Healthcare the Swiss way

by Catherine Swift

Our collapsing healthcare system has become a major concern of Canadians in recent years, and deservedly so. Our wait times get longer and longer, we hear regularly of emergency room closures in hospitals, about six million Canadians do not have a regular primary healthcare provider and horrific stories of Canadians who died waiting for care […]

I beat the CPP brain trust

by Catherine Swift

In reading over the 2025 Canada Pension Plan Annual Report, this author realized that the rate of return on my RRSP, TFSA and other investments was considerably higher than that achieved by the very well-paid brain trust at the CPP! My investments returned about 15 per cent over the past year, whereas the CPP rate […]

Hope for public education in Ontario

by Catherine Swift

The new minister of education for Ontario is talking tough. Paul Calandra, who has had several different portfolios in the Ford government over the years, has now been given the hot potato of ministerial roles – education. Fighting with school boards, militant teacher unions, parents and teachers has been the hallmark of this role. But […]

Mortgage muddle

by Catherine Swift

As if we needed anything else to add to the economic challenges Canada will be facing over the next couple of years, the mortgage situation could prove to be very difficult for many Canadians. As many as 3.3 million mortgages are set to renew in the next 18 months, likely at interest rates considerably higher […]

What will it take?

by Catherine Swift

The evidence demonstrating how unleashing Canada’s oil and gas sector will massively benefit the entire Canadian economy is so overwhelming it’s astonishing that any government can continue to ignore it. Two recent studies by the Fraser Institute think tank merely add to the enormous body of information that shows what fools our Canadian politicians are […]

Abuse of a crisis

by Catherine Swift

These days it seems that U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariffs are responsible for pretty much all the problems facing Canada, at least according to the politicians. Some businesses are also blaming Trump’s actions for changes in their business plans. For instance, large auto maker Stellantis just announced this week that they will be […]

Ireland surpasses Canada in manufacturing

by Catherine Swift

It would be a welcome change to have something positive to write about the Canadian economy these days, but unfortunately the pickings are slim, and the news is relentlessly bad. A recent study by the National Bank of Canada just adds to the misery as it focusses on the decline of the Canadian manufacturing sector.  […]

Another Liberal budget for Ontario

by Catherine Swift

Delayed by the snap election call, the provincial budget was finally presented by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy this week. Consistent with previous years, the emphasis of the Ford government is on spending growth instead of tax reductions and government efficiency improvements. Similar to other Canadian governments, the Ford government is using the Trump tariffs as […]

The warning in April labour force data

by Catherine Swift

Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey was published late last week, and the numbers were not encouraging. The overall rate of unemployment increased to 6.9 per cent, which was the highest rate in eight years except during the pandemic years. Although an increase in the unemployment rate is never a good thing, the real story […]

Alberta Next

by Catherine Swift

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith almost upstaged Prime Minister Mark Carney’s planned visit with US President Donald Trump earlier this week when she came out with her “Alberta Next” statement. That statement clearly outlined Alberta’s demands from the new federal government. After a decade of mistreatment from the Trudeau Liberals, Smith isn’t wasting any time making […]