Perspectives

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102

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Each episode we help break down the important economic issues on Canadians’ minds. With our unique access to leading experts, timely insights and helpful explainers, we navigate the latest in the world of finance, housing, business, the markets — and more. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures

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June 10, 202616 min

What's behind the Bank of Canada's fifth-consecutive rate hold?

For the fifth time in a row, the Bank of Canada announced it would be keeping interest rates unchanged as many economists expected. There are numerous economic factors the Bank of Canada says it’s monitoring before making any interest rate moves including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, flat GDP numbers and trade talks between CUSMA countries. When asked whether a cut or a hike to the 2.25% overnight rate is in the near future, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said the situation is complex. “If the United States imposes significant new trade restrictions on Canada, we may need to cut the policy rate further to support economic growth. Alternatively, if the conflict in the Middle East continues and higher energy prices start leading to ongoing generalized inflation, monetary policy will have more work to do — there may be a need for consecutive increases in the policy rate.” Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault is back on the podcast to break down what’s going on with the economy, whether recession risks are overblown and what Canadians can expect in the coming months.

May 15, 202625 min

Food inflation 101 – The rising cost of putting food on the table

Food inflation is becoming harder to ignore, and it may still have further to run. As geopolitical tensions push up energy prices, those pressures are beginning to move through the broader economy. If it persists, it could impact what Canadians pay for food. Scotiabank’s Rebekah Young joins the podcast to break down why food inflation remains persistent, how global shocks are moving through supply chains, and why there are few quick solutions in the near term. She also explains what this means for households, and why central banks may face more difficult decisions if these pressures continue. Key moments this episode: 2:01 – What has caused food inflation since the pandemic 3:23 – Digging deeper into the economic factors behind food inflation 4:52 – How the current causes of food inflation differ compared to during the pandemic 8:10 – Which inputs are affected by the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz 9:30 - Understanding fertilizer types and how it affects farmers in Canada 10:43 – How the war in Iran is affecting consumers 13:50 – How the upcoming grocery benefit aims to help some Canadians deal with food inflation 16:38 - How rising commodity prices could benefit Canada as a global producer of oil, fertilizer and more 19:27 – How the Bank of Canada is reacting to food inflation 22:24 – What Canada can do to stabilize food prices and mitigate risk for the future

April 30, 202625 min

Bank of Canada holds steady for fourth time in a row at 2.25%

The Bank of Canada announced it would be keeping the overnight interest rate at 2.25% as uncertainty looms with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the renegotiation of the trade deal between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault talked with us on April 29 to break down the complexities of the latest rate decision, the scenarios the central bank is weighing, what Canadians can expect in the coming months and any silver linings amid all the economic uncertainty. 1:36 – JF weighs in on why the Bank of Canada decided to hold 2:37 – With inflation on the rise, could a rate increase be in store? 5:45 – What happens if oil prices rise and CUSMA talks deteriorate? 8:17 – What impact will the removal of the fuel excise tax for Canadians have on inflation? 9:15 – JF on why he expects interest rate increases in the coming months, as early as July 10:48 – What would need to happen to avoid an interest rate increase in July? 13:19 – What impact could measures and spending in the federal government's Spring Economic Update have on the economy and inflation? 15:31 – JF on what it all means for Canada's housing market 21:00 – What this means for those renewing their mortgage soon 22:43 – Main takeaways for Canadians

April 21, 202619 min

Gold 101: Why gold prices rise and what it really signals

In this episode, we break down how gold functions in today’s financial system, from the different ways people invest in it to why it often gains attention during periods of inflation, volatility and uncertainty, with guest Robert Cohen, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Scotia Global Asset Management. He is co-Portfolio Manager of Scotia Resource Fund as well as Portfolio Manager for Scotia Global Asset Management’s Dynamic-branded funds – Dynamic Precious Metals Fund and Dynamic Active Global Gold ETF, to name a few. Robertjoins the podcast to explain what’s behind gold’s recent rise, why central banks around the world continue to increase their gold holdings, and how gold differs from other market assets. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Views expressed regarding a particular company, security, industry or market sector are the views of the writer and should not be considered an indication of trading intent of any investment funds managed by 1832 Asset Management LP. These views should not be considered investment advice, nor should they be considered a recommendation to buy or sell. These views are subject to change at any time based upon markets and other conditions, and we disclaim any responsibility to update such views. Key moments this episode: 2:07 - Robert’s background and how he got into gold and mining 3:06 - What’s driving gold’s big rise right now? 5:35 – What is a fiat currency? 5:54 - Have we seen this kind of gold growth before? 7:24 - Why Canada has no gold reserves today 8:04 - Why other countries are still buying gold 9:45 - What makes gold a safe asset 10:46 - Why Canada matters in the global gold story 12:19 - How much gold Canada may still have left 13:54 - What the future of mining looks like in Canada 15:18 - What role gold plays in a diversified portfolio 16:33 - Where Robert thinks gold is headed next 17:56 - The biggest misconception people have about gold 19:08 - The main takeaway for Canadians watching gold right now

April 1, 202622 min

What is economic productivity?

For many, the word “productivity” evokes thoughts of completing a to-do list or running errands. But in economics, productivity refers to how efficiently a good or service is produced with inputs like labour or energy. And Canada’s economic productivity has been stalling and it’s impacting our economy. In this episode, Scotiabank’s Director of Forecasting Patrick Perrier joins us to break down Canada’s productivity problem, explain how it affects Canadians directly and much more. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:42 – What economists mean when talking about productivity3:02 – Why productivity should matter to Canadians6:30 – Canada’s productivity performance in recent years8:35 – What caused Canada’s poor productivity11:26 – Why productivity measures are volatile and hard to track12:48 – Is productivity about replacing workers or making them work harder?13:31 – How transformations like the Industrial Revolution and AI affect employment14:52 – Why is productivity especially important for Canada’s success today15:32 – How can countries like Canada improve productivity?17:29 – Is Canada on the right track with productivity?18:37 – Other countries that managed productivity well19:36 – Where to find productivity numbers reported20:04 – Patrick’s main takeaways on productivity

March 19, 202621 min

Bank of Canada holds steady as oil-price surge raises inflation risks

Once again, the Bank of Canada held the overnight interest rate at 2.25%, but signalled that higher oil prices due to the war in Iran will push up inflation in the near term. Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault is back on the podcast to break down the latest rate decision, what it could mean for Canadians and what we could see in the second half of the year. For legal disclosures, please visit ⁠http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim⁠ and ⁠www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures⁠ Key moments this episode: 1:05 - JF walks us through the Bank of Canada's decision 2:23- JF paints a picture of Canada's economy and why it prompted the central bank to hold its key rate steady 5:18 - An overview of how the war in Iran affects the Canadian economy 9:22 - Unpacking how different provinces in Canada will be affected differently 11:33 - JF weighs in on when a policy rate change may be needed 15:06 - JF's outlook for interest rate decisions and why he still expects a rate hike in 2026 17:18 - A look at Canada's housing market and why you should consider renewing your mortgage soon 18:58 - JF's main takeaways for Canadians

February 26, 202637 min

Fraud isn’t going away – here’s how you can protect yourself

You’ve probably received a phone call that looked like it was coming from a reputable institution, but when you pick up you quickly realize something sounds off. Financial scams are becoming more sophisticated, and scammers are even selling their methods online to other fraudsters. These phone calls, phishing emails or questionable text messages target Canadians at every age. In this episode, we’re joined by Aaron McAllister, Vice President of Fraud Threat Management at Scotiabank and Chris Lynam, the Director General of the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They explain what the latest scam trends look like and the various ways Canadians can protect themselves. You can report cybercrime and fraud online at https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca/. For more information on the latest scams, visit Scotiabank.com/security. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:48 – An intro to Chris' work combatting fraud with the RCMP2:45 – The scale of fraud in Canada according to recent data4:02 – Why fraud seems to have grown so much4:42 – Chris describes the prominent scams targeting Canadians in 20259:08 – Common scams Aaron has seen from his role at Scotiabank10:25 – How scams target people of all ages11:15 – The newest methods fraudsters are using, such as AI and deepfake videos14:14 – Law enforcement's main challenges addressing fraud16:28 – What Scotiabank and other financial institutions can do to combat fraud17:27 – How the Maple Disruption operation brought together organizations to fight fraud18:56 – The importance of education and Scotiabank's partnerships with other organizations20:24 – What Canada can learn from other jurisdictions21:36 – How a multipronged approach took down LabHost25:08 – The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's revamped online report portal27:49 – Aaron's tips for preventing scams29:30 – How to reach seniors with fraud awareness content30:04 – Chris' tips for preventing scams33:21 – Why early disruption is key and more tips from Aaron34:39 – How a 'safe word' can protect families35:19 – Where you can find Scotiabank's latest resources on fraud35:40 – Summarizing tips and the importance of talking about fraud

February 11, 202627 min

From Boomers to Gen Z – how different generations approach money and why

In this episode, we’re exploring how different generations approach money — and why — with generational research expert, Kim Lear. She'll help us understand how these shifting attitudes can have big repercussions, dispel some stereotypes and help us bridge the generational divide when it comes to finances. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:49 – What exactly does an expert at generational research (like Kim) do? 3:50 – Why it's important to study how generational differences impact how people approach money 5:51 – Defining each generation and giving the broad strokes of their approach to money 8:44 – Diving a little deeper on the unique financial situation facing Gen Z 10:01 – Does Gen Z have any advantages when it comes to finances? 12:54 – What tip Kim would give Gen Z for building their wealth 14:48 – What is the ‘guilt of young inheritors’? 17:08 – How has social media influenced how different generations think of wealth and success 18:42 – Are social media trends helping financial literacy? 21:00 – Why transparency between generations has improved 22:44 – How we’ve moved from an ‘environment of secrecy’ to an ‘environment of openness’ when it comes to money 24:13 – Kim's main takeaway from the conversation 25:26 – Bonus question: Which generation does Kim have a soft spot for?

January 28, 202616 min

Bank of Canada holds again – for now

For the second time in a row, the Bank of Canada held the overnight interest rate at 2.25%. The central bank made the decision citing that little had changed from its 2025 October Monetary Policy Report, so holding rates “remain appropriate” as Canada’s current economic outlook appears uncertain given the re-negotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and evolving trade policies. Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault is back on the podcast to break down the latest rate decision, what it could mean for Canadians and what we could see in the second half of the year. For legal disclosures, please visit ⁠http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim⁠ and ⁠www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures⁠ Key moments for this episode: 1:12 – JF’s take on the main takeaway from the Bank of Canada’s latest decision 2:39 – JF on the current level of uncertainty and the challenge it poses 4:30 – How the Canadian economy has been “surprisingly resilient” 6:25 – The outlook for economic growth in 2026 7:51 – What is the “structural adjustment” that Canada is going through? 9:29 – What this all means for the average Canadian 10:49 – What does this mean for Canadians looking to buy a home or renew their mortgages? 12:57 – What are the takeaways for businesses? 14:20 – What are the main takeaways for Canadians from this decision?

January 20, 202630 min

Former U.S. Open Tournament Director on empowering women in tennis and in business

Athletes like Billie Jean King or Serena and Venus Williams are known to even non-sports fans as iconic trailblazers when it comes to women’s tennis. But there’s another name, a Canadian, who spent a career off the court helping advance women in the sport and beyond: Stacey Allaster. Among her many accomplishments, she was instrumental in securing equal prize money for women, paving the way for the boom in professional women’s sports we’re seeing now. In partnership with the Scotiabank Women Initiative, Stacey is our guest this episode. She tells us the story behind getting that equal prize money, her insights on what it was like being a woman in a male-dominated industry and why it’s important to empower women on the tennis court, in the boardroom and beyond. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:57 – What it was like navigating male-dominated spaces throughout her career 4:36 – The significance of getting equal prize money for women in tournaments like Wimbledon and Roland-Garros 10:12 – What this historic accomplishment taught Stacey about leadership 11:51 – With the expansion of leagues like the PWHL and the WNBA, is women’s sports having a moment right now? 15:26 – Why people still have to go the extra mile to make the business case for women’s sports despite the success we’ve seen 17:38 – Why Stacey also finds it important to empower women off the court in fields like finance and business leadership 21:09 – Stacey talks about her early days at Tennis Canada and the impact it had on her 23:35 – The key factor Stacey learned that can help women succeed in business 24:25 – Stacey tells us what’s next for her as she plans to ‘hang up her full-time racket’ 27:00 – Stacey highlights some of her favourite tennis moments from her career