Incomes rise more sharply here than in U.S.

Over the millenium I saw my retirement fund of $32K in properly invested and divested stocks shrink to $17K. Now I have NO DEBT and my small retirement fund is in a mortgage @ 8%. Do you know that banks will not give mortgages under $50K? But in small communities in Canada there are many small houses costing less than $50K. Thus old people and low income people who are fiscally reliable and who just want to buy a little house, are left to the tender mercies of financial mercenaries who typically charge (gouge) at the rate of 15%. If you have money saved - even a small amount between $20K and $50K - place it with a private mortgage broker. Tell the banks to shove their .25% and shun the stock market like the plague. You can help your fellow Canadians buy a little house and gain some independence all the while making 6 to 8%. Maybe we can put some of the gutless bottom feeders, who take advantage low income people, OUT OF BUSINESS

I lost 4,500$ of a 10,000$ mutual that I bought in Feb 2007. I paid back end fees twice on this, as I swapped funds within the same fund makers set of funds, to slow the losses, in 1988. When I pulled out in 2009, I took advantage of a market rally to gain 1,500$ The back end fees restarted after the first swap, so I believe I came out of it very well with both my swap and my withdrawl contributing 2500$ towards the fees of nearly 2000$. Still, I lost nearly 4,500$. I think it was absolutely criminal for the bank and the fund company to charge that much fees on such a small amount. Esp twice on the same fund. My savy made profits on a falling market, dispite them, allthough I still netted a big loss, it would have been worse if I hadn't acted. Where were the fund managers during this time? Why did they not act to slow the losses, by dumping some of the funds stocks for others? This was my first RRSP. Never again will I get a mutual fund. The fund managers raped my investment for thier own gain, on a falling market.

Where is the legislation, protecting the little people from being thieved by the bankers, and fund managers? The bank who carries this companies funds, feels no remorse at all.

One nasty problem in Canada, is the little companies who entice with pensions, yet use the high turnover of its employees to prevent vesting of this pension monies. I have small bits of pension contributions in various companies, who have absconded with these monies to the benefit of the owners private funds. I would like to see legislation that tales these small bits of cash from the hands of the buisness owners, and be held and protected by the banks, untill a persons retirement. Contributing to one pension fund, and acummulating for the earnee, instead of being merged for the buisness owners retirement, at the expense of the worker.

Legislate some real wealth building for the little people, or dont be suprised at the deathcount, when you have a revolution.

PS ... The medical system in Canada is FARMING patients ... They dont keep up with the current medical understandings or teachings. The doctors lackidaisial approach to thier jobs, is causing untold hardship for many ill people. With no protection for the semi-sick workers, who eventually have to lose thier jobs. I see plenty of room for improvement by legislation to help people when they get ill... to protect the seasonal workers pension monies, and to prevent the financial institutions from raping small investors. It is hard enough to live in Canada, and its even harder if you are stupid. The only real work I get here is from American companies who are plundering our resources. God bless the Americans, as my fellow Canadians know no other way to make a buck, than to sell out. (thier own famillies if need arises). Personally I think we should sell Canada, lock stock and barrel to the Americans for one lump sum. That way every Canadian could get a piece of the action, and afford a retirement and Health care, at the expense of the Elite. Who cant make money any other way, than ripping off thier own countryman or Farming cushy Gov jobs.

Sorry .. i ment 2008 instead of 1988 in my first post .. I been working on some long past problem and for some reason I cant get the 1980's out of my mind. The relationship of the last 2 posts, to the topic, is that wages are up while the dollar is down, and it will be kept down to keep commodities at a reasonable price for export. We do not manufacture well in Canada. So we rely upon exports of raw materials for income. Meanwhile we have bad legislation that allows the workers to be ripped off, worked when sick, like slaves; and Farmed for healthcare instead of being allowed to have medicine to get better. The oppulence of the countries leaders is shown by the encouraged weak dollar, to keep thier gravy train running... and to screw all other Canadians (the majority). We have an abundance of resources, we should all be living like kings on our countries natural wealth. Unfortunately we are beaten down by the few at the top, so they can make more than thier fair share, at the expense of the workers. We do need a revolution to rid ourselves of this stupid constitutional democracy. There is no reason for Canadians to be treated like this by thier own countrymen.

our taxes also grow more sharply, in the US they pay about 40% of the taxes the we pay in Canada.

I'm afraid I don't get the reference to Dairy Queen? Is this bad and therefore where you eat when you can't afford groceries, or good, and where you line up when you have cash? Really? Do you?

Personally, my income has almost doubled in the past year and opportunites galore await. I just don't understand all these complainers? Gdet a job, get another job, move on, work hard, progress, don't whinge and ye shall succeed.

Just my apporach though......perhaps there are others.......

You have to love stats. How does the saying go again?..."three types of pollsters, liars, bloody liars and statisticians". If you look behid the wizards curtain...you will find that we pay substancially more in taxes than the US (so our political pigletts can piss it away with frivolous abandon) and somewhere in the neighborhood of 40% of the employed...are employed by some level of government, civil service, clown corporation or NGO and grossly overpaid for what they don't do. The inmates are running the asylum here....and in 30 years, have managed to take what sould have been the wealthiest and greatest country on this planet....and turn it into a "third world joke with credit". Our immigration policies are an international joke, our health care system is falling apart (top heavy with bureaucrats), our system of education just reaffirms the notion of "the dumming down of the Americas", our legal system can't get out of it's own way and we are forced, when voting, to ask "who'll do the least amount of damage?" Wake up Canada, it's time for a radical change before it's too late and the self agrandizing politicos and uncivil servants do irreparable damage. Time for a total overhaul...take out the garbage.

Steve and Q, you are both clueless and do not know what you are talking about.

jojo, look up what Americans pay in taxes compared to Canadians. We pay more, but not that much, and get way more on our services for it than our American couterparts.

Cripe, some of you people need to wake up, or do some bloody research.

I don't know who they polled but it wasn't us. As for John you must work for the government. Come on down in live in our shoes. You can say all you want about gettting a second job or cutting out things.In our household we don't go out and eat, we don't travel because our budget doesn't aloud it. So John they must have polled you for giving the response that you made.

Sorry daytimedolphin but John is right here. With hard work and sacrifices right now is a really good time to live. It comes down to the choices you make. You are in a tight spot because you choose to be there. Many people consistently take the easy route and hope or the best in their life instead of working hard and planning ahead. Personally I doubt I will ever have a 9 figure net worth but it is only because I don't want to make the sacrifices to get there (I am going to make 8 figures though). I am betting if you took a hard look at your life up until now daytimedolphin you can easily see decisions you made that got you into the bind you are in (not going to more school, not working harder, making buying decisions not based on economics, starting your family too early etc). After that is established look forward 10-20 years and determine where you want to be financially. Now trace it back and see if you will make it there. If not figure out the changes you have to make to get where you want to go. It might mean more school, a new career or just getting rid of something too expensive. Every major action you have after this make sure it correlates into the plan and you will get there. Never wander though life without knowing where you are going.

Personally at 23 I was starting my first real job after years of grueling school and decided by 30 I would have a 200K networth, 150K family income and would own my own house. Pretty tough when I started at 32K a year with a 5K networth. Last year (at 27) I surpassed my goals for 30. I am now working towards 500K networth, 250K family income , working 40 or less hours a week and owning a dedicated vacation property by 33.

Know where you want to be and then all it takes is figuring out what you can do today to get yourself there.

I have never seen so many "Morons" post so many stupid remarks to try and show off, some by saying they have lots of Money, some by saying that they are broke, why don't you all just try and live with what you have? but for most of you if you did not complain about this you would find something else to complain about!!!!!!! As for our Family, we do not live hihg the "Hog" nor are we poor, we are not perfect, but we did try and save something for a rainy Day, so maybe this is the reason we are not feeling it so much, we all have to vent at one time or another, but please for the sake of your "Sanity" wake up and smell the coffee........Oh if you can still afford one.