christopher Barrett,
- Jan-Peter Olters,
- Stephen Poloz,
- John Cleghorn (Interview),
- Archibald Ritter,
- Hugh Courtney,
- Jeffrey Sachs (Interview),
- Joseph Stiglitz,
- Milton Friedman (Interview),
- Jeremy Leonard,
- Stephen Poloz,
- Patrick Crowley,
- Phil Riebel,
- Brian Mulroney (Interview),
- Richard Lipsey,
- Stanley Hartt,
- James Baker (Interview),
- William Watson,
- Ernesto Hernandez-Cata,
- Gordon Thiessen,
- Michael Gavin,
- Pierre Fortin,
- John Murray,
- Robert Mundell (Interview),
Newspaper and Magazine Columns
The following editorial columns have appeared in various newspapers or magazines.
- , The Edmonton Journal, May 31, 2016 (with Bev Dahlby and Jim Dinning).
- , The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail (B.C. Edition), May 10, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, April 26, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, March 8, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, February 29, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, February 23, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, February 10, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, January 26, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, January 12, 2016.
- , The Globe and Mail, December 29, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, December 16, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, December 2, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, November 19, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, November 3, 2015.
- , The Vancouver Sun, November 2, 2015 (with Jock Finlayson).
- , The Toronto Star, November 2, 2015 (with Kevin Vuong).
- , The National Post, November 2, 2015 (with Peter McCaffrey).
- , The Globe and Mail, October 27, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, October 6, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, September 22, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, August 11, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, July 28, 2015.
- , The Toronto Star, July 16, 2015 (with Jessie Sitnick).
- , The Globe and Mail, July 14, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, June 30, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, June 16, 2015.
- , The Halifax Chronicle Herald, June 4, 2015 (with Elizabeth Beale).
- , The Globe and Mail, June 2, 2015.
- , The Calgary Herald, May 21, 2015 (with Steve Williams and Justin Smith).
- , The Globe and Mail, May 19, 2015.
- , Alberta Oil Magazine, May, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, May 5, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, April 21, 2015.
- , (with Paul Boothe), The Globe and Mail, April 16, 2015.
- , (with Jean Charest), The Globe and Mail, April 8, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, April 7, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, March 24, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, March 10, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, February 25, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, February 11, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, January 27, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, January 13, 2015.
- , The Globe and Mail, December 30, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, December 16, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, December 2, 2014.
- , Halifax Chronicle Herald, November 21, 2014 (with Annette Verschuren).
- , The Globe and Mail, November 18, 2014.
- , Le Devoir, November 8, 2014 (with Jean Charest).
- , Montreal Gazette, November 5, 2014 (with Jean Charest).
- , The Globe and Mail, November 5, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, October 21, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, October 7, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, September 23, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, September 10, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, August 26, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, August 12, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, July 29, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, July 15, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, July 1, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, June 17, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, June 4, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, May 20, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, May 6, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, April 22, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, April 8, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, March 25, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail, March 18, 2014. A version of the column in French is found here:
- The Globe and Mail, March 4, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail , February 18, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail , February 4, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail , January 21, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail , January 7, 2014.
- , The Globe and Mail , December 24, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , December 10, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , November 26, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , November 12, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , October 29, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , October 15, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , October 1, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , September 17, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , August 27, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , August 6, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , July 17, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , June 25, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , June 5, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail , May 28, 2013.
- , The Globe and Mail (on-line "Economy Lab"), May 14, 2013.
- , Financial Post, November 25, 2011.
- , Financial Post, November 9, 2011. (With Finn Poschmann.)
- , Canadian Business Magazine, November 1, 2011.
- , The National Post, February 18, 2011.
- , The National Post, February 17, 2011.
- , The Globe and Mail, Report on Business, January 31, 2011. (With Nancy Olewiler and Alex Wood.)
- , The Montreal Gazette, December 18, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, November 13, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, October 2, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, August 28, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, August 21, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, July 17, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, June 5, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, May 15, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette, April 10, 2008.
- , The National Post, March 11, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette , February 20, 2008.
- , The Montreal Gazette , January 10, 2008.
- , The National Post, November 22, 2007.
- , The Hill Times, October 29, 2007.
- , The National Post, October 24, 2007.
- , The Calgary Herald, July 6, 2007.
- , The National Post, December 13, 2006.
- , The National Post, January 21, 2004.
- , The National Post, January 20, 2004.
- , The Ottawa Citizen, January 30, 1997.
- , The Financial Post, May 22, 1991.
The following short columns appeared in the "Overview" column in the National Post Business magazine between October 1999 and August 2001.
- August 2001:
- May 2001:
- March 2001:
- January 2001:
- November 2000:
- September 2000:
- July 2000:
- May 2000:
- February 2000:
- January 2000:
- December 1999:
- October 1999:
Radio and TV Interviews
The following radio and television interviews are available for listening or downloads:
- Interview about the state of the Canadian economy, the need for further stimulus, and the need to place more emphasis on labour-market policies than traditional macro policies. CFMU (Hamilton), 93.3 FM, hosted by Geoff Langhorne.
- Interview about the downgrade of U.S. government debt, the subsequent crashes in the stock market, and what it all means for the Canadian economy. CBC Radio (Montreal), "Daybreak" (with Germain Belzil, hosted by Mike Finnerty).
- Interview about the debate over the raising of the U.S. debt ceiling, and what it means for the Canadian economy. CBC Radio (Montreal), "Daybreak" (hosted by Sabrina Marandola).
- December 14, 2008 Interview about the worsening economy, the recent large interest-rate cut by the Bank of Canada, and the need for fiscal stimulus. CBC Radio (Montreal), "All In A Weekend" (hosted by Dave Bronstetter).
- Interview about the Throne Speech and the stated economic priorities for the federal government. CBC Radio (Montreal), "Home Run" (hosted by Bernard St. Laurent).
- November 14, 2008. Interview about the connection between the stock market ands the real economy. CBC National Radio, "As It Happens" (interviewed by Carol Off). My part of the 30-minute story begins at minute 8 and lasts for 6 minutes.
- October 7, 2008. Interview about the desirability of the Canadian government committing itself to avoiding a budget deficit with the possible arrival of a recession. CBC National Radio, "As It Happens" (interviewed by Carol Off). My interview begins at 11:15 and lasts for roughly 7 minutes.
- October 7, 2008. Interview about the possibility of a Canadian recession and what government can do about it. CBC Radio (Montreal), "Daybreak" (hosted by Mike Finnerty).
- Interview about the implications of the passage of the $700 billion "bailout" of the financial system in the United States, and the fundamental causes of the problems. CBC Radio (Montreal), "All in a Weekend" (hosted by Dave Bronstetter).
- Interview about the events in the US financial markets -- Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, AIG, and more. CBC Radio (Montreal), "All in a Weekend" (hosted by Dave Bronstetter).
- Interview about the challenges to be faced by incoming Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, CBC National Radio, "The Current" (hosted by Maureen Taylor, debate with Jim Stanford).
- January 26, 2008 [.ram] Interview about the recent stock-market volatility, the Bank of Canada, and the coming economic slowdown, CBC Radio (Montreal), "All in a Weekend" (hosted by Dave Bronstetter).
