Monopoly money no more?

[Chips]

The Canadian dollar is now at $0.9864 American. With the economy of the United States as is right now, the Canadian dollar is supposed to soar over the American dollar very soon.

This is not just bad for Canada, but bad for the United States as well. :/

[Kaylia]

Are we going up, or US $ is going down? Anyway, it's not like it matter, because price barely changed in the past 10 years, despite the $ going from 0.60$US to 0.98

[Chicomagiko]

Time to start buying up gold.

[aurik]

Time to start buying up euros.

[Elesirdur]

I was down in Portland, OR a few weeks ago on a vacation with my girlfriend and we found it very affordable. At that time we exchanged our Canadian dollars at about 1CAD/0.92USD and considering there's no sales tax in Oregon and stuff like clothing was generally much cheaper than at home in Victoria it was great. Even the cigarettes were cheaper.

However, it's putting a pinch on Canadian exports. As the U.S. housing market softens, lumber exports are going down and prices are getting high in the U.S. for quality British Columbian softwood lumber. If these trends continue for another few years we could be facing another mid-90s like recession in the forestry sector here in B.C. with more mill closures and new ghost towns.

On the flip side, I hope this gets U.S. retailers to stop fucking gouging Canadians on consumer products. Even though the Canadian dollar is nearly at parity, a lot of items like clothing, video games, cars, etc. all have these crazy price hikes that are based on the 75cent Canadian dollar. For instance: I bought a cardigan at American Apparel in Portland for like $30 US. It had a tag on it with US/CDN/UK/EURO prices and the CDN price was like $45. Unfortunately, Canadian consumers don't have much of a choice but to accept these prices at both locally owned and corporate/franchise retailers. However, if certain companies start pricing things at more equal values I bet they will have more sales as a result of lower prices in Canada.

Just an example. I'm looking at Best Buy's Canada and US websites as I write this. BioShock for the 360 is $59.99 on both sides of the border. However, a Sony BRAVIA 32" LCD TV is $899.99 in the U.S. but $1099.99 in Canada. I know there are additional shipping and charges to get stuff to Canada (because if there's a store in Western Canada, the freight ends up going to Ontario first to a national distribution warehouse, then out West, even if the item first got to North America through the port of Los Angeles, it still get put on a freight train through Chicago or the midwest up into Ontario to take a 3000km detour to get to Vancouver.)

[aurik]

Cross-border shop. Live it, love it. Prices will catch up eventually.

[Elesirdur]

Oh and the U.S. dollar is falling, to answer Kayla's question. The greenback has been on a pretty steady slide downward for the last 24+ months. As the U.S. dollar continues to decline, expect to see some extremely heavy pressure from China to get the Remminbi (RMB) unpegged from the U.S. Dollar; a financial issue that China has been attacking the states over for nearly a decade.

[aurik]

Oh and the U.S. dollar is falling, to answer Kayla's question. The greenback has been on a pretty steady slide downward for the last 24+ months. As the U.S. dollar continues to decline, expect to see some extremely heavy pressure from China to get the Renminbi (RMB) unpegged from the U.S. Dollar; a financial issue that China has been attacking the states over for nearly a decade.

You got your facts reversed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_re ... hange_rate
China's the one doing the pegging, US are the one who are pressuring them to stop.

[sephir]

The canadian Dollar is rising due to Oil in Alberta aswell as a strong economy in the last few years(greater demand for Canadian Dollar = value jumps), where as the US economy is dropping because of Imports of Oil, housing market and need for more imports due to various recent events(less demand for US dollars).
Not to mention China and Japan are kicking ass and taking names in terms of import/export business, China hardly imports US goods while exporting HUGE amounts to you guys. Part of this is causing the decline aswell as large trade deficit.

Also all the conomists are predicting a large US recession come Fall/Winter, although with economics not being an exact science I wouldnt put my money on either option...

[Exoduso]

What do you know, the canadian dollar is worth something now.

[Haelian]

I thought this thread was going to be about how there's a new Monopoly game where you use swiping cards instead of fake cash. It would make it easier than fumbling around with the fake bills, sure. But then how are you gonna cheat?

[Lordwafik]

Just an example. I'm looking at Best Buy's Canada and US websites as I write this. BioShock for the 360 is $59.99 on both sides of the border. However, a Sony BRAVIA 32" LCD TV is $899.99 in the U.S. but $1099.99 in Canada. I know there are additional shipping and charges to get stuff to Canada (because if there's a store in Western Canada, the freight ends up going to Ontario first to a national distribution warehouse, then out West, even if the item first got to North America through the port of Los Angeles, it still get put on a freight train through Chicago or the midwest up into Ontario to take a 3000km detour to get to Vancouver.)

I hear ya.

Right now, Australian dollar = .85 US cents.

Super Mario Galaxy will launch for 49.99 USD in the states, but 99.95 AUD in Australia. Which means we will be paying the rough equivelant of 85 USD for it. It's very retarded, and we get charged as if we're still in the late 90s when 1 AUD = .45 USD.

It's a sad fact when aside the cost of housing, the price of living in California/NY is cheaper than living in Australia (well no idea about the other states, but sydney sucks )

Fun fact : Cheaper to import consoles and games from overseas then buy them from the stores here. Even enduring the shipping cost, and the price of the power converter.

[Oxx]

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...03371020.A.jpg

[Bartylby]

I thought this thread was going to be about how there's a new Monopoly game where you use swiping cards instead of fake cash. It would make it easier than fumbling around with the fake bills, sure. But then how are you gonna cheat?

me too :\

lol

[Fhqwghads]

Christ, if this keeps up I can't make fun of Canada anymore.

[Chips]

The Canadian dollar peaked at 1.006 American last night, but has dropped back down below .99 (I can't find the exact number), but economists are saying the CND dollar should be at 1.05 within the next few weeks or so.

[Elesirdur]

Oh and the U.S. dollar is falling, to answer Kayla's question. The greenback has been on a pretty steady slide downward for the last 24+ months. As the U.S. dollar continues to decline, expect to see some extremely heavy pressure from China to get the Renminbi (RMB) unpegged from the U.S. Dollar; a financial issue that China has been attacking the states over for nearly a decade.

You got your facts reversed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_re ... hange_rate
China's the one doing the pegging, US are the one who are pressuring them to stop.

Thank you for the correction.

Edit: Wow, looking at some of the sources in that article from the World Bank and IMF, based on purchasing power parity, that the RMB could be worth nearly 650% of its 2005-2007 values 0_o

[Exoduso]

Christ, if this keeps up I can't make fun of Canada anymore.

I know..

[Charla]

It's ok, just make fun of it like Canadians themselves do. Or you could just be lazy and call it Canadia, and say aboot over and over.