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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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Hamas Stands Firm: No Disarmament Without Palestinian Statehood

                                Palestinian fighters from the armed wing of Hamas take part in a military parade

In a defiant statement issued Saturday, Hamas declared it will not disarm unless an independent and fully sovereign Palestinian state—with Jerusalem as its capital—is established. The announcement comes amid stalled ceasefire negotiations with Israel and growing international pressure to end the war in Gaza.

The militant group, which has governed Gaza since 2007, reaffirmed its commitment to "armed resistance" as a legitimate right under international law. This stance directly challenges a key Israeli demand for Hamas to lay down its weapons as a prerequisite for any peace agreement.

Recent mediation efforts led by Qatar and Egypt, and supported by France and Saudi Arabia, proposed a two-state solution that includes Hamas transferring its arms to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. However, Hamas rejected the proposal, citing the absence of a concrete path to statehood.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the idea of a Palestinian state, calling it a “platform to destroy Israel.” He criticized countries like the UK and Canada for their plans to recognize Palestinian statehood, arguing such moves reward terrorism.

The conflict, which began with Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has resulted in over 60,000 Palestinian deaths and a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Despite mounting global calls for peace, both sides remain entrenched, with hostages still held and ceasefire talks at a standstill.

As the international community weighs recognition of Palestinian statehood, Hamas’s ultimatum underscores the deep divisions and unresolved tensions that continue to fuel one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.


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