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Why Interest Rates Matter for Canadians

Interest rates are the single most powerful lever in Canada's economy.  When the Bank of Canada adjusts its policy rate, the effects reach every household—from the cost of carrying a mortgage to the return on a savings account. With rates currently at 2.25% and significant uncertainty ahead, understanding how rates work has never been more important for your finances. What Is the Bank of Canada's Policy Rate? The Bank of Canada sets the overnight policy rate—the interest rate at which major banks lend money to each other. This rate serves as a benchmark that influences borrowing and lending costs across the entire economy. When the Bank raises or lowers this rate, commercial banks adjust their prime rates accordingly, which directly affects the rates you pay on mortgages, lines of credit, and other loans. The Bank's primary goal is to keep inflation near its 2% target. When inflation runs too hot, the Bank raises rates to cool spending. When the economy slows, it cuts rates...

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Notorious Killer Paul Bernardo to Appear Before Parole Board of Canada

 

Paul Bernardo, one of Canada's most infamous serial killers, is scheduled to appear before the Parole Board of Canada today for a hearing. Bernardo, who has been denied parole twice in the past, is serving an indeterminate life sentence for the kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder of 15-year-old Kristen French and 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy in the early 1990s near St. Catharines, Ontario.

The hearing will take place at the medium-security La Macaza Institution in Quebec, following his controversial transfer from a maximum-security Ontario prison last year. Tim Danson, the lawyer representing the French and Mahaffy families, has expressed frustration over the parole board's initial decision to deny the families the right to deliver their victim impact statements in person. Although the board later reversed this decision, the short notice has made it difficult for the families to arrange travel, resulting in only Mahaffy's mother attending in person while others will deliver their statements remotely.

Bernardo's crimes, which also include the manslaughter of his then-wife Karla Homolka's 15-year-old sister, Tammy, have left a lasting impact on the victims' families and the Canadian public. The parole board's decision today will be closely watched, as it could determine whether Bernardo will remain behind bars or be granted parole.



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