I don't know about Canada, but using a wildly unjustified extrapolation from my country - many a public sector wage, and worse - retirement plans, are following

I don't know about Canada, but using a wildly unjustified extrapolation from my country - many a public sector wage, and worse - retirement plans, are following an official cost of living index. Calculating a "realistic" index would have a devastating impact on the long-term fiscal balance of the state.