The Tariff Thread

[Geraldsh]

Blaming cars for road hazards is like blaming guns for murders. It’s people - people are the most dangerously hazardous idiots.

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by ignite09

They aren't safety hazards, where did you get that from?

There is a reason that cars in North America are left hand drive.

Try to convince me that turning left at a busy intersection with other cars facing you, also turning left is as safe in a car where you are driving from the passenger seat position.

There is studies that affirm these beliefs as well.

Alberta - "It has been found the risk of being involved in a collision with a right hand drive vehicle is 40% higher."

https://www.alberta.ca/registration-...e%20to%20pass.

Quebec - "the average standardized increased risk was 32%"

https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/blob/saaq/do...hand-drive.pdf

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I would think there must be a difference between left and right hand drive. It's not like there is a random distribution of both on N.A roads.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Geraldsh

Blaming cars for road hazards is like blaming guns for murders. It’s people - people are the most dangerously hazardous idiots.

Sure but that’s why you pass legislation to mitigate the stupidity of people. And not driving a right hand drive car should be one of those mitigations.

[TheIronMaiden]

my mortgage rate hold at 3.94% ends tomorrow.
What do we think, the BOC stops cutting interest rates?

It sounded very bullish a month ago, but claims of dropping the rate below 3% by august have dried up.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by ignite09

They aren't safety hazards, where did you get that from?

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

my mortgage rate hold at 3.94% ends tomorrow.
What do we think, the BOC stops cutting interest rates?

It sounded very bullish a month ago, but claims of dropping the rate below 3% by august have dried up.

IOM these rates generally have prevailing directions.

When the direction is down you wait as long as possible, when it's up you go as early as possible. If 9/10 times you "beat/tie" that's really the best you can do.

I think the prevailing direction is still towards down.

[Jason14h]

I don’t see a situation where rates increase anytime soon . If inflation creeps back in rates will stop going down .

[Monahammer]

I locked in at a 5 year 4.39 last June. Same bank is offering 4.24% 5 year posted today. I was having people tell me to take the variable but I'd still be above my current rate on the variable today.

IMO there's a massive benefit to consistency and clarity in these times.

[Geraldsh]

Originally Posted by GGG

Sure but that’s why you pass legislation to mitigate the stupidity of people. And not driving a right hand drive car should be one of those mitigations.

I suppose that’s why it’s against the law to drive backwards down the road, tranny was piled up with only reverse available and Don didn’t want to pay for a tow. Talk about gear grinders.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

my mortgage rate hold at 3.94% ends tomorrow.
What do we think, the BOC stops cutting interest rates?

It sounded very bullish a month ago, but claims of dropping the rate below 3% by august have dried up.

Hard to make any informed decisions these days with all the uncertainty. Everything might change April 2. Or not.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I locked in at a 5 year 4.39 last June. Same bank is offering 4.24% 5 year posted today. I was having people tell me to take the variable but I'd still be above my current rate on the variable today.

IMO there's a massive benefit to consistency and clarity in these times.

I think there's a benefit to that in all times... being able to plan your finances with certainty years out is very important, I think.

That doesn't mean you don't take a variable, necessarily - you can often convert it to a fixed rate later on with little or no penalty. I'm hoping we see fixed rates under 4% in the next few months, which is good because I'm about to have a big chunk of new debt. Paying two mortgages simultaneously is going to be... not a lot of fun.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I think there's a benefit to that in all times... being able to plan your finances with certainty years out is very important, I think.

That doesn't mean you don't take a variable, necessarily - you can often convert it to a fixed rate later on with little or no penalty. I'm hoping we see fixed rates under 4% in the next few months, which is good because I'm about to have a big chunk of new debt. Paying two mortgages simultaneously is going to be... not a lot of fun.

Empathetic tears will be shed as you go through the hardship of owning two homes

[GGG]

Originally Posted by #-3

IOM these rates generally have prevailing directions.

When the direction is down you wait as long as possible, when it's up you go as early as possible. If 9/10 times you "beat/tie" that's really the best you can do.

I think the prevailing direction is still towards down.

I think there is an open question as to where the 5 year bond yield will go. The government could lower rates while the 5 yr remains about the same or even increases if the trade war is predicted to drive inflation which will drive interest rate hikes.

So if you are looking for fixed over variable it may not get better.

[calgarygeologist]

Despite everything going on and all the Canada support Quebec has signed a deal with Starlink for courtroom internet services.

https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article848068.html

[Fuzz]

Where are there court houses but no internet providers or even cell towers? I find it hard to believe satellite internet was their only choice, and even if it was, it's gotta be a few select places, not needing a contract and Starlink for every courthouse. Someone isn't spending taxpayer money responsibly on this one.

[Sylvanfan]

Every Saturday morning as a kid it was Pancakes with Summerland sweets blueberry or raspberry syrup. I loved that stuff.

[Firebot]

Starlink is pretty much the only viable option in many remote areas for network connectivity. You would be surprised at just how extremely poor cellular data is in these areas (land options do not exist) and other satellite companies offer horrendous coverage. Heck, even in non remote areas this can be the case. Satellite is usually the only option if looking for high bandwidth data with bearable latency (keyword bearable) and Starlink is by far the best in that field.

It's one thing to not use it for political reasons, but in terms of service and coverage it is easily the best option, and it's really not even close. Eutelsat is simply not as good in most of Canada for coverage (maybe that will change with how geopolitics is playing out).

Also:

The Quebec government has decided to award a new contract to install Elon Musk’s Starlink high-speed satellite internet in courthouses in remote regions of the province.

No mention this is every courthouse. This contract is also miniscule.

Ford's Starlink decision looks great in terms of being anti-Musk right now, but it's not a decision based on there being a better service option.

[Fuzz]

The things cost, like, $500 and anyone can set them up. I'd really be interested to know how many they are getting for $826k. On a quick glance there are fewer than 50 court houses in Quebec. Let's be really generous and say 10 of them have no other option. That's like, $82k per connection. Starlink or not, someone in Alberta is cashing in off of the Quebec government, so fair play I guess. Get those transfer payments back somehow.

[Firebot]

You are thinking of the cost in terms of residential receivers, it's significantly higher for business and contracts would include service commitments.

https://www.starlink.com/ca/business/fixed-site

That deal is also through a middleman, there's always gonna be some government bloat but overall, it's a miniscule contract that's only making the news because of the anti-Musk sentiment.

[Firebot]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/artic...des-of-border/

That's the way to do it.

“He (Trump) calls it Liberation Day, I call it Termination Day for quite a few Americans if this goes through. It is going to hurt America just like it is going to hurt Canadians too.”