Where oh Where is Thou Justin?

Since the election results and brief yet underwhelming meetings with various premiers and mayors, Justin has kept himself holed up (likely with his caucus, and Butts), even though there is a national unity fight as well as another national issue - a rail strike! Where farmers are unable to heat their crops in silos or heat their animals in large shelters.  As well, a major potash mine is closing for a couple of week sending 500 workers on dole for the Christmas season.

The only presence of any federal government is marching out the new Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, a bewildering character when she has been interviewed in her last role.  Nowhere the same "sunny ways" start from 2015. 

If You Don't Have a Pension Fund You're Not Alone; However DO NOT Invest in Mutual Funds!

When your employer is contributing $0.50 to $1.00 for every contribution you make, obviously a company pension plan is an attractive benefit, so much that annual salaries or compensation are reduced for this above average and advantageous benefit. 

If you are handling your own affairs (either by choice or default), then do not invest in mutual funds.  Read this...

"Private sector employees have seen a decline in already low pension plan coverage from 28 per cent to 23 per cent over the same period. That means only one private sector employee has a pension for every four in the public sector. Clearly it is the private sector that should be the focus of any effort to increase pension plan coverage."

http://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/retirement/a-workplace-pension-could-be-worth-three-times-an-rrsp-yet-only-37-of-canadians-have-one

Trudea's Cabinet: Improvement? Apeasement? Weaker/Stronger? More "Thought Police"?

"...Trudeau has taken a full month since winning re-election to put together his new cabinet, twice as long as he took in 2015....".

And after all that, here's what it boils down to...Jonathan Wilkinson, from BC and previously of Sask NDP is Minister of environment. An environmental extremist wolf in sheep's clothing. Enough said.

I can't see how Catherine McKenna is going to lead the charge for infrastructure - how can anything be built in Canada in her " tax all carbon" world?

A pushover Seamus O'Regan for the Natural Resources file (not sure if an improvement over the last place holder, Sohi).

Navdeep Bains continues to be minister of innovation, science and industry leaving us wondering...what a minister of innovation, science and industry does all day for the next two to four years.

Pablo Rodriguez has also been named political "minister for Quebec" - there is actually a Ministry for Quebec! And he will also be "Chief Corruption Officer" as he is charged with "crucial task of ensuring that government legislation passes with the support of at least one opposition party".

Mona Fortier, who takes on the newly created post of minister of middle-class prosperity. Read that again - "newly created post of minister of middle-class prosperity". Huh?

And for more fans of the "Thought Police", the underwhelming and ever unimplressive Bardish Chagger, previously House leader (and electoral reform pre-meditated naysayer), is the Minister of the newly created post of "diversity, inclusion and youth". (So Justin can deflect his blackface episodes?).

The ever bewildering and confusing Marie-Claude Bibeau somehow continues to be in the cabinet and is somehow Agriculture Minister. Will she be one to go knocking on CN's door during this strike within the next week to end it and let farmers receive some revenue?

Lastly, everyone's favourite Chrystia Freeland is "promoted" in "bridging the divide between the federal Liberal government and irate conservative-led provinces, including Ontario and in the West, as deputy prime minister and minister in charge of a beefed-up intergovernmental affairs department, to be renamed domestic affairs.". Those "insult the leader on their own soil" strategies should work here in Canada.. Looking forward to the fireworks.


https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/justin-trudeau-to-name-new-ministers-for-minority-mandate-wednesday

Where is Trudeau and the Liberals' Concern for Northern Canada and the Arctic? China, Russia Already There

“…But the big news of the white paper was the announcement that China would now include Arctic states in its “Belt and Road Initiative,” one of the most significant economic and geopolitical developments in our 21st-century world. A “Polar Silk Road” if built, will make China a major Arctic influence for decades to come…”.  

For those not familiar with "One Belt, One Road" initiative out of China - an unprecedented infrastructure program (rail, shipping, highways, telecommunications) that will extend throughout and into the southern points of Africa, with goods/commodities/resources hauled out through Kenya/Djibouti through to China by way of Indie and Indonesia, along with transportation infrastructure through many countries out to the port city of Rotterdam in Amsterdam.  Basically a pan-Asian/African/European infrastructure network while picking up "friends" (countries, influence on UN votes) along the way by funding, building and constructing this infrastructure (Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, possilby Iraq, Turkey...).

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/thomas-s-axworthy-as-russia-and-china-step-up-their-arctic-activity-canada-misses-the-boat

SNC Trial Is On: Little Media Coverage

And after being such a prominent election issue, how much media coverage is now on this SNC Lavalin trial?  Justin wanted to protect all of this through a deferred prosecution process?  I wonder what would have happened if SNC was say, an oil and gas company, and facing similar corruption charges?

"...The Crown said it will prove during the trial that SNC-Lavalin eventually transferred more than $113 million to the new company..."

http://nationalpost.com/news/local-news/he-made-calls-says-former-snc-lavalin-executive-of-support-from-gadhafis-son/wcm/a4de24ab-d6a1-4457-afd9-15cab7b9c8ff

Vermillion: Is It Thr Bottom For One of Canada's Most Geographically Diverse Energy Names?

The company and others have been touting the stability of Vermillion's dividend, one of the highest yields in the industry (15.9%) signaling distress.  

It has among other Euripean exposure and is not beholden to Albeta like others.  

Has it reached an inflection point this week? Yes, but if the recession is on the horizon and with Aramco's IPO scheduled soaking up a lot of equity, there could be continued weakness or at nest "flatlining" during this time. 

As juicy as this dividend is the risks of a dividend cut are high.  Mayne not in the next two quarters but within the year . 

Senate: Rarely Any News On the Senate But Now There Is...

Wow the Senate doing what it is supposed to be doing -  acting for regional interests. Shocking!  

At least Alberta/Saskatchewan have another (small) voice beyond opposition party status in a minority government.

http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/new-senators-group-of-11-could-complicate-liberal-efforts-to-get-legislation-passed

Vermillion: Is It Thr Bottom For One of Canada's Most Geographically Diverse Energy Names?

The company and others have been touting the stability of Vermillion's dividend, one of the highest yields in the industry (15.9%) signaling distress.  

It has among other Euripean exposure and is not beholden to Albeta like others.  

Has it reached an inflection point this week? Yes, but if the recession is on the horizon and with Aramco's IPO scheduled soaking up a lot of equity, there could be continued weakness or at nest "flatlining" during this time. 

As juicy as this dividend is the risks of a dividend cut are high.  Mayne not in the next two quarters but within the year .