

Perspectives
Scotiabank Perspectives
Each week we help break down the important economic issues on Canadians’ minds. With our unique access to leading experts, timely insights and helpful explainers, we navigate the latest in the world of finance, housing, business, the markets — and more.
For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures
For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 14, 2025 • 19min
The business strategy behind the PWHL’s success
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) recently announced they'll be adding two new teams next season and league-wide attendance has now surpassed the 1 million mark. What’s been the key to this still-young league’s huge success? Jayna Hefford, the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations for the PWHL and a four-time Olympic gold medalist with Team Canada, tells us how the business strategy behind the league helped propel it beyond a successful launch and into part of what’s becoming a cultural movement.
For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures
Key moments this episode:
2:02 – Jayna's overall assessment of the PWHL’s second season so far
3:36 – What surprised Jayna about the make-up of the fans
4:23 – The strategy to sustain fan excitement for the second season
5:20 – How a mandate from leadership helped enable some of the league's innovations
7:53 – Why has this iteration of professional woman’s hockey gained traction?
10:16 – How does the PWHL attract talent?
11:25 – How viewership has changed since the league started and how that's helped growth
12:43 – The role the PWHL plays in wider societal change
15:08 – A look ahead to next season
16:32 – What the success of the PWHL means personally to Jayna

7 snips
May 7, 2025 • 32min
How much can free trade between provinces help Canada’s economy?
As talk of U.S. tariffs continues to dominate headlines, one potential homegrown way to mitigate the effects keeps cropping up: interprovincial trade. But just how much impact would removing or reducing the existing barriers to trade between provinces actually have? John McNally, Economist and Senior Policy Advisor at Scotiabank, is our guest to tell us what the main roadblocks to interprovincial trade are, what the newly-elected Liberal government plans to do about the issue and give us a reality check on just how much of an impact reducing these barriers might have on the Canadian economy.
For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures
Key moments this episode:
1:29 – How realistic are the estimates of the potential impact of reducing interprovincial trade barriers on GDP ?
2:01 – How much trade currently happens within Canada? And how important is it to the economy?
3:30 – How much of Canada's international trade is with the U.S.?
4:36 – Which sectors do interprovincial trade barriers impact the most?
10:04 – Some examples of the current barriers to trading between provinces
12:31 – How labour mobility is affected by interprovincial barriers
14:56 – How difficult is it to actually reduce these barriers?
17:12 – What about the EU? Is there anything we can learn from their model?
18:47 – What difference has the Canadian Free Trade Agreement made and is that something that can be built on?
20:40 – What has Mark Carney promised on the campaign trail around interprovincial trade?
24:34 – What’s a realistic boost to GDP that we might expect to see if we reduce trade barriers between provinces? And what’s stopping us from getting there?
28:10 – John gives a sense of the scale of trade between provinces vs. trade with the U.S.
30:42 – Why lowering interprovincial trade barriers isn't a silver bullet

Apr 23, 2025 • 29min
Investing Through the Ages, Part 1: What to set aside (and how) during your working years
No matter what stage you're at in life, saving and investing can seem daunting. That’s why this episode, we're bringing you the first of a two-part series we’re calling Investing Through the Ages. In it, we’ll work our way through different age groups and break down how they should be thinking about saving and investing at each stage along the way. In this installment, we’re focusing on what experts call the accumulation stage – roughly age 25 to 50. These are most people’s core working years where they accumulate the majority of their wealth. Devon Lacombe, Vice President of Retail Investments at Scotiabank, is our guest and has some practical tips on how to balance short-term and long-term savings goals during this pivotal phase. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 2:05 – Devon explains what the accumulation phase is 3:44 – The start of the accumulation stage: how should people be investing and saving in their 20s and 30s 4:36 – A key tool to ensure people are hitting their saving and investment goals during this period 5:48 – The first type of account people should be thinking of during this phase 8:11 – What about people who are carrying student debt? How should they approach saving? 9:43 – The benefits of starting to save and invest early 10:53 – At what point should someone talk to an advisor when it comes to saving and investing? 11:55 – A mistake Devon made early in her accumulation stage and the lesson she learned from it 13:04 – The next potential milestone during the accumulation stage: home ownership. How does that factor into investing and saving goals? 14:06 – A primer on the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) 15:55 – How much of your income should go towards home expenses? 17:11 – What about buying a house as an investment? 18:32 – Another milestone during this phase: having children. Devon explains how an RESP works 19:27 – How to prioritize saving and investing when financial responsibilities are piling up during this phase 22:31 – How to approach investing during the next major life milestone: middle age (and a good benchmark for what you should have saved for retirement at this point) 24:50 – How should wealth transfer from parents impact financial planning? 26:02 – Planning for the next phase (and our next installment of this series): the decumulation stage

Apr 16, 2025 • 21min
Bank of Canada 'coin toss' lands with a hold amid global economic uncertainty
The Bank of Canada announced that it held its policy interest rate steady at 2.75% — a pause after seven consecutive cuts — as uncertainty about tariffs and the economy continues to cloud the global outlook. Experts were split on whether the central bank would deliver a cut or a hold. Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault returns to break down the announcement, provide some context around why the Bank of Canada went this direction, what it might say about the state of the economy, take stock of where we are with the ever-evolving global tariffs and much more. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:11- JF’s main takeaway from the Bank of Canada’s latest decision 1:54 - Was a hold the right call? 2:45 - What did we learn from the latest inflation data for March about the impact on the economy? 3:49 - The Bank of Canada laid out two illustrative scenarios for the economy, as it is difficult to create a forecast with so much uncertainty. JF explains why this is so rare, and walks us through the central bank’s two scenarios 5:52 - What does JF forecast as the most likely scenario? 7:17 - What is the probability of a severe recession in Canada? 8:56 - An overview of the current state of tariffs in Canada and internationally 12:00 - Are higher costs for businesses and suppliers starting to pass through to consumers? 13:08 - What are the impacts on Canada’s jobs market? 14:23 - What has the ripple effect been on the country’s housing market? 16:07 - JF’s cautious outlook for upcoming Bank of Canada’s decisions 18:22 - Main takeaways for Canadians

Apr 9, 2025 • 29min
What is Indigenous economic power? An interview with author and entrepreneur, Carol Anne Hilton
In this episode, our guest is Indigenous entrepreneur, CEO and founder of the Indigenomics Institute, Carol Anne Hilton. Her first book, Indigenomics: Taking a Seat at the Economic Table came out in 2021. Her new book is titled The Rise of Indigenous Economic Power: Deconstructing Indian Act Economics. You’ll hear a conversation between Carol Anne and Clint Davis, CEO of Cedar Leaf Capital, the first Indigenous-led, Indigenous-owned investment dealer in Canada. They talk about her new book, the massive potential of the Indigenous economy in Canada and more. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:30 – Carol Anne gives us an overview of her new book, The Rise of Indigenous Economic Power: Deconstructing Indian Act Economics 2:20 – What she aimed to accomplish with this second book 3:25 – Defining what Carol Anne’s new book calls Indian Act economics 6:03 – How the 1876 Indian Act still impacts Indigenous economic development today 8:25 - How Indian Act economics also impacts non-Indigenous Canadians 10:57 – Carol Anne tells us about the ‘phenomenal rise of Indigenous entrepreneurs’ 13:48 – The goal of creating a 100-billion-dollar Indigenous economy in Canada 17:12 – Why traditional GDP may not properly capture Indigenous economic power and strength 18:43 - Do we need to get rid of the Indian Act in order to fully unleash the economic potential of Indigenous Peoples? 20:30 – What is the role of the federal government to empower Indigenous economic growth? 22:30 - What does Indigenous economic power look like today and how is it shifting? 24:58 – How the unique location that Carol Anne wrote part of the book helped clarify the themes she was writing about 26:21 – Why focusing on Indigenous economic inclusion is especially important during these times of economic uncertainty

Apr 2, 2025 • 25min
More than just fishing - breaking down the diverse and vibrant Atlantic Canadian economy
When they think about the economy of Canada’s Atlantic provinces — New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador — no doubt many Canadians’ minds first go to the fishing industry. But it's so much more than that. In fact, the Atlantic economy has taken on a new sense of vibrancy and diversity in recent years. Scotiabank’s Atlantic Regional Senior Vice President Nicola Ray Smith and David Chaundy, the President and CEO of The Atlantic Economic Council, join us to help break down the current state of the economy in Atlantic Canada. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:54 – David gives us a snapshot of the Atlantic Canadian economy 4:22 – What Nicola is hearing from her clients about the general mood around the Atlantic Canadian economy 6:18 – David gives a surprising stat about the Atlantic Canada fishing industry and a primer about what other industries play a significant role 9:24 – What sector is a growth area in the region? 9:53 – What other Canadians may be surprised about when it comes to the Atlantic Canadian economy 13:40 – How population growth and shifting demographics factor into the economics of the region 17:35 – Both guests tell us what they see as the biggest challenges are for the Atlantic provinces from an economic perspective, as well as the biggest opportunities 22:56 – Nicola reflects on the significance of Scotiabank’s history in the region

Mar 26, 2025 • 28min
As Canadians head to the polls, a challenge to strengthen the Canadian economy
A federal election in Canada is just a few weeks away and top of mind for many voters is the economy and the volatile trade situation with the U.S. Rebekah Young, Vice President and Head of Inclusion and Resilience Economics at Scotiabank, is our guest to tell us how the election could be an opportunity to think about how we make the Canadian economy more resilient and less vulnerable to external forces. Check out the Scotiabank Economics full report, Owning the Podium in Canada’s Federal Elections for more. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosuresKey moments this episode: 1:40 – The crux of what this new Scotiabank Economics report is asking of campaigning politicians 2:57 – The specific number the report says politicians should be aiming for when it comes to economic growth (and why it was chosen)6:43 – Why this challenge is necessary 9:26 – What are the policies a government might implement to achieve these goals? 14:01 – How is the responsibility divided up between public and the private sector? 17:10 – How the threat of tariffs and economic uncertainty are making us rethink things like interprovincial trade and regulation 20:00 – Some of the short term or temporary measures that could help achieve the proposed economic goal in the report 23:57 – What Rebekah and the economics team will be looking for as the campaign rolls out 27:07 – What should Canadians be looking for in an election campaign?

Mar 12, 2025 • 14min
Unpacking the latest interest rate cut as tariff situation escalates
Jean-François Perrault, Scotiabank’s Chief Economist, breaks down the implications of the Bank of Canada’s recent interest rate cut. He discusses the uncertainty affecting Canadians, including inflation trends and possible recession risks linked to tariff impacts. Perrault analyzes whether the rate cut was the right move and shares his thoughts on potential future adjustments. He provides reassuring insights for Canadians concerned about their financial decisions amidst these economic fluctuations.

Mar 6, 2025 • 21min
Navigating the markets in a world of tariffs
Severe U.S. tariffs were imposed on Canada and Mexico this week, and the situation continues to evolve by the hour. Regardless of how long they last or if some sort of compromise is found, many Canadians are worried about the potential impact on their portfolios. Here to help us make sense of all this market uncertainty is Andy Nasr, Chief Investment Officer at Scotiabank Global Wealth Management. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:50 – Giving some historical perspective around how the U.S. tariffs compare to other recent economic crises 7:04 – What Andy is hearing from clients and investors vs. the reality of the situation 12:45 – What Andy would tell the average investor in terms of how to navigate the current situation and why time-tested investing principles still apply 16:44 – Why a little perspective may help investors during this unusual time

Feb 26, 2025 • 18min
8 simple tips to protect yourself from the latest scams
March is Fraud Prevention Month and Tammy McKinnon, Scotiabank’s Senior Vice President of Global Fraud Management is back to bring us up to speed on the latest scams and has eight simple tips for how to avoid falling victim. For more fraud prevention resources, check out Scotiabank’s Cybersecurity and Fraud Hub. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 0:01 – What is ‘pig butchering’ and how did it become the most costly online scam of 2024? 1:54 – What about demographics? Are certain groups the target of scams? 2:21 – Breaking down the latest scams: what is quishing? 3:39 – Ticket sales scams 4:37 – What is ‘loyalty fraud’? 5:31 – Fraud prevention tip #1: create a code word 7:37 – Fraud prevention tip #2: beware of deepfakes 10:05 – Fraud prevention tip #3: slow down 11:46 – Fraud prevention tip #4: limit what you share on social media 13:05 – Fraud prevention tip #5: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is 13:51 – Fraud prevention tip #6: always verify the people contacting you 15:04 – Fraud prevention tip #7: monitor your accounts 16:54 – Fraud prevention tip #8: educate yourself


