Canadian $ = $1.04 Us.

[FirstSunday33ad]

And Climbing.....

[Darth Executor]

I have no doubt Canadian companies are making a killing from buying American producs and selling them for way more up here. *sigh*

I need to get a steady, reliable income up so I can just buy stuff straight from the USA instead of relying on the crooks here.

[Storico]

A lot of Canadians are enthusiastic about our dollar being strong right now, and many tend to think it's awesome that we can be all smug about how ours is currently worth more than the American dollar. I don't see it that way. Take Darth E for example. He wants to buy American. And why shouldn't he? The prices are pretty darned reasonable right now. A really, really strong Canadian dollar encourages Canadians to buy American products, but it DOESN'T encourage Canadians to buy their own products, nor does it encourage the US to buy Canadian goods. The only way it would work out for us is if all the Canadian run stores dropped their prices to reflect the currently strong dollar and in order to keep business here and out of the USA, but I don't see that happening, so far. It can't be benefitting us in the long run, up here. I don't think this will last for the long run, though. I think our dollar will probably enjoy a short and memorable stint that high, and when the US economy balances, we'll slide back below par again. And I don't see that as a really, really bad thing.

I probably just lost a lot of enthusiasm from people here who are going "woohoooooo, strong dollar!" but.... meh.

[mossrose]

I have some enthusiam for the strong Canadian dollar because I remember, some 30-something years ago, when it was this strong.

I also don't buy into the gloom and doom about the effect on the Canadian economy because of the stronger dollar. The economy was pretty good 30-some years ago when the dollar was strong. And it worsened when the dollar devalued with the Liberal workings of the time.

I certainly enjoyed our trip to the States this past month, when the dollar was just hitting par. How nice to know that stuff we bought was worth pretty much the same in Canadian or US when we bought it..........except for gasoline, which is STILL a huge bargain down there compared to here!

But, I agree with you, Stori. I don't think it will last, and the looney will slide below par again. However, I am going to enjoy it while it lasts.

[Gabby]

The "prices" for a lot of things here in Calgary are starting to drop. Mind you I think Calgary has overly inflated prices compared to other cities in Canada. But you have to keep in mind that the things in the stores now were not just purchased by them yesterday but months ago when the dollar wasn't as strong. So the price adjustments for the stronger dollar will only come slowly and gradually.

[mossrose]

I have heard people complain about how the prices of things are not dropping, like books, and we've all heard the big whining about car prices.

Of course it takes time for the older stock to be depleted, and then hopefully the merchants will be able to offer lower prices.

What really upset me was, I think it was last Sunday morning, (or it might have been 2 weeks ago........), the newsperson announced that Canadians travelling to the States had best take US cash, because some places were only offering .60 on the dollar!

I was appalled! It hasn't been that low for at least 5 years! And at the time of the announcement, it was at least par!

Too bad they didn't tell us where in the States that was going on. I would be sure to avoid that area next time..

[TCapp]

Is the loonie actually going up, or is the weak dollar just going down some more. What's its actual face value these days, anyway? Three cents? Gonna be a blast when the Amero takes over.

[Storico]

Yeah, I'll definitely try and enjoy it while it lasts. So far, I believe there have only been a few stores here to actually lower prices, so I haven't noticed a difference yet. I walked into a bookstore to get a book the other day, and there was only an American price on the cover... so the girl rang it up at a more expensive Canadian price. When I asked her why (it was over seven dollars more!) she said it was because she was told to, and had to, and it was likely that the dollar wouldn't hold out that long anyway. I asked if she'd ring it up at the American price, and she said she didn't have the 'authorization yet' to do so, so I decided against getting it.

Maybe when they figure out the balancing act here it'll get better. I know it's petty to whine about little things like that. It just surprised me. I guess everyone's probably feeling the pressure to drop a few prices, and overinflated places like Chapters aren't very happy about it at the moment.

[Gabby]

Is the loonie actually going up, or is the weak dollar just going down some more. What's its actual face value these days, anyway? Three cents? Gonna be a blast when the Amero takes over.

I think it's a combination of both. The last 6 months the Canadian dollar seems to be strengthening when you chart it out. The American dollar has been struggling too though.

[Darth Executor]

Yeah, I'll definitely try and enjoy it while it lasts. So far, I believe there have only been a few stores here to actually lower prices, so I haven't noticed a difference yet. I walked into a bookstore to get a book the other day, and there was only an American price on the cover... so the girl rang it up at a more expensive Canadian price. When I asked her why (it was over seven dollars more!) she said it was because she was told to, and had to, and it was likely that the dollar wouldn't hold out that long anyway. I asked if she'd ring it up at the American price, and she said she didn't have the 'authorization yet' to do so, so I decided against getting it.

Maybe when they figure out the balancing act here it'll get better. I know it's petty to whine about little things like that. It just surprised me. I guess everyone's probably feeling the pressure to drop a few prices, and overinflated places like Chapters aren't very happy about it at the moment.

An Indigo near me put up a sign explaining why their books aren't cheaper yet: they're always sold at the printed price, and we have to wait for newer editions and books to get a cheaper price. They also said they're not making a huge profit out of the deal since they have to buy expensive books anyway. It's the american publishers' who are winning in this deal. Of course, there are other items that don't have this excuse (like videogames).

[Teallaura]

What's an Indigo? Is that a particular chain?

[mossrose]

Chapters book store.

[FirstSunday33ad]

Historic Rise: Canadian Dollar reaches all time high of $107.17 US.

Experts expect climb to continue unless government cuts interest rates. Government unwilling to do this as it will heat up an already red-hot economy, increasing dangers of inflation.

Canadian economy enjoying benefit of years of tight spending and taxation. Deficit elimination has resulted in drastic decline in National Debt meaning lower interest payments. By not implementing tax cuts during the rebuilding years, Canada has become an economic power house.

Change for the worst expected however, as Conservative government plans massive tax windfall to wealthy eliminating incentives to invest in economy while doing nothing to build, repair or improve infrustructure, education, transit or cities. A return to deficit spending therefore likely with a resulting decline in Canadian Dollar.

Only going to show; Neo-cons should not be allowed anywhere near a national economy.

[Philosophickle]

Goes to show that the govt. shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a national economy.

[JusticeMachine]

And Climbing.....

Lousy Canadian Capitalist. I bet you, being a socialist, is appauled.