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CLICK TO ENLARGE CHART
Zero U.S. Hiring Expected
Goldman Sach's via Zero Hedge

The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) shows 0% of their members planning to hire.


As reported in the previous post about Canadian business expectations for hiring, the demand for Labour continues to slump.

If you have a job and can supply a couple of years of employment documentation, you probably qualify for a big, huge, enormous mortgage. But if business operator's sentiment is plunging on both sides of the border, it means your income stream is at risk.

In a deflation, zero debt is preferred over zero income.

 
 
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CLICK to enlarge CAD Unemployment & Trade
Unemployment in Canada is not unusual. As can been seen by the top chart to the left, the current (May 2012) unemployment rate is at 7.3% and since the early 1970's the unemployment rate has spent about 80% of the time at or above the current rate. So if the CRB continues to drop as a reflection of the global slowdown, then as hewers, drawers and diggers we can expect to see Canadian unemployment remain elevated. 10% or higher unemployment would not be unusual. Now if we look at the bottom chart we can see that the crash into the March 2009 Pit of Gloom has had a profound effect. Government price control policy has failed big time. The Canadian Trade balance is in deficit and likely to remain there as credit contracts globally. Low interest rates cannot by themselves create demand, and they certainly have not helped Canadians to learn how to be more productive. Imagine if Canadians actually made stuff out of all the resources we have.

 
 
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Canada Unemployment (7.6%) January 2012
Unemployment in Canada ticked up in January 2012 to 7.6%. The near term low was in Q1-2008 when the rate dipped below 6%.

Employment increased in educational services; information, culture and recreation; and in "other services", such as personal and household services. 

There were declines, however, in professional, scientific and technical services; and in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing.