Canadian Personal Finance Place

For those of us in Ontario, it is Family Day and this year, it seems everyone is “celebrating” it (meaning all banks, and stores are closed).

As this is my first time hosting theCarnival of Personal Finance I figured Family Day would be a good thematic premise to build our list of submissions for the week from.

Back to school is now in full swing with most students starting this week, and stores filled with frantic parents looking for new school supplies, and kids already complaining about having too much homework. It is a wonderful time of the year.

There was another meeting of great financial minds this past week, with the National Capital Financial Bloggers Association (and Friends) met at their regular watering hole. The group consists of Michael James, Canadian Capitalist,Larry MacDonald, My Own Advisor, Preet Bannerjee and of course myself. The topics discussed are many, varied and diverse (with a fair amount of it monopolized by yours truly, which is one of my faults, I tend to take over discussions in large groups).

Seems like the Streets of London (one of my favorite songs) have calmed down and the rioting in the British Isles have abated for now, but luckily we have the stock market bouncing around like a super ball inside of a plexy glass cube. There have been countless reasons put out so far of what is triggering all this and what will stop this excitement, but my guess is that we really won’t know for a while.

With a struggling U.S. economy it could make for a very interesting presidential campaign in 2012, and it may all come down to jobs and whether enough Americans can find employment in the next few months. In Canada employment is OK, but could use some help, and a strong loonie is not going to help in the private sector (other than the Energy side of things). The markets continue their roller coaster ride with some ups and a lot of downs this week, what does it all mean? Don’t ask me!

The summer in Ottawa is now on full swing, with sweltering temperatures and wild weather. Sunday we had a microburst which destroyed a stage at Bluesfest (and almost wiping out one of my favorite bands Cheap Trick!), which caused widespread damage all over the city. With these high temperatures we start wondering whether the Ontario Hydro grid can withstand the heavy usage? Check hereif you’d like to see a nearly up to date view on power usage in your area (if the power hasn’t already gone out that is).

The Tories started their Stop Harper reign this week by declaring that Air Canada is an essential service and they are thinking of doing this for Canada Post as well. Does seem to make a mockery of the collective bargaining system, but I am a bit of a pinko, leftist, unionist at heart (except if it means I have to pay higher taxes), punch that into your calculator and see what answer you get! Jim Flaherty went to the states and lectured them about how they should get their deficit reduction plans in place, careful Jim, they might cut some things you don’t want them to cut. That is sort of like me suggesting to my wife how she might make her wardrobe look better, a very dangerous suggestion.

Some of my favorite older posts that made it to Twitter as well, this week.