November 01, 2023
| Planning Matters
| 7 min read
Investing in Your Health Through the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine
Living a long life is only fun if you have a quality of life in which you can move around, think clearly, look after yourself, and pursue your interests. A long life span is best accompanied by a long health span. It’s remarkable that 150 years ago, the average lifespan was only about...
August 16, 2023
| Quiet Counsel
| 8 min read
Inflation, Recession, AI, Oh My! Investment Themes Driving Markets in 2023
In our business, it is often a challenge to communicate how our macro views (“We expect an economic soft landing”) maps to our view of portfolio (“We were happy to see Company A raised its dividend again”). Visit our website, to download previous Newsletters and read our latest Insights.While our economic outlook is...
August 15, 2023
| Planning Matters
| 6 min read
Understanding Proposed Changes to Taxation of Charitable Giving
Many Canadians contribute to philanthropic causes and registered charities and benefit from both tax deductions on the donation and, when transferred as a security (not cash), shielding of tax on capital gains embedded in that security. This year the budget released by the Canadian Federal Government (the “Budget 2023”) proposed changes to the...
May 16, 2023
| Quiet Counsel
| 8 min read
An Ode to Boring: Canadian Banks circa 2023
Banking is best when it is a dull business, devoid of excitement. Unfortunately for some bankers and their shareholders, though, excitement has been running higher than normal lately, resulting in the collapse of a few regional US banks. There are two sometimes related sources of worry within any banking system: credit losses and...
May 15, 2023
| Planning Matters
| 6 min read
Using a Flow Analysis in Estate Planning
Matching intentions and results is the truest definition of success in estate planning, and one strategy to achieve this is what I call a "flow analysis." Where does my property go when I pass away? Where does it “flow”? I like the concept because for me it conjures the image of a creek...
February 17, 2023
| Quiet Counsel
| 4 min read
Outlook 2023, Part II: Recession, Bonds, and Equity Markets
In Part I of our two-part Outlook series, we concluded that inflation was likely to continue to decline, and that interest rate hikes were probably in the final innings. In Part II, we explore the impact on the economy and capital markets. Will we get a recession? While our base case continues to...
February 16, 2023
| Quiet Counsel
| 7 min read
Outlook 2023, Part I: Inflation
In Part I of our two-part Outlook series, we go through our current thinking about inflation and interest rates. Be sure to check out Part II to learn our outlook for the chances of an economic recession, as well as prospects for fixed income and equity markets. Let’s face it, 2022 was a...
February 15, 2023
| Planning Matters
| 6 min read
The Softer Side of Retirement
Our private client portfolio managers have had thousands of conversations with clients over the years addressing the question, “When can I retire?” Then on the appointed day, when all that hard work and preparation finally comes to fruition, more than a few of those clients are confronted with a different, sometimes surprising question...
November 15, 2022
| Institutional Perspectives
| 9 min read
David vs Goliath: The Case for Small/Mid-Cap US Equities
In the classic biblical tale, the relatively diminutive David faces off against Goliath, a giant among men. Against the odds, David triumphs, a victor y of dexterity and grit over lumbering brute strength. In US equity markets dominated by mega caps, there is a David lurking at the periphery. It’s worth a look...
November 15, 2022
| Planning Matters
| 7 min read
Getting a Head Start on Your 2022 Personal Tax Roundup
It’s time again to consider tax planning opportunities for 2022. There are of course, the annual reminders but there are also some exciting new and “coming soon” tax changes that everyone should be aware of. Both are detailed below. The Annual Reminders RRSP contributionsThe deadline for RRSP contributions for 2022 is March 1...
August 16, 2022
| Quiet Counsel
| 11 min read
Investing in Canada: Are We Just Banks and Rocks?
In the mid-1990s, the federal government removed foreign content limits for Canadian pension plans and later made similar changes for individual RRSPs that altered the way Canadians invested. The result has been a continuing trend of investors reducing the Canadian equity weight in their portfolios, in favour of global equities.One reason that’s sometimes...
August 15, 2022
| Planning Matters
| 7 min read
Conversations for Generational Wealth Transfer
For the last decade, experts have been talking about the “Great Wealth Transfer” – that trillions of dollars will be changing hands, from Baby Boomers down to their children, and maybe directly to grandchildren. While the transfer has started, it has been more of a trickle than a flood so far as advances...