Canada

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s trade mission to China is beating expectations and may be setting the stage for free trade talks between the two countries. Canada and China will wrap up a joint economic study by May, and are then expected to proceed to “exploratory discussions on deepening trade and economic relations.” Seventeen specific government-to-government issues were dealt with over the past two days in areas such as energy co-operation, human rights and agriculture. And Harper...Read Full Story

Vancouver, British Columbia Canada’s population of 33.5 million people is growing faster than that of any other G8 nation — fuelled primarily by immigration — while the booming West continues to reshape this country’s demographic landscape, a new census has revealed. The latest national headcount, released Wednesday by Statistics Canada, shows strong and steady growth in nearly every corner of a country that remains firmly in the grip of a westward shift in population power. Up from 31...Read Full Story

Calgary Alberta Skyline We posted earlier regarding “ Canada Census 2011: Canada Leads G8 In Growth As Population Grows 5.9% ” and a lot of our readers wanted to know where the fasting growing regions causing this boom are. Below is a Canada Census 2011 list of the 15 fastest growing metropolitan areas. 15 fastest growing metropolitan areas Calgary: 1,214,839, a 12.6 per cent increase Edmonton: 1,159,869, a 12.1 per cent increase Saskatoon: 260,600, an 11.4 per cent increase...Read Full Story

While many Americans might think of Canadian currency as "colorful Monopoly money with hockey players on the back," the truth is our neighbors to the north have an incredibly strong dollar that deserves to be taken seriously. And as of today, they also have some of the most technologically advanced bills you can find in the world. While the new $100 bill retains the same imagery, the Vancouver Sun reports it will no longer be made of paper. Instead, the new currency's made of polymers, or...Read Full Story

According to the Toronto Star , we can keep taking on more debt. True to their Keynesian economics beliefs , even though several prominent economists, as well as the Finance Minister and Bank of Canada governor are ringing the alarm bells,  we shouldn’t worry about debt. We are ONLY at 153% household debt to income – even though the US crash happened at 160% (as did the UK)… there’s nothing to worry about here. We have homes that are of value. TD Bank’s chief economist Craig Alexander...Read Full Story