Deirdre McMurdy, saving, debt, RRSP, retirement, TFSA, tax

Conrad Black's recent memoir is a cautionary tale if he does return to Canada and business.

The new oversight of CMHC may address one problem but causes another.

Canada’s new “startup visa” will requires other reforms to make a real difference.

It may feel wrong, but the fundamentals for a sustained boom seem to be holding up.

As prices at the pump soar, we should stop the whining and get marching.


As prices continue to rise, the case for renting is making more sense.

With a majority in hand, the Tory’s are set to ‘transform’ the federal government.

This year, your grandfather — not your classmate — is the competition.

The controversial Kony 2012 campaign raises awareness and money.

SNC-Lavalin: Local company in global controversy.

Canada may be a net producer of oil but current prices will still pinch.

Allegations of worker rights violations at Apple plants get the big PR spin.

The closure of the Caterpillar plant should serve as a wake-up call for Canada.

As a housing market correction looms large, Canadians ignore the signs — again

This past year was all about pulling back and breaking apart.

The market is unconvinced that a new(ish) regime, can reverse the outcome for RIM.

Kodak’s bankruptcy proves that the technology that makes you, also breaks you.

After a lull, the battle over CP heralds a new era – for better and maybe for worse.

The actions – and reactions –of these five will shape headlines in 2012

Better to toast the arrival of 2012 with chamomile tea rather than champers.

It certainly wasn’t an easy year, but we’d be smart to learn from all those bumps and bruises.

Forget the environment, the Durban climate change talks were all about a new political order.

Cheap money creates at least as many problems as it solves.

Will the appeal of net-based IPOs hold long enough for Facebook to fly?

As governments enter the fray, investors have a new variable to face.

With sales data up again this month, Canada’s real estate market is a rare economic highlight. But how long can this be maintained?

On the economic front, managed news is good news.

Less talk and more action is required as economic woes spread.

As the EU’s struggles show, ignoring the human factor complicates everything.

RIM’s biggest challenge is to rediscover its ‘wow.’

Political and economic discontent in the U.S. could have an impact on Canada and its fortunes.

The ultimate protectionist weapon in Canada is the maple leaf. And it’s going to be huge.

Politicians are struggling to manage expectations and shift blame.

Canada may face some external jolts, but it’s well equipped to ride out the current volatility.

The destabilizing divide between rich and poor in Canada is a self-perpetuating phenomenon.

Yahoo’s just-fired CEO is the latest victim of instant gratification syndrome.

Five things that will shape the Canadian conversation this fall.

Succession plans just can’t replace the 'it' factor of iconic leaders like Jack Layton and Steve Jobs.

The massive premiums paid for patent portfolios are creating a new boom.

Managing voter expectations is the key to restoring stability in the U.S.

It’s the small stuff that’s scariest for both the U.S. and Canadian economies.

If car companies qualify for help, why not a home-grown tech venture?

Nine business lessons from the summer blockbuster.

The U.K. hacking scandal is feeding a controversial and self-serving political agenda.

There are at least a dozen real reasons why a second home isn’t actually that attractive an investment.

The private versus corporate debate in professional sports.

It might be time to start questioning the true strength of Chinese capital.

Corporate ethics are a good way to manage investor risk in uncertain times (cue the eye roll).

The debate over food versus fuel is heating up – literally.

The prevailing consumer mood is curtailing debt. But will it curtail the economy too?

Natural disasters have an increasingly steep personal and political cost.

Public figures have to expect private scrutiny as part of the job.

Canadian Tire’s purchase of Forzani is a pre-emptive strike.

A Tory majority brings the certainty that makes investors smile.

Without discipline and control a heart of gold quickly turns to tin.

Evidence of inflation will bite your personal bottom line.

It’s time to get ready for rising rates. For real this time.

Why quotas for female directors are a really terrible idea for everyone.

It may fill our stomachs but it’s hardly nourishing for the long-term.

One of the best strategies for finding a new job is to think like an employer.

Package vacations make it easy — but not always cheap — to escape winter.

Whatever the calculations may be, the cost of having kids is always higher.

The traditional blueprint is now more about politics than economics.

We need a policy to contend with the impact of higher production. Now.

The price of food is going up around the world and it's time to pay attention now.

There are many hurdles to face before the LSE and TMX reach the altar.

The usage-based billing controversy is more about politics than anything else.

As Parliament resumes, there’s only one topic that will dominate.

Enabling home ownership at any cost has become the new political liability.

New international bank rules could have a big impact on banks, which in turn, could affect our own investments.

The strength of the Canadian dollar is about much more than a chance for cross-border shopping.

A look at the language and lingo that defined 2010, from PIIGS and prorogation to potash.

The hand of government will continue to be an issue in 2011.

Warning bells about spending and debt are vying with the ring of the register as we head into 2011.

The flap over Wikileaks only feeds the phenomenon of TMI. Next.

Whether Rogers buys the Maple Leafs of not, the model for team ownership is going corporate.

Desperate retailers are jumping the gun on pre-Christmas sales.

10 reasons to travel in the slow lane with GM.

A new report blasts the Canada Revenue Agency's handling of challenges to its rulings, but it is unlikely to change the audit process.

When BHP launched its bid for a piece of our fertilizer resources, it ended up stepping onto a political landmine.

Buying a franchise may be lucrative, but it’s not the route for real entrepreneurs.

The answer is less clear than it should be thanks to record debt.

Reality television lessons offer the best hope for reviving Canada’s brand.

The stand-off between China and the U.S. reflects a range of issues.

James Cameron’s comments about the oil sands are part of a wider debate on the role of government.

Mental health is getting a lot of attention and money, but the stigma surrounding it is a stubborn problem.

Personal debt has reached the point where it will slow economic growth.

Stormy markets lead some to reconsider conventional wisdom.

Canada must consider what it will do if the U.S. economy doesn’t recover — fast.

September is the ideal time for career resolutions.

As the economic stimulus ends, the lack of progress has unsettling implications.

BHP Billiton’s bid for Potash Corp. holds some important lessons on anticipating the next big deal.

As the Canadian real estate sector softens, the broader economy suffers.

The country's past may be also be prologue.

The good news? You need a break. The bad(ish) news? You also need a plan.

Canada is enjoying some high-profile praise — for now.

We can’t control the weather, but we can control our risk exposure to it.