In The Know

Changes needed before a quality of life index will make a difference: C.D. Howe

Seeking to meaningfully enhance the lives of Canadians with more informed policymaking, the Department of Finance and Statistics Canada have embarked on a series of consultations and investigations with the intent of creating a Quality of Life index. This index would complement long-standard economic measures like gross domestic product (GDP) in the formulation of budgets and government policies.

The metrics are so far conceived to encompass five domains: prosperity, health, societal interactions, environment, and governance. All considered from the perspectives of inclusion, fairness, sustainability, and resilience.

This is a noble endeavour, writes Don Drummond in this intelligence memo for C.D. Howe, but one that must address some fundamental issues in order to be effective. There are four significant matters and obstacles to address first, however.

  1. A whole-of-government approach is needed, and yet, as of now, implementing the diverse domain metrics of the QoL index would be left to different, siloed departments and programs that are inimical to integration.
  1. The provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous policymakers would need to be centrally involved and cooperating in a joint endeavour.
  1. A fundamental culture change on life’s perspectives would be essential; the current obsession with only considering costs and inputs would need to be replaced with holistic outcomes and a focus on inclusion of how and to whom characteristics of life are distributed. 
  1. Serious non-partisan commitment and support from all parties would be needed.

These prior considerations, some of which require root-level changes of current government practices, cultures, and protocols, are necessary, if these measures are to have an actual impact, says Drummond. Otherwise they will just wither away, ignored and eventually forgotten. 

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