Canadians Owe Almost $2 Trillion in Debt: Here’s What We’re Reading
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Here’s what we’re reading today.
1. Consumer demand for debt as high as its ever been, Equifax says
“Canadians’ appetite for debt is as insatiable as ever, a new report from credit monitoring firm Equifax says. Equifax calculates that Canadian consumers owed $1.729 trillion at the end of the first quarter, an increase of 6.9 per cent in a year. Not counting mortgage debt, the average Canadian consumer owed $22,125 at the end of March, but on the whole borrowers are managing to stay on top of it.”
– CBC News
2. Another teen suicide puts Northern Ontario First Nation in state of emergency
“Wapekeka First Nation has declared a state of emergency after the suicide of 12-year-old Jenera Roundsky last week sent 35 kids into a mental health crisis and ignited fears that a suicide pact that gripped the community in January still exists.
“Wapekeka band manager Joshua Frogg said ‘this is a very high number for a small community like ours,’ Frogg said of the community of 400 Oji-Cree about 400 kilometres northeast of Sioux Lookout, Ont.”
3. Obama’s secret struggle to punish Russia for Putin’s election assault
“Over that five-month interval, the Obama administration secretly debated dozens of options for deterring or punishing Russia, including cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure, the release of CIA-gathered material that might embarrass Putin and sanctions that officials said could ‘crater’ the Russian economy.”
+1: Trump casts doubt on Russia investigator Mueller – BBC
4. France to ban oil and gas exploration
“France is to stop granting new licences for oil and gas exploration on the mainland and in overseas territories, Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot said Friday.
“‘There will be no new exploration licences for hydrocarbons, we will pass the law this autumn,’ Hulot said”
5. The future of Snapchat filters could allow you to have virtual sex with whoever you want
“Coupled with today’s level of facial tracking, you could soon be able to turn your partner into anyone: celebrities, fictional characters, your ex, or even your friend’s cute fiancé.”
– Quartz
