John Helliker

Mortgage Agent at Dominion Lending Centres

[Toronto Police @TorontoPolice]

Arrests Made in Project Lighthouse, First-of-its-Kind SMS Blaster Investigation in Canada
News release: https://t.co/kDAgK2NTnx

[Rebel News @RebelNewsOnline]

Sympathy scam targets worshippers as fake panhandlers work GTA churches

After receiving donations and food, the suspect was later seen walking unaided and speeding away from a parking lot.

[Shane Wenzel @ShaneWenzel]

The idea that housing prices simply need to come down to fix affordability misses the bigger picture.

If you actually want homes people can afford, you have to look at the full cost stack, not just the final price.

What about lowering personal taxes so families can qualify for homes in the first place?

What about rethinking Net Zero mandates that add significant upfront cost without improving affordability?

What about shrinking the layers of government that slow everything down?

What about cutting red tape that delays projects and drives up prices?

And yes, what about every level of government taking a hard look at the fees they add to each home?

You cannot regulate your way to affordability while adding cost at every step.

If we are serious about solving this, we need to stop pretending price is the problem and start fixing what is driving it.

[Robert Herjavec @robertherjavec]

Life is hard, but complaining doesn’t create progress.

Taking responsibility does.

[Robert Herjavec @robertherjavec]

The key is that you don’t win people over by talking more.

You win by listening better.

You have to make people feel understood.

[Gerry Dee @gerrydee]

I am always amazed by what it takes to be an Olympian. Many dedicate their life to a race or event that lasts seconds. Usually with no monetary motivation either. Complete dedication.

But… the Paralympians are another level. Sadly, they don’t get the recognition they deserve but their stories are even more inspiring.

Keep sharing their stories.

[Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful @kevinolearytv]

Young founders love to brag about working 18 hours a day. That’s stupid. You need sleep, good food, and exercise if you want to make good decisions.

If you show up looking half-dead, I’m not investing. You’re not a hero, you’re a liability.

[Robert Herjavec @robertherjavec]

Three signs it might be time to exit.

The money changes your life.

You’ve lost the drive.

The market is shifting.

Exit isn’t quitting.

Sometimes it’s timing.

[Robert Herjavec @robertherjavec]

Stop outsourcing your financial decisions.

No one cares about your money as much as you do.

Not your family, not your friends.

Do the work yourself.

[John Helliker @johnhelliker]

@dogeofficialceo W

[The Rob Campbell @therobcampbell]

The absolute biggest hurdle I see on many files trying to transfer, purchase, or refinance their mortgage is a massive Vehicle loan payment. Just saw one for OVER $1,500 a month. Depending on your LTV, Credit score, Rate, and Amortization, you're losing out on $100,000 of mortgage amount (roughly!) per $650-700 of vehicle loan payment. 1/2

[Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful @kevinolearytv]

Don’t start something you don’t have a lot of passion for. You have to be able to get up every morning saying I’m EXCITED to fight the fight. You better love it baby, because you can bet your competitor is.

[Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful @kevinolearytv]

There’s millions of people out there. Some will agree with you and some won’t. Don’t worry about it. Just stay true to yourself!

[Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful @kevinolearytv]

What are the most important qualities that make a successful entrepreneur? The ability to communicate. The ability to express your idea with certainty.

[Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful @kevinolearytv]

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

[Ottawa Sun @ottawasuncom]

Homebuyers in Canada are so frenzied they won’t wait for rates to go down https://t.co/KQzE4OGj6a

[Bloomberg @business]

Buyers must earn a whopping $114,000 a year to afford a typical US home, according to Redfin https://t.co/EgDLGe0lsD

[Dan Knight @DanKnightMMA]

Good morning, Canada. If you paid attention to yesterday's announcement from the Bank of Canada, you'll know they maintained their policy rate at 5% while continuing their quantitative tightening. But what you may not realize is how this is really just putting a band-aid on a bullet wound—a wound inflicted largely by the policies of our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

Firstly, let's talk about inflation. This is not just an abstract concept or economic jargon; it's a tax—a silent, insidious tax that drains your income, reduces your purchasing power, and makes your life more expensive. The Bank of Canada admits that inflationary pressures remain broad-based, and that's no surprise when Trudeau's administration is running up deficits in the billions. His fiscal irresponsibility is supercharging inflation, and it's Canadians like you and me who are paying the price.

But Trudeau's policies don't just stop at fiscal mismanagement; they're also significantly impacting the housing market. Trudeau's indiscriminate approach to immigration is driving up demand for housing, while doing little to increase supply. What we end up with are skyrocketing home prices, which are pushing the dream of homeownership further away for everyday Canadians. The recent economic data confirms this grim reality; the Canadian economy contracted at an annualized rate of 0.2%, yet housing prices are inflated beyond reason.

Now let's talk about the carbon tax. This is a policy that has done nothing but raise the cost of living for Canadians across the board. Whether you're filling up your car, heating your home, or buying groceries, Trudeau's carbon tax makes everything more expensive. Even the Bank of Canada's report highlights the impact of recent increases in gasoline prices on consumer price inflation. It's absurdly hypocritical that while Trudeau preaches about justice and equality, he's willing to burden Canadians with policies that make life unaffordable for many.

So, when the Bank of Canada says it's holding its policy rate steady at 5% and continuing to normalize its balance sheet, don't be fooled. These are not solutions; they're temporary measures that might alleviate some of the symptoms but do nothing to treat the cause. Trudeau's reckless deficit spending, his flawed immigration policy, and his ideologically driven carbon tax are the real driving factors behind our nation's financial malaise. And no amount of "quantitative tightening" by the Bank can remedy the damage done by these policies.

In the end, it's accountability that we need. While the Bank of Canada may be committed to restoring price stability, let's not forget that the root cause of our economic instability lies squarely with Trudeau's leadership. His financial recklessness is making life increasingly difficult for average Canadians, inflating everything from the cost of a loaf of bread to mortgage payments. The time for a course correction is now, and it starts by acknowledging the true source of our problems. This is the story you won't hear in the mainstream media, but it's one that all Canadians need to understand. This is Dan Knight, signing off from Vancouver. Stay vigilant, Canada.

#cdnpoli

[Dan Knight @DanKnightMMA]

Good morning, my fellow Canadians. It's September 3, 2023, and if you're expecting to wake up to a bright, financially secure Canada, well, I have some sobering news for you. The latest figures from Statistics Canada are in, and they confirm what many of us have suspected: the Canadian economy is not on the up-and-up. Despite the rosy pictures painted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minster Chrystia Freeland, the real numbers don't lie, and they point to an economic landscape in turmoil. Allow me to break it down for you.

The new Statistics Canada data is in, and it paints a rather bleak picture of the Canadian economy under the watchful eyes of the federal government and Justin Trudeau. Let's delve into some numbers, shall we? A staggering $16.5 billion in debt was added by Canadian households in the first quarter of this year alone, with $11.2 billion being in mortgage debt. In an environment of 5% interest rates, a rate we haven't seen for over a decade, this is a financial bomb waiting to explode.

And let's not forget inflation. Since 2021, we've seen a cumulative inflation rate of around 16.5%. Now, remember, these aren't just abstract numbers on a ledger somewhere; these are realities hitting your grocery bills, your gas prices, your rents, and slowly emptying your wallets. But it's not just households feeling the pinch. The economy as a whole is stalling, with real GDP nearly unchanged in the second quarter of 2023, following a measly 0.6% rise in the first quarter.

Amidst all this, Justin Trudeau and the federal government seem content piling on debt like there's no tomorrow. The Parliamentary Budget Officer's March 2023 report shows Canada's deficit is expected to rise to $43.1 billion in 2023-24, up from $36.5 billion in 2022-23. And let's not forget that 1 out of every 5 dollars in this debt spree didn't even exist pre-pandemic. Essentially, we're spending money we don't have, to solve problems we're not solving, all while making new ones.

So, where has all this spending gone? Not into securing a robust future for Canadians, I can tell you that. Despite the monumental deficits and the reckless spending, housing investment fell 2.1% in the second quarter, marking its fifth consecutive quarterly decrease. Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and the government's financial imprudence is exacerbating, not alleviating, the situation.

But here's a twist to the story: while investments in housing decline, Justin Trudeau decided it was prime time to open the floodgates of immigration. There's an aspect of governance called planning, something that seems foreign to this administration. How does one justify allowing over a million immigrants into Canada without even hinting at a solution for housing them? The result is basic economics - demand outstrips supply, and prices soar.

Remember the days before Trudeau's reign, when the average home in Canada cost around $400,000? Eight years under his watch and that figure has doubled. Trudeau's policies seem like a cruel jest to young families, professionals, and, frankly, anyone aspiring to own a piece of the Canadian dream. It's almost as if he expected the housing market to "balance itself".

And before you think this is just a 'rough patch,' let me remind you that household spending is also slowing. So not only are Canadians going into debt, but they're also cutting back on spending. They're being hit from both sides, and there's no end in sight. The government's promises of prosperity seem increasingly hollow when we see that per capita household spending has declined in three of the last four quarters.

The Trudeau administration's approach to governing appears to be in a parallel universe, one where debt is limitless, and financial responsibilities are for the next government or even the next generation to sort out. And don't even get me started on the higher taxes lurking around the corner to pay off this bonanza of spending. This isn't governance; it's financial negligence.

When Canadians were told that this level of inflationary spending could turn our country into something akin to Venezuela, many scoffed at the idea. But let's face it: the signs are becoming hard to ignore. The truth is, many Canadians have been led to believe they can have gold-plated social services without paying an ounce of gold in taxes. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seemed more than happy to sell that narrative. He promised a utopia, a social safety net woven from dreams and aspirations. But what has that net caught? Rising costs, crippling debt, and a harder life for everyday Canadians.

Trudeau has turned out to be less a responsible steward of the economy and more of a Pied Piper, leading us all off a fiscal cliff while playing a cheerful tune. Or perhaps he's more like the Cheshire Cat from "Alice in Wonderland," grinning broadly as he disappears, leaving behind only his grin and a trail of false promises.

As we approach the pivotal year of 2025, don't forget who sold you this bill of goods. Remember the skyrocketing costs of living, the unmanageable debt, and the empty words that were supposed to make everything better. I, for one, certainly won't forget. And I suspect, come election time, neither will you.

#cdnpoli

[International Space Station @Space_Station]

.@NASA TV is live as the space station flies over and provides live video views of Hurricane Idalia in the Gulf of Mexico heading toward the west coast of Florida. https://t.co/idBrgcvSNK https://t.co/idBrgcvSNK