XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, sk.politics   
   XPost: man.politics, mtl.general   
   From: Raisa@nyet.ca   
      
   The cost of fuel was always driving our 'inflation rate'.  The higher our IR,   
   the higher bank borrowing costs became - 'to curb our excessive spending   
   habits'   ಠ_ರೃ   
   It was always a vicious joke on Canadian consumers:  soaked at the pump, and   
   later soaked through mortgage rates or loan rates.   
      
   Now, with the falling price of oil, the pressure is on the banks to LOWER our   
   borrowing costs, not raise them.  Even though the Bank of Canada rate has just   
   been lowered, the greedy banks are reluctant to pass along any savings to   
   consumers.  Same thing with airlines who have lower fuel rates, ferry services,   
   importers of food and consumer items from the U.S., etc.  THOSE savings have   
   yet to be seen by consumers.   
      
   Canadians have to take advantage of depressed bank rates and get rid of their   
   atrocious credit card payments.  Pay them off with consolidated loans and give   
   the banks' credit card division the finger.  This is no time to play nice with   
   those who've gone for your jugular.  Kill your high-interest debts even if you   
   have to switch to credit unions to drop the banks.   
   _________________________________________________   
   The Canadian Press - January 24, 2015   
      
   Falling gas prices stall inflation as oil slump continues to be felt   
      
      
   The effects of the global oil slump weighed on Canadian inflation last month as   
   falling pump prices helped slow the annual rate to 1.5 per cent.   
      
   On Friday, Statistics Canada's latest consumer price index found gasoline   
   prices in December fell 16.6 per cent compared with the previous year, which   
   followed the year-over-year November decline of 5.9 per cent.  Cheaper gas also   
   counterbalanced rising prices in seven of the report's eight categories.   
      
   The data represented how deep the rapid decline of oil prices has reached into   
   the Canadian economy.   
      
   The Bank of Canada unexpectedly cut its trendsetting interest rate Wednesday,   
   bringing it down to 0.75 per cent in response to the effect of low crude prices   
   on inflation.  The central bank predicted inflation to temporarily dip below   
   one per cent in 2015 - under the bank's target range - before climbing back up   
   to two per cent in the second half of the year.   
      
   "It supports the Bank of Canada's decision this week to lower interest rates,"   
   National Bank senior economist Krishen Rangasamy said.   
      
   The fall in oil prices has dragged down the Canadian dollar.   
      
   Rangasamy will be watching for signs the depreciating loonie is pushing up   
   prices on imported goods.   
      
   In the report Friday, Statistics Canada found gas prices fell 9.8 per cent,   
   month-over-month, from November to December and slid 24.6 per cent from June to   
   December.   
      
      
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            Loyalty to the country always.   Loyalty to the government when it   
   deserves it.    ~   Mark Twain   
   ============================================================================   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)