Despite repeated warnings that interest rates may rise sooner than many Canadian consumers expect, at least one economist says recent GDP data will give the Bank of Canada reason for pause.

The dust is still settling after the OAS age of eligibility was extended to 67 in the 2012 budget, and after changes were also made to public sector pensions. Now, advisors must take a second look at the retirement plans of their clients.

There’s no question, the biggest piece of news out of the federal budget is increased age at which Canadians will qualify for Old Age Security payments. The good news is that the government has given plenty of notice.

As governments join the deleveraging trend, business spending will have to fill the void. Luckily corporations are sitting on a mountain of cash.

The so-called “new normal” of ultra-low interest rates continues to lay waste to long-standing investment practices.