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Q: How serious do you feel the aggregate global debt situation is? I have read that the total is now well over $300 trillion USD. Government and consumer spending seems somewhat out of control in much of the world. Let's put it this way - if the Earth was part of an interplanetary federation, would the aliens' financial authorities think we are heading towards bankruptcy?

Way back in early January 2025, I began posting blogs on why I thought the Canadian markets would outperform the U.S. indices. You can find a blog posted in January 2025 outlining my reasoning for a stronger TSX 300 this year on www.valuetrend.ca, called “6 Reasons the TSX Could Outperform the S&P 500 in 2025”.

Each spring, global value investors make the pilgrimage to Toronto to attend The Ben Graham Centre’s Value Investing Conference. This year, those hoping to gain deep insight into the shambolic state of the markets got the headline message: “Don’t over-emphasize the macro.” Here are some highlights from this year’s event:

In the financial markets, what first appears obvious can prove to be misleading upon closer examination. Many investors have a rough idea of the qualities that strong stocks might exhibit, but the factors that make up a high-quality stock might surprise most investors.

The behaviour of insiders—managers, officers or anyone who owns more than 10% of a company’s shares—has long been regarded as a good indicator of a stock’s future direction. An insider knows the company intimately, and while he or she may sell their shares to finance a house purchase or other major expense, an insider who buys into the company shows they are confident the stock will rise. Investors can profit by trading alongside these corporate soothsayers.

Q: A dark 2025/2026 scenario would be a mild recession in Canada, and a more serious recession in the U.S., both deepened at some point by a U.S. dollar crisis due to massive deficits and chaotic politics. How should a TFSA be positioned to weather this? Dividend stocks versus bonds? How much of portfolio in gold stocks? How big a cash allocation? What else?

Imagine this: it’s late at night and your phone rings. You don’t recognize the number but pick up anyway — you would hate to miss an important call.

“Grandma, can you hear me? It’s me.”

For the most part, we are aware of what we should do with money—save regularly, spend wisely, and avoid debt when possible. This is particularly true for people who read Canadian MoneySaver magazine. But if you've ever made a purchase you regretted, avoided opening your credit card bill, felt a wave of anxiety after looking at your bank balance, or hesitated to buy or invest in something you need, you’ve probably already sensed that money isn’t just about math—it’s about emotion, memory, and identity.

Canadians recently elected a new Liberal government.
Here's what the Liberal Party has proposed — and how it could impact you.