3. Policy Solutions, 2002

The following Table shows the percentage of managers and labour leaders in the private and public sectors who felt that a specified “solution” needed more emphasis. The Table also shows how each solution ranked out of the 29 listed.

For example, 53% of private sector labour leaders felt that improving federal-provincial relations needed more emphasis. This issue ranked 14th among these labour leaders.

What emphasis should be given to the following potential solutions? Private Sector Public Sector
Managers Labour Leaders Managers Labour Leaders
% saying serious problem Rank issues among 39 % saying serious problem Rank issues among 39 % saying serious problem Rank issues among 39 % saying serious problem Rank issues among 39
Improve federal-provincial relations 59% 6 53% 14 46% 14 51% 13
Address health care funding issues 72% 2 93% 1 80% 1 90% 1
Improve social security provisions 23% 25 70% 5 34% 17 74% 3
Improve access to capital for small business 52% 11 49% 17 43% 15 35% 19
Increase private sector R&D 56% 8 42% 18 50% 12 32% 21
Increase government support for R&D 45% 15 52% 15 51% 11 52% 11
Lower personal taxes 78% 1 56% 12 55% 5 43% 16
Lower corporate taxes 66% 3 18% 27 30% 20 9% 28
Reduce government spending 64% 4 29% 23 34% 18 20% 24
Reduce government regulation 60% 5 28% 24 32% 19 23% 22
Slow down/stop government deregulation 21% 26 64% 8 22% 24 59% 8
Lower interest rates 21% 27 30% 22 21% 25 18% 26
Increase private sector 54% 10 56% 13 54% 6 38% 18