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Author Archives: privatefinancetips

BHP Billiton Ltd still likes giant Saskatchewan potash project, but not in any hurry to develop

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The world’s biggest mining company says it’s still keen to construct the earth’s biggest potash mine, despite a severe bear market within the crop nutrient. But it sure doesn’t seem to be in a hurry. Andrew Mackenzie, BHP Billiton Ltd.’s leader, told investors on Tuesday that he doesn’t expect the potash market to make a serious recovery before the early ...

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‘Mr. Saskatchewan’ Brad Wall steps up as oil economy’s chief defender

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The oil crash has been rough on political leaders, but not Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. If opinion polls prove accurate, the two-term premier and the Saskatchewan Party are sailing toward another solid majority in the April 4 provincial election. Welcome to Estevan: The energy boom town that’s the poster child for Saskatchewan’s decline Nowhere in Saskatchewan has got the slowdown ...

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Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec posts 9.1% return in 2015, buoyed by weak loonie

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Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec returned 9.1 percent in 2015 as international equities, boosted by a decline within the Canadian currency, offset negative returns in your own home. Net investment income at Canada’s second-largest pension fund manager was $20.1 billion in 2015 versus $23.8 billion last year, based on a statement issued Wednesday. Net assets rose to $248 ...

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China isn’t hurting oil prices — it’s as hungry for oil as ever

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China’s GDP grew by 6.9 percent last year, its slowest in 25 years. But that has to still be the envy of the rest of the world, which didn’t even do half too on average. And while China’s electricity demand rose by only 0.5 per cent, overall energy consumption fell by 0.5 percent, its first negative development in 30 years. ...

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Detroit’s latest crisis: Its dilapidated schools have hit their debt limit and risk being unable to pay bills

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Detroit’s public schools have reached their borrowing limit and won’t be able to take on more debt to pay bills when money expires in April if Michigan lawmakers don’t restructure some of its US$2 billion of obligations, state officials said. Though the district has borrowed if this ran out of money before, it’s reached the statutory limit of their ability ...

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Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay US$72 million in suit linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer

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Jacqueline Fox died last fall, but her voice recently came alive in a St. Louis courtroom. In an audio deposition, the Birmingham, Ala., native who died at 62 recounted 35 years of using Johnson & Johnson products containing talcum powder, in the pharmaceutical giant’s trademark baby powder to its shower-to-shower body powder. Fox had applied them toward feminine hygiene, but ...

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Lowe’s Canada posts third straight year of double-digit sales growth ahead of Rona merger

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TORONTO ? Lowe’s Cos. is in a powerful position in Canada even before the house improvement giant closes its pending $3.2 billion acquisition of Rona Inc. The North Carolina-based retailer, which announced a friendly takeover from the Quebec-based hardware chain earlier this month, posted its third consecutive year of double-digit Canadian same-store sales growth on Wednesday. For the fourth quarter ...

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Philip Cross: The Ecofailure of the Ecofiscal Commission

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Fifteen months ago, the Ecofiscal Commission was launched, with some of Canada’s most renowned self-appointed commissioners which makes it their goal to reduce carbon emissions by developing a more effective tax system. By either of those two criteria, the project might be rechristened the EcoFailure Commission, since it has not made any progress on either. How can I refer to ...

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