Why is there so much debate surrounding the federal government’s GST reduction?
The recent federal government gift to many Canadians is a hot topic on many fronts, writes Peter Watson. The federal Liberal Party just announced that they will reduce GST tax payments on some items for a two-month period and many Canadians should receive a cheque for $250. Why is this news so topical in the […]
Should the Government Eliminate Canada Post?
There are many reasons why Canada Post should be eliminated, writes Peter Watson. Should the government shut down Canada Post? Please consider this question from the perspective of the Canadian public. The main financial priorities of Canadians are the high cost of living and the shortage of housing and medical care. The government has the […]
Many Older People Need Better Financial Advice
Many older Canadians are not getting the proper financial advice, writes Peter Watson. The quality of the financial advice you get from your advisor is both understandable and concerning. Younger investors aged 18 to 34 are not happy with their financial advisor, according to a Vanguard study. Only just over one in three felt they […]
Investment Regulation Can be a Negative for Investors
In our modern-day world regulation and compliance issues seem to be everywhere. My observation of regulation is it continues to get more complex and more time-consuming. That is certainly true in the investment business. On a positive note, I agree there should be a high standard of conduct for people providing financial planning and investment […]
Will Trump Issues Cause a Stock Market Crash?
What we know from history is stock markets can be very volatile when the world is nervous, writes Peter Watson. There is potential for periods of nervousness ahead. Donald Trump, the former president, was recently found guilty on all 34 counts by 12 members of the jury. Immediately after receiving the verdict, he staged an […]
Government Debt is a Risk for Canadians
Government debt is a financial risk that affects us all, writes Peter Watson. Will the mountain of federal and provincial debt cause Canada to go into a financial tailspin? Let’s consider the facts. The recent federal budget projected a deficit of $40 billion. This will add to our debt which is already over $1 trillion. […]
Investment Diversification Can be Misunderstood
Some investors misunderstand the importance of diversification, writes Peter Watson. The concept of having strong diversification with your investments can be misunderstood. Let’s consider the example of an investor who prides themselves on taking risks. That person is not afraid of risk and sometimes that characteristic can reflect the type of person they are. You […]
Financial Mistakes Should be Corrected
Correcting financial mistakes can help you achieve your financial objectives, writes Peter Watson. Everyone makes mistakes. That is normal, so consider that a characteristic of being human. Correcting mistakes does not always happen. We will consider this reality in the context of your personal financial planning. Long-term financial success can be achieved with a series […]
How a Flock of Birds Can be Similar to a Group of Investors
The instant changing pattern of a flock of birds can resemble the behaviour of investors, writes Peter Watson. This column is going to call on mother nature to help us understand how investors can react when making investment decisions. Have you ever noticed a flock of birds suddenly change course and amazingly all the birds […]
Business Investment Decline is Bad for Workers
Business investment helps maintain good jobs, writes Peter Watson. Canadian companies are investing less per worker and that could have negative consequences. Recent information from StatsCan showed Canadian businesses investment per worker fell by 20 per cent over the 15-year period ending in 2021. Business has a delicate balancing act between the output of work […]