Best of

This week in Ottawa, a massive sinkhole opened on Rideau Street. There are conflicting stories about whether it was a new Gateway to Hell, or whether the exposure of an existing personal gateway to hell. Either way, it shows that when we make a hole in the Nation’s Capital, we make a hole.

I was downtown on Thursday for meetings, and while the downtown is a bit of a mess, all I could think was that I wished I was either in the Concrete or Concrete Delivery business, as the entire downtown seems to be littered with Cement Delivery trucks (to fill the hole). Ottawa seems prone to sinkholes, as we have had more than our share over the past while.

The Bank of Canada thinks the economy is unchanged, as it announced the Financial System Review this week. However, three risks were noted:

The Bank continues to highlight two vulnerabilities related to Canadian households: the elevated level of household indebtedness and imbalances in some regional housing markets. A third vulnerability identified is the fragility of fixed-income market liquidity.

This translates to continued big debt and ludicrous house prices in Vancouver and Toronto (and a few other places) are worrying the Bank. A major financial event (say like a recession) might cause some big issues in the current economy.

My Writings for the Week Ending June 10th

I have written about how I am an attractive bag of medical conditions, but after my latest yearly check-up I came up with the question What Would You Pay $213.52 For? For me it was simple, I really, really don’t want to get shingles, so I would pay for the vaccine myself if I had to.

I must write a thank you note to TD for continuing to motivate me to write about my issues with them, and so another fine rant was written, Automatic Withdrawal Audits. I still await the results of the problem ticket I opened with TD Mutual Funds.

A Money Thought

Never buy anything from someone who is out of breath.”

–BURTON G. MALKIEL

Surprisingly, that makes good sense!

More Disturbing Financial Images

Read More »Portal to Hell Opens in Ottawa, BoC FSR and #MoneyTalk

The Bank of Canada’s key overnight rate stayed at 0.50% this week, so nothing much will be changing in terms of interest rates for a while longer (it seems). The statements made are:

In Canada, the economy’s structural adjustment to the oil price shock continues, but is proving to be uneven. Growth in the first quarter of 2016 appears to be in line with the Bank’s April projection, although business investment and intentions remain disappointing. The second quarter will be much weaker than predicted because of the devastating Alberta wildfires. … The economy is expected to rebound in the third quarter, as oil production resumes and reconstruction begins. … Inflation is roughly in line with the Bank’s expectations… Canada’s housing market continues to display strong regional divergences, reinforced by the complex adjustment underway in the economy. In this context, household vulnerabilities have moved higher. Meanwhile, the risks to the Bank’s inflation projection remain roughly balanced. Therefore, the Bank’s Governing Council judges that the current stance of monetary policy is still appropriate, and the target for the overnight rate remains at 1/2 per cent.

Things seem to be OK for now, and maybe the economy will pick up in the 3rd quarter, although I am intrigued about the statement of a “… complex adjustment underway in the economy…”. Is that a lowering of house prices? Wildly vacillating gas prices? Ludicrously expensive broccoli ? I doubt it, but it is a thought provoking statement.

My Writings for Week Ending May 27th

I did have a Happy Victoria Day, as I usually do. Did you realize that nothing is closed in Quebec on Victoria Day? We in Ottawa know this as we usually speed across the river to get beer on Victoria Day.

Our friends at Stats Canada pointed out we have Expensive Food and Shelter in April in Canada. Nothing really that new and exciting here, except that fresh food is getting darn expensive.

On the technology front I picked up a new computer (desktop) for my son and I learned about Bloatware and Cheap PCs. Assuming this is just harmless stuff can get you in trouble, make sure you clean your computers out and run anti-virus software.

A Money Thought

I always like useful financial sayings from movie characters.

The most valuable commodity I know of is information.

Gordon Gekko (Wallstreet)

Read More »Loose Money and #MoneyTalk

It’s the Victoria Day weekend, except for those in Quebec who celebrate La Fete Des Patriotes. If you’re in Ottawa, this is the first weekend you should be planting things. If you planted anything earlier, you’re most likely unhappy due to the frosts we had over the past two weeks.

I have decided I want to be Floyd Mayweather’s new barber as he has haircuts 3 times a week, and he pays $1000 each time (oh and he is bald, it seems too). This sounds like my kind of career, whether Mr. Mayweather pays this or not, I suppose he is helping the economy by spreading his wealth around? Luckily football players like Cam Newton don’t waste their money on 24-Karat GoldClassic Oldsmobile 442 Cutlass, it’s an investment (?!?!?).

I think Terry Mosher’s (Aislin) comic sums it up nicely, at least the house of commons isn’t dull and boring any more. I have heard that a red card should have been given for flopping though, but that is for others to discuss, I simply enjoyed the Media’s painful overstatement when things started,”… there seems to have been a brawl in the house of commons…”.

If you use Linked-in (as I do), hopefully you have changed your password since 2013 (or so)? If not, think about it, because that old password is out there and available to some nasty folks (and don’t choose any of these). Unfortunately if you were a Mobilicity subscriber, you are now a Chatr customer (whether you wanted to be or not).

My Writings for Week Ending May 20th

Do you like using new technologies and wonder why you can’t use Interac with your Apple Pay on your iPhone 6.0, well good news for you in Apple Pay and Interac Together (but is this a good thing)? Is NFC really secure?

Went back into my large archive of semi-complete articles with Hippocratic Finances, can you argue you are doing no harm with your finances?Vic

A Retirement Thought

“If I’d known I was gonna live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself”
— Eubie Blake

Here is another thought:

Debts and weights are easy to gain, hard to lose.

Read More »Victoria Day, The People’s Elbow, Haircuts and #MoneyTalk