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A SN

Tom Thorne's ejournal: Economic stagnation in US means whoever wins the US Presidential... - 1 views

tomthorneejournal.blogspot.ca/...ation-in-us-means-whoever.html

Stagnate Economic Growth

shared by A SN on 28 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • The real threat to Canada is not who is in the White House but what they do about the mounting US Government debt now at $16 Trillion plus. To this point there is no will apparent to cooperate for a solution.
  • The real threat to Canada is not who is in the White House but what they do about the mounting US Government debt now at $16 Trillion plus. To this point there is no will apparent to cooperate for a solution.
  • The real threat to Canada is not who is in the White House but what they do about the mounting US Government debt now at $16 Trillion plus. To this point there is no will apparent to cooperate for a solution.
    • A SN
      A SN on 28 Nov 12
       
      Represents the real threat to Canada; USA's economic stagnation
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • The real threat to Canada is not who is in the White House but what they do about the mounting US Government debt now at $16 Trillion plus. To this point there is no will apparent to cooperate for a solution.
  • If the US literally prints its way out of its economic mess, the mess will be compounded. 
    • A SN
      A SN on 28 Nov 12
       
      Problems caused by overprinting money
  • Such an action is guaranteed to create inflation and a rise in interest rates charged to service the debt and also generally for business and lenders of all kinds.
  • Lenders will want more interest to cover the risk of carrying US Government debt loads expressed in diluted valued bonds and currency.
    • A SN
      A SN on 28 Nov 12
       
      The proves that the USA is in really bad debt.
  • Serious debt reduction is needed in the US Congress and Administration.  And there is very little wiggle room to cut US government expenditures. However failure to do so will mean in the middle range of time that the US will become more and more an economic lightweight and hence its world presence will be diminished. That is bad for Canada.
    • A SN
      A SN on 28 Nov 12
       
      If USA falls into a deeper economic stagnation Canada will be widely affected.
  • The US is making itself militarily and financially vulnerable. Canada, no matter how well we manage our financial affairs, will be forced into the same situation as our major trading partner.
    • A SN
      A SN on 28 Nov 12
       
      The US is losing it influence throughout the world. This is a problem.
  • It will be tougher for Canada to retain our natural resources.  Potential deals like the Chinese State taking over Nexen in our oil sands, will become more likely if we want to maintain our own economic performance independent of a financially errant US.
    • A SN
      A SN on 28 Nov 12
       
      problems caused by USA economic stagnation.
  • It really is time for the United States Government and its politicians to bite the economic bullet. Failure to do so means a downsizing of the United State’s influence on the world stage and that can only mean that Canada will need a more independent economic policy as China grows in influence. In short the lack of action on the economic front by our major trading partner is taking us more to Europe and into the arms of the Chinese Government’s hegemony.
    • A SN
      A SN on 28 Nov 12
       
      The consequences if the USA does not change.
  • A SN on 28 Nov 12
     
    Questions: 1. Do you think that eventually Canada will have no choice but to sell its natural resources to the other world powers? Can this be a good change? 2. Canada and the USA share a lot of history and do a lot of activities together, do you think that being financially independent will make us rely less on the US ?
S C

5 Things to do when you're unemployed. Hint: It's not job hunting. | Penelope Trunk Blog - 0 views

blog.penelopetrunk.com/...loyed-hint-its-not-job-hunting

things to do unemployed job hunting

shared by S C on 16 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • the interview question: What happened at your last job?Here's the answer you should always give: “I left to do x.” And you fill in for x
  • what you should be really focusing on when you are unemployed: Learning and growing
  • Because this is what you are going to talk about in job interviews
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • when you talk about why you left the last company, you spin it in a positive light by talking about how you are excited about doing what you are doing. Your interview should include you telling a good story about focused personal growth, and no one will get stuck on why you left your last job
  • During one stint of unemployment, I worked for free for my boyfriend's company for a couple of hours a day. That way I didn't actually have a gap in my resume; a resume doesn't show part-time or full-time and it doesn't show pay or no pay
  • ocus on ambition and execution and not so much on work per se
  • The company that never got out of your parent's basement can sit on your resume as professionally as a stint in the Fortune 500. It's all about how you write the bullet points: talk about accomplishments and learning
  • Put your ideas out into the world and connect with people that way. This is why you want to be hired, right? For your ideas. So show them.
  • The reason that people who blog have great careers is that bloggers are always thinking about issues in their industry. Show that side of yourself to people. Blogging takes a lot of time, sure. Bu you have a lot of time. So use it.
  • Do you have a company idea? Try it now. During unemployment. There's nothing stopping you.
  • whether or not your company does well, you'll be able to talk about it in an interview as a huge learning moment
  • Blogging is a great way to keep up in your industry, network without looking desperate
  • High performers practice for interviews
  • Practice talking about yourself with everyone
  • So now you know what you're aiming for, but you need to talk about it with everyone — parties, at the gym, on the phone with friends. When they ask how you're doing, talk about what you're doing like you are in the job interview.
  • What's important to remember here is that no one can tell you what experience you can gain and what you can't. You don't need a job in order to learn cool stuff and be on cool projects. You control what you do with your time and you can make it useful. Talk about that. There is no reason to talk about why the last job didn't work when you can talk about the great things that leaving opened up to you
  • S C on 16 Jan 13
     
    Job hunting for 8 hours a day isn't the ideal way to get rehired. Instead, focus on spinning a positive light on negative questions your next interviewer might ask. For example, when asked why you left your last job, quickly get to why you're interested the one you'er applying for.
S C

Youth unemployment: a serious problem in Canada - Yahoo! Finance Canada - 1 views

ca.finance.yahoo.com/...-problem-canada-182837006.html

youth unemployment canada yahoofinance

shared by S C on 16 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Canadian job market is faring well unless you're a student seeking well-paying summer work or a graduate
  • Canada's total jobless rate currently sits at an acceptable 7.4 per cent. But for those in the 15- to 24-age bracket, the unemployment figure is much higher: 14.7 per cent.
  • Typically, youth unemployment is double that of the national average
  • ...24 more annotations...
  • the obstacles youth must overcome to finding gainful employment — be it temporary summer work or a permanent position — has never been more daunting.
  • the youth are always the hardest hit and they take the longest time to get out from under the recession impact on employment.
  • There's just not enough (jobs) to go around. So if students aren't out there early and aggressively they won't get one
  • f you've graduated (from college or university) and you want to start paying off your (student loan) debt and get on with your life, it's very difficult to do that on a part-time job."
  • "There's a lot of part-time activity happening but i
  • Parents would've expected their 20-something children to be independent but they're just not able to do that
  • "Hopefully, both parents are working and they're able to stay at home but for a lot of young people that's just not possible."
  • in big cities like Toronto, there are more youth seeking out homeless shelters
  • Job experience tends to be the biggest hurdle for the 15- to 24-year-old age group when it comes to impressing an employer.
  • "There are a lot of youth that are still demanding that they get paid for entry-level work assignments. I think that that is a bad choice for youth.
  • The first couple of jobs they do by way of an unpaid intern gives them a leg up," Parker says.
  • Many of those unpaid intern programs end up as full-time, paying careers for them and every major employer across the country has dedicated unpaid intern programs.
  • Work experience is absolutely critical. No matter what you graduated with, if you don't have real work experience you're going to have a challenge."
  • Meanwhile, there's little help coming from provincial and the federal government these days it seems. Austerity budgets at the both government levels are seeing civil servants laid off.
  • there's no encouragement at this point by the federal government for the private sector to do job creation (for youth).
  • What you study can be the difference
  • If young people choose to go the route of college, they can get excellent job skills and they have a higher placement rate directly from college into work.
  • current and future post-secondary students need to take a hard look at what their course of study is and whether or not it'll lead to employment upon graduation.
  • "When I talk to high school teachers and guidance councillors about the kind of programs being offered to youth talk about 'what's your dream job?' versus educating kids on what jobs will be available to them," she says.
  • Know how to sell yourself
  • the secret to landing a job is in knowing how to sell oneself.
  • "You have to be as competitive as someone who's been in the job market for 10 years," she says. "You've got to know how to do a job search, how to write a résumé, and you need to convince the employer that even though you haven't done a job before that you're a quick-learner and you're creative."
  • *Target respected employers that best matches your skill set
  • *Offer to do free summer work for the sake of gaining experience and don't be picky about what's offered *When applying to post-secondary institutions, choose schools that provide intern programs *Be knowledgeable about where employment demand will be in the future and ensure your skills are also in demand
  • S C on 16 Jan 13
     
    Youth unemployment is high because of little or no job experience, type of major isn't in demand, and not knowing how to sell oneself, which causes problems like 20 year old people living with their parents
ShiyuandCristina SC

Canada's organic food certification system like 'an extortion racket,' report says | Ca... - 2 views

news.nationalpost.com/...n-extortion-racket-report-says

Commodities and Resources organic food

shared by ShiyuandCristina SC on 27 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • Annual organic agricultural sales in Canada exceed $2.6-billion, by recent estimates, with supermarket chains joining alternative stores in stocking an ever-widening array of organic-labelled products.
  • Canada’s legislated organic certification process is an invitation for fraud and abuse, the report argues, with consumers paying an often hefty premium for a designation that requires no proof.
  • In response to the organic industry’s growth, Canada enacted a labelling requirement: Since 2009, products making an organic claim must be certified by an agency accredited by the Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • The organic certification industry’s “dirty little secret,” they write, is that “organic crops and livestock are not tested in Canada before they are certified, thus making organic certification essentially meaningless.”
  • The CFIA said organic products are subject to its regular chemical residue monitoring program, along with all other food products. The federal agency, itself, does not provide certification, but rather accredits private businesses to do it. Most are for-profit businesses.
  • “There are a large number of consumers who have misperceptions of what organic means, attaching to it things that generally aren’t true,” Mr. Campbell said in an interview.
  • The analysis did find organic food was 30% less likely to contain trace levels of pesticides, with the researchers saying it was uncommon for any food in the U.S., organic or conventional, to have unsafe levels.
  • But the Frontier Centre authors say that without proof, organic authenticity should be questioned. When large amounts of money are involved, they say, such things as honour systems and the like cannot be relied upon.
  • “The certification bodies are responsible for verifying that organic operators are producing organic products in accordance with Canada’s organic standard,” the CFIA said in a written response.
  • ShiyuandCristina SC on 28 Nov 12
     
    1. Is it fair and better for organic food "businesses" to undergo their own inspections or should the government be responsible for our food safety? 2.The market failure mentioned in this article is an informature market failure. The definition of an informature market failure is when one side of the market has more information than the other. What are some visible solutions to this market failure?
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Aron Joshua Tolentino on 29 Nov 12
     
    1.) It is not fair for organic food businesses to inspect their own goods. By doing that, it will create bias in the inspection results. The government specifically the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) should be regulating the quality of every type of food that can be consumed by human beings. This minimizes bias in the results. 2.) There should be an open relationship within the market the sets the equality information in the market. Technically, trade should be fair, no secrets are valid. If they do not comply with this, law suits can be filed. E.g. fraud, copy right, etc.
  • Dyena Huynh on 30 Nov 12
     
    1. No i don't think it's fair that only the businesses themselves inspect themselves because in doing so, you'd assume that your products are good and therefore put less effort in inspecting them. The government should has some responsibility in inspecting the food because they need to make sure it's safe for people to eat, if they aren't careful with the things they're letting people consume they will run into a lot of health problems. More health problems mean more money to be used. 2. A visible solution to this market failure is to share information so this way it's fair for everyone.
  • Valentina Padure on 14 Dec 12
     
    * It is not fair for organic food companies to inspect their own products since they will obviously never reveal anything bad that could potentially damage the company. It would be like a student marking his own quiz or test, they would do anything they could to benefit their mark. This is why governments should be responsible for our food safety. * A visible solution would be that companies must to share all the information they are aware of with the consumers.
  • Samson Luong on 17 Dec 12
     
    1. It would not be the best idea for businesses to inspect their own food because there is a high possible margin of bias and committing unethical acts such as labeling their foods safe when they aren't are likely to occur. The government should be responsible because they would inspect each business in the same manner without bias and utilize the same procedures, ensuring fair inspections. 2. Visible solutions to this market failure would include sharing product information and inspection information to all producers and consumers.
Brijesh Patel

Well Educated canadians have no future - 0 views

oncampus.macleans.ca/...the-new-underclass

no future for the upcoming generation

shared by Brijesh Patel on 18 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Brijesh Patel on 18 Jan 13
     
    Some 6.4 per cent of Canada's total workforce-1.2 million people-now consists of part-time workers under 30 who wish they could work full time. university-educated Canadians experienced a relative increase in unemployment between 1997 and 2005 and a corresponding dip in relative wages, according to a federal government study. By contrast, those with a college, or even a high school education, managed to improve (or at least maintain) their outlook, relative to other workers. In fact, the only group that experienced a similar relative increase in unemployment during the period were those Canadians without even a high school diploma. Employers increasingly expect workers to pay for their own retirements. That's not easy when you don't have money. A survey by the Bank of Montreal found that only about 10 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 34 had given any thought to retirement planning. Job security is also increasingly scarce. Stung by the 2009 recession, employers in industries ranging from retail sales to information technology are preoccupied with building a flexible workforce In an effort to close the gap, the federal government is planning to bring in as many as 3,000 foreign skilled workers this year by De-emphasizing the university-educated and focusing instead on welders and electricians. Economists say the market will eventually sort itself out. Wages and benefits in the trades should become more attractive as desperate employers try to woo new workers.
Brijesh Patel

Bank of Canada flags lenders' role in consumer debt - 1 views

www.theglobeandmail.com/...article6930721

debt

shared by Brijesh Patel on 16 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Canadian families owe nearly $1.65 on average for every dollar of after-tax income, the highest level in 22 years of tracking those figures.
  • the government would no longer insure mortgages that are amortized over a period longer than 25 years.
  • fierce competition for customers caused some major banks to begin offering five-year mortgages at 2.99 per cent, triggering a price war in the sector.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • You should be cautious about your lending practices, because this is the type of practice that led to a mortgage crisis in the United States several years ago,
  • Statistics Canada saying in December that the most recent data suggest Canadian families owe nearly $1.65 on average for every dollar of after-tax income.
  • physically present also have a greater proportion of consumers with too much de
  • The Bank of Canada has been scrutinizing whether competition among
  • The governing council was told about the role that discounting plays in how much individuals pay for their mortgage and notes that there is “substantial dispersion in rates across people, institutions, and markets.”
  • Brijesh Patel on 18 Jan 13
     
    Funding costs rose dramatically during the financial crisis when liquidity dried up, pushing up the costs of consumer and business loans Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tightened the rules on mortgages for a fourth time in four years, saying the government would no longer insure mortgages that are amortized over a period longer than 25 years "Neighbourhoods with more bank branches and payday lenders per capita (i.e. more competition) have looser lending standards (higher leveraged households) and experience greater bankruptcies"
S C

10 Things You Need To Do While You're Unemployed - Forbes - 1 views

www.forbes.com/...d-to-do-while-youre-unemployed

unemployed forbes what to do

shared by S C on 16 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • zimbello If you can accomplish the writers list you don’t need corporate. Corporate needs you. Put your skills to work for yourself…far more rewarding. Glen Loock Read the article and loved what it says, “Rely on yourself”. This is a new time and it requires a change in our thought pattern. All ten are great ways gai [...] Philippe Scheimann These are indeed 10 excellent points. I would actually expand in the point of ‘start a professional blog’ by actually ‘establish your presence on the Inter [...] Henry Cameron Chang Great article with a great message. This has been something I’ve been telling people for a long time. Fredick Anquandah Interesting piece of advice there…Thanks for that on ma way to the first step and hope it gets me there… Laura Ede I agree – taking a temporary/contract role is an option that job hunters should consider. After spending 10 years in the Public Sector I was made redundant [...] Susan Keefe Unfortunately, I find myself among the unemployed so articles such as this have consumed a good deal of my time lately. These are great tips, especially fo [...] 20 comments, 12 called-out Comment Now Follow Comments Following Comments Unfollow Comments Comment Now Follow Comments Following Comments Unfollow Comments 2.9k 1.2k 888 gigya_share_button_li
  • vast majority of employers are sympathetic to such circumstances.
  • More than 40% of unemployed job seekers have been out of work for six months or longer
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • But this doesn’t mean you can sit around and wait for a sympathetic employer to offer you work.
  • The key is to get people to see your work and to see what you’re capable of doing
  • “The worry is that employers may think job seekers are losing some of their skills because they haven’t been utilizing them. By volunteering, taking temporary work, or signing up for a class that develops your professional tool kit, you show employers that you’ve made the most of your time and will be ready on day one
  • If you fill the gaps with activities and experience that illustrate how you are still developing your skill sets, the overwhelming majority of employers will look past your unemployment and focus on what you can bring to their team
  • Take a temporary or contract assignment
  • If you do a great job, even if it’s for a temporary job, whoever hired you is more likely to recommend you for a permanent position
  • You never stop learning in your career, so the more technical competence you have, the better
  • showing that you are serious about your work and that you take initiative.” Another advantage to taking a class: It’s a great networking opportunity.
  • When you volunteer for something, you are telling potential employers something about you as a person
  • When companies are hiring, they are looking not only for people who can get the job done but also for people with character and integrity
  • S C on 16 Jan 13
     
    Many employers understand that the recession may worsen some parts of the resume, but they are sympathetic and some ways to better your chances are to take temporary assignments, take a class and volunteer when unemployed
burmangabriel

Fiscal cliff: Obama, Boehner trade proposals - 1 views

www.abc15.com/...-obama-boehner-trade-proposals

Gabriel Ami trade proposals obama cliff

shared by burmangabriel on 12 Dec 12 - No Cached
  • prevent economy-damaging tax increases on the middle class at year's end, conferring by phone after a secretive exchange of proposals.
  • to reduce his initial demand for $1.6 trillion in higher tax revenue over a decade to $1.4 trillion
  • The longer the White House slow-walks this process, the closer our economy gets to the fiscal cliff," he said, declaring that Obama had yet to identify specific cuts to government benefit programs that as part of an agreement that also would raise federal tax revenue
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • attempts to avert a "fiscal cliff," across-the-board tax increases and cuts in defense and domestic programs that economists say could send the economy into recession
  • numerous proposals Obama has made to cut spending, including recommendations to cull $340 billion from Medicare over a decade and an additional $250 billion from other government benefit programs
  • Republicans "sent the White House a counteroffer that would achieve tax and entitlement reform to solve our looming debt crisis and create more American jobs
  • a deal to prevent damage to the economy,
  • Republicans struggle with Obama's demands to raise taxes, but Reid has privately told his rank and file they could soon be feeling the same distress if discussions grow serious on cuts to benefit programs
  • we need to strengthen Social Security, we need to strengthen Medicare for future generations, the current path is not sustainable because we've got an aging population and health care costs are shooting up so quickly
  • Republicans want to curtail annual cost-of-living benefits for Social Security and other government benefits, as well as raise the age of eligibility for Medicare from 65 to 67 beginning at some point in the future
  • president seems to think that if all he talks about are taxes, and that's all reporters write about, somehow the rest of us will magically forget that government spending is completely out of control and that he himself has been insisting on balance,
  • Obama's plan would raise $1.6 trillion in revenue over 10 years, in part by raising tax rates on incomes over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. He has recommended $400 billion in spending cuts over a decade.
  • seeking extension of the Social Security payroll tax cut due to expire on Jan. 1, a continuation in long-term unemployment benefits and steps to help hard-pressed homeowners and doctors who treat Medicare patients
  • Obama last year signed legislation to cut more than $1 trillion from government programs over a decade, and was proposing $600 billion in additional savings from benefit programs.
  • health care law that Obama signed into law showed savings of $100 billion. Much or all of that funding came from Medicare, even though Obama's aides insisted during his successful campaign for re-election that he had not made any cuts in that program
  • Boehner's plan, in addition to calling for $800 billion in new revenue, envisions $600 billion in savings over a decade from Medicare, Medicaid and other government health programs as well as $300 billion from other benefit programs and another $300 billion from other domestic programs.
  • It would trim annual increases in Social Security payments to beneficiaries, and it calls for gradually raising the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 67, beginning in a decade
  • burmangabriel on 12 Dec 12
     
    1) Which proposal do you think is better? More cuts or more taxes 2) Do you think that going off the "cliff" is less detrimental than picking the other parties proposal?
  • Aron Joshua Tolentino on 14 Dec 12
     
    1.) More taxes because people in the lower bracket income won't get affected as much. Thus, not further hardening their way of life. 2.) No. they believe the measures negatively affect them. It would affect defense spending, domestic spending and taxes negatively. All the citizens of america will get affected. No exceptions.
  • Samson Luong on 17 Dec 12
     
    1. I believe more taxes would benefit the economy more because it would be geared more towards the higher income earners that have the foundation to deal with the taxes opposed to the lower incomes earners that already struggle. 2. Not exactly because going off the "cliff" affects several important factors such as federal tax, boarder tax, domestic spending, etc. Thus, it would seem that going off the "cliff" serves the economy and citizens more negatively than siding with the other parties' proposal.
Cristina Raileanu

Consumer Debt - 6 views

1) again this question is an individual decision, I personally would cut back on my weekly spendings on luxuries, and be happy with, especially if I have something particular I am saving for. Also,...

started by Artur Dyachenko on 27 Nov 12 2 follow-ups, last by Cristina Raileanu on 07 Dec 12
JJ Igra

'Dead' cash to blame for Ontario's stagnant growth, task force warns - 2 views

www.theglobeandmail.com/...article5779990

JJ King Stagnate Growth

shared by JJ Igra on 03 Dec 12 - No Cached
  • JJ Igra on 03 Dec 12
     
    "A new status quo of slow or stagnant economic growth for Ontario's economy is developing," warns the Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress. "If economic growth languishes at less than 2 per cent annually, everything from government funding and programs to private sector competitiveness and employment will be impacted." The issue of dead money surfaced this summer when Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said Canadian companies are sitting on cash when they should be investing or returning it to shareholders - comments that sparked an avalanche of criticism from economists and executives. Canada's relative stability should make businesses more willing to invest. Instead, they are sitting on large cash reserves. Ontario's GDP per capita ranks 14th among 16 North American peer jurisdictions and lags the median of the peers by $7,500 Roger Martin, chairman of the task force and Rotman School of Management dean, in a release. "But the gap in GDP per capita with North American peers shows that Ontario needs to move now to push for more growth." Dead money could be used "to invest in the physical and human capital we need to increase our productivity and close the prosperity gap," he added. Key Concepts: GDP- gross domestic product Stagnate- Showing no activity; dull and sluggish: "a stagnant economy".
  • ...2 more comments...
  • JJ Igra on 03 Dec 12
     
    Questions: 1) What incentives can the government provide for businesses to invest in other company's? 2) Do you think the government should intervene more or should they let those company's do their own decision making?
  • anonymous on 06 Dec 12
     
    1) Subsidies so that businesses will be willing to take a risk and invest in other companies. 2) Canada is a mixed economy. Government should intervene if the situation is critical but it should also be up to companies to make the rational decision for their company. Netan
  • Cristina Raileanu on 07 Dec 12
     
    1) A crazy one would be to not corporate tax, them, if only for the beginning. Maybe subsidies the companies the government wants businesses to be involved in, and to be willing to invest into.
  • Valentina Padure on 14 Dec 12
     
    2.I think the government should not intervene in the decisions different companies make unless it greatly affects the country's economy.
Brijesh Patel

Drowning In Debt? - 2 views

www.theglobeandmail.com/...article7354916

shared by Brijesh Patel on 17 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Some basic tips: “Don’t add any more to your debt,” Mr. Schwartz said, “Put your credit cards away. Stop using your line of credit. Live on cash or debit.”
  • Canadian borrowing levels have hit record levels, with household debt-to-income ratio recently reaching a high of 164.6 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
  • But consulting a trustee, which comes with no charge, doesn’t always mean filing for bankruptcy, he explained. Trustees can help set budgets, steer consumers toward consolidation loans, mortgage refinancing or consumer proposals as a way to climb out of debt, he said.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Pay down the debt with the biggest interest rate first, or select a small debt, and pay it off.
  • Brijesh Patel on 18 Jan 13
     
    Pay down the debt with the biggest interest rate first
  • Brijesh Patel on 18 Jan 13
     
    In 2011, 77,993 consumers filed for bankruptcy
lebiez piranaj

Canada must address growing income inequality: Broadbent Institute - 1 views

www.vancouversun.com/...story.html

inequality canada income growing poverty address

shared by lebiez piranaj on 17 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Canada is moving in the wrong direction and must address its extreme and growing income inequality, according to a new discussion paper from the Broadbent Institute
  • affordable housing, improvements to Employment Insurance, “fair” taxes and a national prescription drug program — is needed to address the problem.
  • “It’s not as if we don’t have the wealth, but it’s the distribution of the wealth that really matters.”
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • between the mid-1990s and the late 2000s, Canada had the fourth-largest increase in income inequality out of 17 peer countries. Canada was ranked 12th out of those countries, a slip to “below the average.”
  • a commitment to equality must come from all levels of government, leadership must come from the feds,
  • There is no “single magic bullet,” to achieve greater equality
  • Most Canadians grew up with the expectations that their son or daughter could be whatever they want to be, whether it’s a hockey player or a brain surgeon … now the reality is, if you want to live the ‘American dream’, you should move to Sweden
  • The federal government has many of the key levers — especially income security programs, a progressive tax system, and transfers to the province — needed to combat inequality,
Erica Yeo

The Second Great Contraction by Kenneth Rogoff - Project Syndicate - 3 views

www.project-syndicate.org/...the-second-great-contraction

shared by Erica Yeo on 17 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • But the real problem is that the global economy is badly overleveraged, and there is no quick escape without a scheme to transfer wealth from creditors to debtors, either through defaults, financial repression, or inflation.
  • but to debt and credit, and the deleveraging that typically takes many years to complete.
  • Many commentators have argued that fiscal stimulus has largely failed not because it was misguided, but because it was not large enough
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • I argued that the only practical way to shorten the coming period of painful deleveraging and slow growth would be a sustained burst of moderate inflation, say, 4-6% for several years.
    • Erica Yeo
      Erica Yeo on 17 Jan 13
       
      Inflation = Higher wages and hopefully fixed debt. People and businesses will be able to pay off debt more quickly.
lebiez piranaj

Canada Household Debt Much Higher Than Previously Thought; Housing Bubble Bust-Out Now ... - 2 views

www.huffingtonpost.ca/...-housing-bubble_n_1967269.html

Canadian debt finds higher housing bubble thought money household

shared by lebiez piranaj on 18 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Canadians, you’re more indebted than you think.
  • StatsCan now says household debt amounted to 163.4 per cent of household income in the second quarter, up from 161.8 per cent in the first
  • Canadians are now carrying more debt than Americans and Brits were at the peak of their housing bubble half a decade ago
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • A recent Capital Economics report estimated a construction slowdown would cost 115,000 jobs across Canada
  • lebiez piranaj on 18 Jan 13
     
    Canadians are more than ever drown in debt. When it comes to comparing with the neighbor (US) we are carrying more debt than them. Market observers argued that Canadian consumers will no longer be able to hold up rising household debt.
Cristina Raileanu

Ontario close to eliminating coal as electric-power source, a first in North America | ... - 0 views

ca.news.yahoo.com/...er-source-first-231241695.html

canada commodities resources

shared by Cristina Raileanu on 17 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Word that Ontario is nearing its long-promised goal of eliminating coal-fired power plants has gotten a lot of play outside the province in scientific, environmental and power industry publications.
  • by the end of this year the last two large-scale coal-fired generating plants will close, leaving only a small backup facility in Thunder Bay operating until the end of 2014.
  • "Shutting down the last coal plants in Southern Ontario will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save the province $95 million,"
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  • last year that coal, which a decade ago accounted for a quarter of Ontario's electricity, now generates only 2.8 per cent of the total. It's now exceeded by wind power, which provides three per cent. The shift "demonstrates how far we’ve come in terms of t
  • Nuclear power provides more than half (56.4 per cent) of Ontario's electricity, followed by hydro at 22.3 per cent and natural gas at 14.6 per cent, the electricity agency said.
  • "While there’s little respite from rising electricity prices no matter what the source, with renewable energy at least consumers know what they’re paying for," he wrote.
  • So far, none of the Liberal candidates vying to succeed the departing McGuinty are ready to abandon his green-energy policy.
  • Gerard Kennedy promised to review the Green Energy Act.
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