| How is the Canadian economy doing in terms of the global economic situation |
| Canada is the world’s eighth largest economy which has been affected by the global economic crisis.Canada’s strong link with the United States has to a great extent impacted on the economy of Canada, but is better placed than most countries with similar relationships with the U.S. due to sound policy management and proactive steps taken to maintain financial and economic stability.By the time the economic crisis impacted Canada, they were on a solid footing as they had experienced strong growth, fiscal and current account surplus, price stability, low unemployment and financial stability. Despite such a backdrop, Canada’s economy still faced a tough 2009. If you consider the industry as a whole, Canadian banks have so far not crashed and are unlikely to do so in the near future as the Canadian banking sector is reportedly the best capitalized and most stable in the world. It is believed that Canada’s banking system is strong and the regulation of monetary policies by Bank of Canada and the country’s handling of the deficit have been commendable. The same could be said of the Insurance industry which is expected to come out of the crisis triumphantly. However, Bank of Canada, the financial regulatory authority has taken steps to ensure that the financial system is safe. Canada has slashed interest rates by 400 basic points since December 2007. The Central Bank has also announced its plans to increase the quantum of cash available to lenders. These are measures taken by Canada to support the G7 partners commitment to pump billions of dollars into the market and to loosen the credit restrictions and to restore lending.Despite the positive side of the handling of the country, Canada is likely to experience the negative impacts of their trading partners. Canada has faced the highest unemployment rate in seven years which was 8% in February and is expected to decrease due to the decline in export and soft commodity prices. This has caused household spending to be curtailed. Prices of commodities are falling and so is the share price of their producers. This is expected to negatively impact the economy of Western Canada in particular. Export of cars and other manufactured goods to the United States has also been on the decline but due to the value of the Canadian dollar dropping against the U.S. dollar the Canadian manufacturers are optimistic about their exports.Bank of Canada has predicted a forecast of Canada’s GDP to grow by 4% by 2010, though it is believed to be ambitious but even if it is halved, it is still better than their U.S. and British counterparts |
Places to go When in Montreal:
Since the 1960s, the Plateau has been variously described as the Park Slope, Williamsburg and Greenwich Village of Montreal. But these few dozen blocks of colorful, crumbling walk-ups east of the mountain still manage to defy comparison, as the neighborhood’s influence on the city’s, even the nation’s, culture is entirely out of proportion with its size. The bars on Boulevard Saint-Laurent give rise to half of Canada’s noteworthy new bands every year — first Arcade Fire, then Wolf Parade and now Plants and Animals — and the kids that pack them any night of the week are among Canada’s chief arbiters of style. The boutiques and restaurants in the neighborhood’s south end, along with the more bohemian area of Mile End just north, attract a perennial migration of students, artists, designers and other creative types who start the bands, blogs and art spaces that keep the Plateau persistently fresh.
Restaurant Au Pied de Cochon Chef Deck says :
If I was a goose in a box, being force fed yummy grains all day and night until my liver was about to explode, I would hope to one day end up in a Au Pied de Cochon Fois Gras poutine. Yes loyal readers, this means that I Chef Deck, am a huge fan of the one restaurant in the city that prides itself on promoting our old Canadian $100 bill mascot (the great Canada goose). Montreal Restaurant Au Pied de Cochon has a beautiful menu featuring upscale, Quebecois dishes with a twist from the great mind of chef/owner Martin Picard (an array of game meats, pork, meat, fois gras every way, and constantly changing specials). This particular evening we ate a phenomenal moose carpaccio with artic char and quail eggs, seal, fois gras poutine, duck in a can, and the mother of all pork chops, all of which were originally presented and delicious. If you’re looking for a meal that will not disappoint in a fun atmosphere, and you’re not a hippy or a vegetarian, this Montreal pioneer will always satisfy your every desire!
Another place, far less known than the pied de cochon lower key but actually the only place in Montréal that sells their own wine to bring home is les cavistes http://www.restaurantlescavistes.com. Do,n’t ask me how they manager to get around the State Monopoly, but they do. And they have a nice wine list of producers.
On saint-Denis close to Le Plateau