Best of

I hope you realize that Sunday is Father’s Day, formerly the year when the most collect (i.e. reversed charges) phone calls happened (I bet some folks will have to Google what that means). As I have said, Dad wants to know you are OK. As long as your Mother knows everything, Dad wants to know you are OK.

Stats Canada published a neat survey about the Diversity of young adults living with their parents (speaking of Father’s Day), highlighting the number of young folks still living with their parents. The telling statistic that I read in the report was:

Of the 4.3 million young adults aged 20 to 29 in 2011, 42% (or 1.8 million) lived with their parents. This compared with 27% in 1981.

That is a lot of folks still living at home. Some financial folks say it is a symptom of the housing bubbles in major cities. I don’t think I agree. I have stated before that young folk should not aspire to live their parents’ lifestyle when they first move away from home, but that seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Given the current political climate in the United States and the possibility of a Trump presidency, it is imperative to remember that Canada is a welcoming nation. However, it is crucial to note that firearms are strictly prohibited in Canada. This scenario could result in a large influx of American citizens migrating to Canada, similar to the Draft Dodgers who arrived in Toronto during the mid-1960s, providing a significant boost to the Canadian economy. However, a pressing question to consider is whether the sudden influx of “Yankee Dollars” would result in even more inflation in the already overpriced housing market, particularly in Toronto and Vancouver, the most likely destinations for our American cousins. Although a condo in Toronto may seem exorbitant, it could appear reasonable if one were to receive a 25% discount due to a low Canadian Dollar.

My Writings for Week Ending June 17th

Not much writing this week, busy time of the year, and after watching the Last Week Tonight Video, I am starting to wonder why I write.

Stealing an idea from Mr. Oliver, I wrote No Good News Has Been Delivered Using Excel now. Please don’t take this as me dumping on Excel. It is an exceptional tool, which anybody doing anything financial should be proficient in using the device. My commentary is based on the fact that if someone sends you an Excel spreadsheet, its news cannot be made to look good.

Video of the Week

I usually include a video at the end of this article, but John Oliver has (in 20 minutes) summed up pretty much everything I have ranted about for the past 11 years, so have a watch of this, but keep reading my stuff too.

Read More »Fathers Day, Trump Housing Bubble, and #MoneyTalk

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