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9 April 2009

9 April was the 9th day of tenth month of the 3rd year of Canadian national consciousness rising to invincibility.

9 April 2009

Dr William Overall, National Director of the Global Country of World Peace in Canada, presented highlights of news reports reflecting Canada's rising invincibility from Yogic Flying groups across Canada and the large Invincible America Assembly at Maharishi University of Management and Maharishi Vedic City, USA.

Extensive scientific research has documented the Maharishi Effect of rising coherence, harmony, and peace created in the collective consciousness of a nation by large groups of Yogic Flyers. The effect has been found to extend beyond national borders when the group is of sufficient size.

Following are press reports featured in Dr Overall's presentation:

The Canadian Economic Press - Canadian trade balance unexpectedly rises into surplus (9 April 2009) Led by gains in all parts of the Canadian export sector, the international merchandise trade balance rose unexpectedly into positive territory in February, Statistics Canada reported. Canada recorded a surplus of C$126 million. Economists had forecast the deficit to hold steady at -C$1.2 billion following a -C$1.2 billion deficit in January. Exports rebounded to C$33.07 billion up 5.2% from January's level. Overall imports rose 1.1% from January to C$32.95 billion.

From a Bloomberg New report on this: Canada unexpectedly posted a trade surplus in February as a rebound in car and aircraft shipments led to the biggest exports gain in more than a year. Automotive exports rose 20 per cent, while shipments of aircraft and other transport equipment jumped 27 per cent.

From a Financial Post report on this: 'The improvement in the trade surplus was of the better variety [rising exports], that is not one resulting from a drop in imports which would have implied weakening domestic demand,' said CIBC economist Krishen Rangasamy.

From a Canadian Press report on this: The increase in total exports was due to a seven per cent increase in volume and not an increase in prices, which declined 1.7 per cent. Exports to the United States increased five per cent, while imports rose 3.7 per cent. As a result, Canada's merchandise trade surplus with the United States increased to C$3.4 billion in February from C$3 billion in January. Canada's trade deficit with countries other than the United States narrowed to C$3.3 billion in February from C$4.2 billion in January.

The Vancouver Sun - TSX posts fifth weekly rise after surprise trade surplus (9 April 2009) Canadian stock markets staged a brisk rally to finish an Easter-shortened week in positive territory on Thursday, with Canada's benchmark index reaching its highest level in three months. A pleasant earnings surprise south of the border sent Canadian financial stocks soaring. The TSX Composite index advanced 217.84 points, or 2.43 per cent, to 9,187.12, led by banks and insurance companies, after Wells Fargo, the second-biggest U.S. bank, shocked the Street with a record first-quarter profit.

From a Globe and Mail report on this: The TSX composite index closed at 9187.12, representing a gain of 22.8 per cent from its March 9 low and marking a new rebound-era high. The index is now up 2.2 per cent for 2009.

From a Financial Post report on this: Canadian stocks joined in on another global rally Thursday, as investors here and abroad continue to grow more confident about the U.S. banking system and the prospects of economic recovery. For the week, the country's top exchange climbed 1.3%, its fifth straight weekly gain.

Bloomberg News - Canada stocks rise to three-month high, led by Manulife, banks (9 April 2009) TSX financial stocks jumped 5.4 per cent for the biggest gain among 10 industry groups on the index. Royal Bank rose 4.3 per cent, while Toronto-Dominion Bank gained 4.7 per cent. Manulife, Canada's largest insurer, had the steepest advance among financial companies, adding 12 per cent. Energy stocks gave the Canadian equity benchmark its second-biggest boost after oil rose on speculation that an economic rebound may bolster demand. 'We're slowly getting some reality coming back into our market, and people are starting to look at the fundamentals instead of psychology,' said David Cockfield, who helps oversee C$1.8 billion at Leon Frazer & Associates Inc. in Toronto. 'Banks have been on the recovery path for some time, and now they appear to be breaking out into new territory.'

From a Reuters Canada report on this: 'Since the financial sector has been front and center in the midst of this turmoil, any improvement reflects positively on the rest of the economy and the rest of the equity markets,' said Elvis Picardo, analyst and strategist at Global Securities in Vancouver.

Bloomberg News - Canadian currency strengthens on trade surplus, commodity gains (9 April 2009) Canada's dollar climbed 1 per cent Thursday and touched the highest level compared to its U.S. counterpart in more than two weeks amid signs deterioration in the world's eighth-largest economy may be losing momentum and improved prospects for commodity currencies. Commodities, which accounted for 56 per cent of Canada's export revenue last year, rose on Thursday. The Canadian dollar gained for a second straight week after the nation unexpectedly posted a trade surplus.

Reuters Canada - Canada bank lending remains strong, industry says (9 April 2009) Lending by Canadian banks remains strong, though the nation's overall credit market has dwindled as a few big non-bank players disappeared, the head of the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) said on Thursday. Responding to criticism that Canada's big banks are making it harder for even good customers to get loans, Canadian Bankers Association President Nancy Hughes Anthony said in an interview with Reuters the hard data show otherwise. 'If we look at bank lending in the last couple of months . . . the entire credit market grew by only about 4.3 per cent but bank lending grew by 9.4 per cent,' she said, citing Bank of Canada data from February, the most recent month available. While consumers and businesses may feel credit is tighter, it is not because the nation's big five banks are cutting off the credit flow, Hughes Anthony said. She pointed instead to the disappearance of foreign banks and lenders such as GMAC and Chrysler Credit—once major players in auto financing—for the drop in the availability of loans for some consumers and businesses. Anthony noted that banks are responsible for about 50 per cent of business funding and just a quarter of lending overall. Toronto-Dominion Bank economist Grant Bishop said bank credit to households expanded 11.3 per cent in February from a year earlier, while business credit grew 9.5 per cent.

Statistics Canada - New housing price index (9 April 2009) Contractors' selling prices [nationally] decreased 0.7% between January and February. In Quebec, new housing prices increased 2.6% from a month earlier. In Charlottetown, prices increased by 1.2% . . . Prices also increased from a month earlier in Regina ( 0.9%) and London ( 0.8%). Among surveyed cities, the largest year-over-year increase was registered in St. John's at 20.5%, followed by Regina at 14.7%. In Quebec, the 12-month growth rate was 8.0%, while in Montreal, prices increased 3.1%. Compared with February 2008, contractors' selling prices were 5.1% higher in Winnipeg, and 4.2% higher in Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton.

The Winnipeg Free Press - City's house prices rising again (9 April 2009) According to Royal LePage, the average house selling price in Winnipeg has risen from C$190,745 in January to C$206,380 in February to C$222,029 in March. 'We still have multiple offers, but a third of the listings are selling at full price or more,' John Froese, a broker for Royal LePage Prime Real Estate, said. Froese said the Winnipeg real market was so buoyant.

The Edmonton Journal - Alberta announces green-rebate program for home owners (9 April 2009) A new provincial rebate programme will put thousands of dollars back into the pockets of Alberta homeowners who invest in eco-friendly renovations over the next three years. Environment Minister Rob Renner on Thursday announced the C$36 million program, which is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost one million tonnes. 'Albertans have clearly told us . . . they want to act,' Renner said. Under the programme, homeowners can get up to C$600 towards a high-efficiency heating system, up to C$300 towards a more efficient water heater, and up to C$3,150 to offset the cost of upgrading home insulation. Albertans in the market for a new home could receive up to C$10,000 if they choose an energy-efficient home. The programme will also provide C$200 in rebates to help cover the cost of home-energy evaluations, which are required in order to qualify for the rebates. The new provincial programme is designed to complement the federal government's ecoENERGY Retrofit Program as well as municipal rebate programmes, like the City of Edmonton's carbon-dioxide reduction programme. For example, an Edmonton homeowner who replaces an old furnace with a top-end Energy Star gas furnace could be eligible for a C$500 rebate from the province, a C$625 rebate from the federal government, and an automatic C$500 rebate from the city. And an Alberta homeowner who qualifies for a C$1,000 federal rebate for upgrading insulation would also receive C$750 from the province.

From a CBC News report on this: 'The advantage is to the environment and quite frankly in many, if not all cases, to the homeowner, because the almost coincidental consequence of reducing CO2 emissions is you also reduce your utility bills,' Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner said. Taxi drivers can also get up to C$3,000 back if they change to a hybrid vehicle.

From a Calgary Herald report on this: 'It's realistic to take an average house and reduce energy use by 25 to 50 per cent,' said VerdaTech Energy president Stephen Farrell. Rob Renner said if the C$36-million programme proves to be more popular than expected, he will make sure there's more funding in place.

The National Post - Green grant (4 April 2009) The Ministry of Natural Resources announced an offer until 11 March 2011: Homeowners across Canada will be eligible to receive up to 25% more in grant money to make upgrades to the energy efficiency of their homes. Under the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program, an upgraded furnace, for instance, could get a grant of C$625 rather than the previous C$500. These grants go to homes that have had an energy efficiency assessment by an energy advisor certified by the ministry. Improvements must hike the energy efficiency of the home or provide for a cleaner environment. That means new furnaces, new windows and doors, and improved insulation could qualify. The maximum grant one home can receive is C$5,000, and the average upgrade to a home will yield a 25% reduction in energy use and costs.

The Globe and Mail - Ottawa faces pressure to align with U.S. on green plans (9 April 2009) Ottawa could be forced to drop its controversial intensity-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid having to pay U.S. border duties, Environment Minister Jim Prentice says. 'There are clearly measures [being planned in the United States] that would have trade-related consequences for Canada if we don't have equivalent environmental legislation in place,' Mr Prentice said in an interview in his Parliament Hill office thisweek. A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last week would impose border duties on importers whose home governments are deemed to be lax in limiting the amount of greenhouse gases their industries can emit. The bill would set strict limits on the amount of greenhouse gases that industries are allowed to emit, and President Obama has given it broad support. Mr Prentice acknowledged that Canada would have to adopt regulations and enforcement standards 'comparable' to whatever the Obama administration and Congress eventually pass. As a result, Ottawa would align its overall reduction targets, reporting rules, enforcement mechanisms, and regulations for specific industries with whatever system emerges in the United States, Mr Prentice said. Mr Obama and Democratic congressional leaders have said they want the climate-change legislation passed before an international meeting in Copenhagen in November that aims to reach a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. Ottawa has said it would reduce emissions by 20 per cent below 2006 levels by 2020, an overall target that is roughly in line with U.S. goals.

For further information on creating invincibility for your nation, please visit: www.globalgoodnews.com/invincibility.

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For information about Maharishi's seven-point programme to create a healthy, happy, prosperous society, and a peaceful world, please visit: Global Financial Capital of New York.

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