USD at 1.27 today. The sky is falling

Rice Reef · #1 02-01-2015, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

And the Euro could drop a lot further, as they start up their QE (printing money) program, not to mention what will happen with Greece, and maybe Spain and Italy.

Yes, where the Cdn dollar was not so affected was against the Euro. Canada will try to change its focus to the European market but I doubt it.

Reef Pilot · #2 02-01-2015, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rice Reef

Yes, where the Cdn dollar was not so affected was against the Euro. Canada will try to change its focus to the European market but I doubt it.

Well, they have been working hard and long on a free trade agreement with the EU. Still not final, but that could help.

I think we also need to focus more on China, and Asia in general. Big market there, and they do want things that we have, and I don't just mean oil. But domestically, we have to make the most of what we do have and can do, and stop trying to artificially support failing industries.

I was in retail (big box) all my career, and it is unbelievable the hoops and regulations you now need to go through to build or remodel a store. What used to take 2 or 3 years (from plans to completion) now takes 5 - 7 years, and what used to cost 2 - 4 million, now costs 5 -7, and more. This is over a span of just 10 years. With all the govt fingers (municipal are the worst, then provincial) involved, with all their assessments, consultations, and delays, it is making it very, very difficult to do business in Canada. Only the guys with very deep pockets and very long strategic time frames (like Walmart, Costco, etc) can survive. Cdn companies are at a huge disadvantage, caused by their own govts.

Sorry for the rant..., but I had to live this for the last part of my career,... and have very strong opinions here.