Perspectives

For many, the word “productivity” evokes thoughts of completing a to-do list or running errands. But in economics, productivity refers to how efficiently a good or service is produced with inputs like labour or energy.  And Canada’s economic productivity has been stalling and it’s impacting our economy.  In this episode, Scotiabank’s Director of Forecasting Patrick Perrier joins us to break down Canada’s productivity problem, explain how it affects Canadians directly and much more.  For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures  Key moments this episode: 1:42 – What economists mean when talking about productivity3:02 – Why productivity should matter to Canadians6:30 – Canada’s productivity performance in recent years8:35 – What caused Canada’s poor productivity11:26 – Why productivity measures are volatile and hard to track12:48 – Is productivity about replacing workers or making them work harder?13:31 – How transformations like the Industrial Revolution and AI affect employment14:52 – Why is productivity especially important for Canada’s success today15:32 – How can countries like Canada improve productivity?17:29 – Is Canada on the right track with productivity?18:37 – Other countries that managed productivity well19:36 – Where to find productivity numbers reported20:04 – Patrick’s main takeaways on productivity

Jean-François Perrault, Scotiabank’s chief economist known for Canadian macro and policy analysis, breaks down the Bank of Canada’s hold at 2.25%. He discusses how Iran-related oil shocks lift inflation risks. He compares regional impacts across provinces and outlines timing risks for future rate moves and mortgage renewals.

You’ve probably received a phone call that looked like it was coming from a reputable institution, but when you pick up you quickly realize something sounds off. Financial scams are becoming more sophisticated, and scammers are even selling their methods online to other fraudsters. These phone calls, phishing emails or questionable text messages target Canadians at every age.   In this episode, we’re joined by Aaron McAllister, Vice President of Fraud Threat Management at Scotiabank and Chris Lynam, the Director General of the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They explain what the latest scam trends look like and the various ways Canadians can protect themselves. You can report cybercrime and fraud online at https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca/. For more information on the latest scams, visit Scotiabank.com/security. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:48 – An intro to Chris' work combatting fraud with the RCMP2:45 – The scale of fraud in Canada according to recent data4:02 – Why fraud seems to have grown so much4:42 – Chris describes the prominent scams targeting Canadians in 20259:08 – Common scams Aaron has seen from his role at Scotiabank10:25 – How scams target people of all ages11:15 – The newest methods fraudsters are using, such as AI and deepfake videos14:14 – Law enforcement's main challenges addressing fraud16:28 – What Scotiabank and other financial institutions can do to combat fraud17:27 – How the Maple Disruption operation brought together organizations to fight fraud18:56 – The importance of education and Scotiabank's partnerships with other organizations20:24 – What Canada can learn from other jurisdictions21:36 – How a multipronged approach took down LabHost25:08 – The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's revamped online report portal27:49 – Aaron's tips for preventing scams29:30 – How to reach seniors with fraud awareness content30:04 – Chris' tips for preventing scams33:21 – Why early disruption is key and more tips from Aaron34:39 – How a 'safe word' can protect families35:19 – Where you can find Scotiabank's latest resources on fraud35:40 – Summarizing tips and the importance of talking about fraud

In this episode, we’re exploring how different generations approach money — and why — with generational research expert, Kim Lear. She'll help us understand how these shifting attitudes can have big repercussions, dispel some stereotypes and help us bridge the generational divide when it comes to finances.   For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures    Key moments this episode:  1:49 – What exactly does an expert at generational research (like Kim) do?  3:50 – Why it's important to study how generational differences impact how people approach money  5:51 – Defining each generation and giving the broad strokes of their approach to money  8:44 – Diving a little deeper on the unique financial situation facing Gen Z  10:01 – Does Gen Z have any advantages when it comes to finances?  12:54 – What tip Kim would give Gen Z for building their wealth  14:48 – What is the ‘guilt of young inheritors’?   17:08 – How has social media influenced how different generations think of wealth and success  18:42 – Are social media trends helping financial literacy?   21:00 – Why transparency between generations has improved  22:44 – How we’ve moved from an ‘environment of secrecy’ to an ‘environment of openness’ when it comes to money  24:13 – Kim's main takeaway from the conversation  25:26 – Bonus question: Which generation does Kim have a soft spot for? 

For the second time in a row, the Bank of Canada held the overnight interest rate at 2.25%. The central bank made the decision citing that little had changed from its 2025 October Monetary Policy Report, so holding rates “remain appropriate” as Canada’s current economic outlook appears uncertain given the re-negotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and evolving trade policies. Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault is back on the podcast to break down the latest rate decision, what it could mean for Canadians and what we could see in the second half of the year.  For legal disclosures, please visit ⁠http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim⁠ and ⁠www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures⁠ Key moments for this episode: 1:12 – JF’s take on the main takeaway from the Bank of Canada’s latest decision 2:39 – JF on the current level of uncertainty and the challenge it poses 4:30 – How the Canadian economy has been “surprisingly resilient” 6:25 – The outlook for economic growth in 2026 7:51 – What is the “structural adjustment” that Canada is going through? 9:29 – What this all means for the average Canadian 10:49 – What does this mean for Canadians looking to buy a home or renew their mortgages? 12:57 – What are the takeaways for businesses? 14:20 – What are the main takeaways for Canadians from this decision?

Athletes like Billie Jean King or Serena and Venus Williams are known to even non-sports fans as iconic trailblazers when it comes to women’s tennis. But there’s another name, a Canadian, who spent a career off the court helping advance women in the sport and beyond: Stacey Allaster. Among her many accomplishments, she was instrumental in securing equal prize money for women, paving the way for the boom in professional women’s sports we’re seeing now. In partnership with the Scotiabank Women Initiative, Stacey is our guest this episode. She tells us the story behind getting that equal prize money, her insights on what it was like being a woman in a male-dominated industry and why it’s important to empower women on the tennis court, in the boardroom and beyond.  For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures     Key moments this episode:  1:57 – What it was like navigating male-dominated spaces throughout her career 4:36 – The significance of getting equal prize money for women in tournaments like Wimbledon and Roland-Garros 10:12 – What this historic accomplishment taught Stacey about leadership 11:51 – With the expansion of leagues like the PWHL and the WNBA, is women’s sports having a moment right now?  15:26 – Why people still have to go the extra mile to make the business case for women’s sports despite the success we’ve seen 17:38 – Why Stacey also finds it important to empower women off the court in fields like finance and business leadership 21:09 – Stacey talks about her early days at Tennis Canada and the impact it had on her 23:35 – The key factor Stacey learned that can help women succeed in business 24:25 – Stacey tells us what’s next for her as she plans to ‘hang up her full-time racket’ 27:00 – Stacey highlights some of her favourite tennis moments from her career 

Yuko Girard, Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Scotia Global Asset Management, lends her expertise on navigating the investment landscape as we head into 2026. She emphasizes the importance of discipline over panic in a volatile market and discusses the impact of tariffs on investment strategies. Yuko also highlights how to differentiate between fleeting market panic and lasting corrections. The conversation dives into the real implications of AI on productivity and suggests that diversification will be crucial in the coming year.

Jean-François Perrault, Chief Economist at Scotiabank, sheds light on the Bank of Canada’s decision to maintain interest rates at 2.25%. He breaks down the surprising resilience of the Canadian economy amidst tariffs and trade uncertainty, attributing it to factors like strong job growth and housing market boosts. Perrault provides an outlook for 2026, suggesting potential rate hikes, and discusses the impact of inflation on food and housing prices. His insights are vital for understanding future economic trends and their implications for consumers.

In this episode, we walk through the ins and outs of modern-day philanthropy with Jacqui Allard, the Group Head of Global Wealth Management and co-executive sponsor of Scotiabank’s Employee Giving Campaign. She has tips on how to simplify and maximize donations, how to figure out where to give, how giving can factor into estate planning at any level and more.  For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures    Key moments this episode:  1:14 – The role charitable giving has played in Jacqui’s life and the three pillars that are important to her when it comes to philanthropy  2:53 – What Jacqui would say to someone who might say, ‘I’m not wealthy, how can I think about giving?’  3:32 – Why it’s important to give  4:03 – How people should decide where to give their money or time  4:57 – Tips of making regular giving easier  6:55 – How philanthropy can play into overall wealth planning  8:57 – The role charitable giving can factor into estate planning  9:37 – Jacqui tells us about the Scotiabank Employee Giving campaign  11:28 – The key takeaway from this discussion 

Canada’s first Indigenous-led, Indigenous-owned investment dealer, Cedar Leaf Capital, just celebrated its one-year anniversary. So, Cedar Leaf’s CEO Clint Davis joins us to walk us through the ups and downs of the first year, the state of Indigenous economic reconciliation, what role organizations like Cedar Leaf play in that process, what the next year might hold and more.  For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures    Key moments this episode:  2:04 – What is Cedar Leaf Capital?  3:43 – How Cedar Leaf Capital came about and what made it historic  5:14 – What exactly is an investment dealer?  6:42 – Clint breaks down year one of Cedar Leaf  9:58 – Clints tells us about Cedar Leaf’s historic all-Indigenous trading desk and what that represents  12:46 – What Prime Minister Carney’s latest nation-building projects represent for organizations like Cedar Leaf and for Indigenous economic reconciliation in general  21:40 – What lessons and challenges has Cedar Leaf faced in the first year?  23:14 – Clint’s goals for the second year of Cedar Leaf Capital