Life in Canada

Treat all smartphones as uncontrolled endpoints. Smartphone users' identities can be stolen, hacked or inappropriately shared. Smartphones can get lost, stolen or borrowed. Device identification technology uses serial number information to allow organizations to associate a specific smartphone to a specific user. This provides a watermark for the device, and allows IT to remotely disable it and erase all sensitive data.

The use of smartphones as business tools has reached a tipping point. Soon, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access devices worldwide. As a result, employees will look less to corporate IT as a source for technical leadership. As mobile phones provide cutting-edge smartphone technology, employees will look to consumer-oriented vendors that cater to their own personal Free White Paper Download: How Behavioral Analytics Fuels More Personalized Marketing needs, rather than those of their employers.

The issue is that consumer smartphone platforms are inherently insecure, as mobile network endpoint devices are exposed to the threats of the Web. Whether corporate-issued or personally owned, smartphones easily move in and out of the network, traversing internal and external firewalls. It is harder for IT to control what users do with their smartphone devices -- and consequently, to keep them from exposing business data to security threats.

A smartphone that can access the network via a wireless access point represents the same kind of threat as any other endpoint. The only difference is that a phone is less likely to be running the very latest (if any!) antimalware security software.
Greater Vulnerability

The proliferation of smartphones in corporate environments creates a new and wider potential for data loss and leakage, whether by theft, unauthorized access or unauthorized transmission. As with any mobile endpoint on the network, password and authorization security are paramount to securing network access at the gateway. In addition, a growing amount of sensitive and proprietary data is lost and leaked via smartphone email attachments and FTP uploads -- whether unintentionally or maliciously.

Smartphone content is more vulnerable to loss or theft, as network access codes, usernames and passwords are often unsecured or set for automatic log-on. Consumers who "jailbreak" phones to customize carriers or features often leave themselves open to root password hacks.

Moreover, the same threats that traditionally plague computer operating systems can attack smartphones when they are being transmitted in emails, social media sites, games, screen savers, pictures, text messages, tweets, audio clips, slide shows -- or in some cases, by shady URL-shortening services.

Smartphones can magnify malware distributions that employ email spam, phishing, pharming and pretexting. Because smartphones represent a more intimate communications channel than computers, users are more likely to interact with files masquerading as personal communications.

Likewise, users cannot as easily detect cues that a website is a false front on a handset with a small screen. While the infection may not be apparent, even after the phone has been compromised, the malware file can still propagate into an IP network from the unsecured handset endpoint.

Further, the preponderance of interactive Web 2.0 and streaming media traffic over smartphones can potentially affect wireless network throughput. Some of these applications, such as streaming video applications, constantly evolve to avoid control. In addition, like any Web-facing endpoint device running applications over the network, smartphones present a potential channel for forced denial-of-service attacks.
10 Best Practices

Corporate use of smartphones demands a universal, approach to security best practices, which treat all smartphones as uncontrolled endpoints. Organizations should strongly consider implementation of the following best practices using currently available technologies such as SSL VPNs and next-generation firewalls with application intelligence and control.

1. Establish corporate smartphone policy. IT should define and communicate a corporate smartphone use policy, even if difficult to enforce on personal devices. For example, a policy might recommend having users set strong passwords to access their devices; require smartphone antivirus and antimalware software installation; require lost or stolen smartphones that connect to the network to be reported to IT immediately; etc.

2. Treat all smartphones as uncontrolled endpoints. Smartphone users' identities can be stolen, hacked or inappropriately shared. Smartphones can get lost, stolen or borrowed. Device identification technology uses serial number information to allow organizations to associate a specific smartphone to a specific user. This provides a watermark for the device, and allows IT to remotely disable it and erase all sensitive data.

3. Establish SSL VPN access to corporate resources. Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Networking (SSL VPN) can provide a centralized SSL VPN portal for authenticated and encrypted Web-based access to network resources from multiple smartphone operating systems (e.g., Windows, Symbian, BlackBerry, iOS and Android).

4. Comprehensively scan all smartphone traffic. To protect network resources adequately against sophisticated smartphone-transmitted attacks, IT should deploy a Next-Generation Firewall that conducts deep packet inspection of all smartphone traffic traversing the SSL VPN.

5. Control encryption and decryption of smartphone traffic. IT should ensure encryption of smartphone traffic while in transit between the device and the network gateway using SSL VPN. In addition, IT must be able to decrypt smartphone traffic for comprehensive scanning using DPI SSL, and re-encrypt it for subsequent transmission.

6. Maximize firewall throughput to eliminate latency. To minimize impact upon latency-sensitive applications, such as videoconferencing, voice over IP (VoIP), and real-time interactive Web 2.0 applications, the next-generation firewall platform must be able to comprehensively scan and prioritize smartphone traffic in real-time.

7. Establish controls over smartphone application traffic. Smartphone users rely heavily upon Web 2.0 applications, and are especially prone to their inherent threats and vulnerabilities. Application intelligence and control technology can extend firewall functionality to identify, categorize, control and report upon application usage over the network.

8. Establish smartphone wireless access security. Most consumer smartphones have WiFi functionality and are highly vulnerable to attacks while connected to unencrypted WiFi hotspots. Security for corporate wireless networks has to be at least on par with wired networks that run deep packet inspection, by running traffic through a comprehensive firewall. For employees connecting back to the network over public hotspots, IT should apply SSL VPN connectivity and deep packet inspection at the network gateway.

9. Manage smartphone VoIP traffic. As VoIP is used more frequently as a corporate communications platform, it will play an increasing role in smartphone Web traffic. VoIP traffic is susceptible to quality-of-service issues such as latency, jitter, packet loss and echo. Application-intelligent bandwidth management can dedicate throughput to latency-sensitive smartphone applications such as VoIP, as well as limit bandwidth-consuming traffic, such as YouTube.

10. Manage smartphone traffic bandwidth. Organizations need to protect the converged voice-and-data communications that today's smartphones feature. At the same time, corporations need to continue to optimize quality of service and bandwidth management through wire-speed throughput (low latency) and bandwidth control, as well as prioritization on a per-application and per-user basis.

In summary, corporate use of smartphones demands a universal, platform-agnostic approach to security best practices that treats all smartphones as uncontrolled endpoints. Organizations can implement these best practices using currently available technologies, such as SSL VPNs and next-generation firewalls with application intelligence and control

The Omega Foundation says it carried out research that found huge numbers of low-income Canadians were unaware of registered education savings plans and the grants that Ottawa provides to help RESPs grow faster.

"The government of Canada's RESP and Canada Learning Bond programs help families to save for their children's education, but many low-income families don't know about and don't benefit from these useful financial tools," said Omega chairman Martin Connell.

Bonds left unclaimed

The Canada Learning Bond (CLB) is available only for lower-income families (those with net incomes below $40,900). It provides an initial tax-free grant of $500 for the RESP of every child born in 2004 or later whose family qualifies for the National Child Benefit Supplement and $100 for every following year, up to a total of $2,000.

Families don't need to put any money into the RESP to receive that bond money; they just need to set up an RESP and apply for the money.

The Omega Foundation estimates that the families of 81 per cent of eligible children — almost 900,000 in all — had not applied for the grant money they were entitled to.

The foundation hopes to raise awareness of the bond specifically and of the benefits of RESPs generally, because they both encourage post-secondary attendance for children who might not otherwise go.

"Saving for a child's education not only helps to ensure that they'll have the funds to pursue their goals; it also encourages them from a younger age to view higher education as an achievable part of their future," Connell says.

Studies have shown that kids with even small education savings nest eggs are much more likely to go on to pursue post-secondary education.

Social Media Sites Targeted by Competition Bureau in International Sweep

OTTAWA, September 24, 2010 — AT LAST: The Competition Bureau announced today that it is participating, with members of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), in a joint Internet sweep to expose fraudulent and deceptive advertising on social networking sites. I am proud to say I have been campaigning for years on this front. Apathy reigns still in Nova Scotia and this in my opinion is due to poor information on this issue, resident of Nova Scotia are very much in need of proper accurate 'easily got' information.

More than 16 million Canadians are active users of social media sites. Marketers and advertisers have targeted these platforms. The international sweep is designed to identify unscrupulous fraudsters who may use social media sites to target those most likely to fall victim to their scams.

Here are some tips on how to avoid getting caught up in an Internet scam:

* Be vigilant when evaluating ads, sending money or giving credit card or account details.
* Know who you are dealing with. Be aware of any unsolicited phone calls, emails, text messages or letters from unknown sources.
* Search for the company, the individuals, the product or the offer on the Internet and verify any contact and company details.
* Trustworthy businesses will rarely contact you, particularly by email, phone or text message, to ask for personal details, banking or financial information.
* Keep in mind that wiring money is like sending cash – the sender has no protection against loss.
* Beware of ads that promise too much – if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is!

Consumers should also take measures to protect themselves in the online environment. It is important to install reputable computer security software and keep it up to date. Use a spam filter and a firewall to avoid malicious software damaging your computer and stealing your personal information. Consumers should also avoid clicking on links to Web sites contained in unsolicited emails or online messages.

TORONTO - A controversial bill on northern land development has been passed in the Ontario legislature, despite the objections of First Nations and many northern communities.

The Liberal government's legislation aims to protect at least 225,000 square kilometres of boreal forest from development — up to 21 per cent of Ontario's land mass.

Several First Nations leaders have demanded that the government scrap Bill 191, saying it violates their treaty rights and doesn't give them a say in how their lands will be developed.

They've also accused Premier Dalton McGuinty of lying to them by promising not to pass the legislation without their approval.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a political organization which represents 49 First Nations, has warned there will be unrest in the north and no certainty for would-be investors if the bill is passed.

NAN, which also has the support of the Assembly of First Nations, has vowed to use "any means necessary'" to protect its treaty rights.

The NDP said the government's refusal to back down will jeopardize several projects aimed at boosting economic development in the north, such as the Ring of Fire chromite deposit near James Bay.

Almost 60 per cent of Canadians live paycheque to paycheque and say they'd be in financial difficulty if their paycheque were a week late. I have met Canadians who have nothing much in the fridge or freeze. Not due to poor planning but because of the high continuos increases in food costs. In the Atlantic region little shopping choices for food allow food MONOPOLIES to charge what they like. A missing or late paycheque would hit them very hard. Is this why APATHY appears to reign in Canada because employees are so scared of losing their jobs. I ask You...?

A new survey from the Canadian Payroll Association released Monday showed some troubling signs about Canadians' personal finances.

It is the second year that the agency has undertaken the payroll survey.

Almost half of respondents to a national survey said they are saving five per cent or less of their income. Financial planning experts generally recommend a retirement savings rate of about 10 per cent of net pay and hoard three months' worth of expenses in an emergency fund.

Although they don't appear to be having much success doing so, 60 per cent of respondents said they were trying to save more money than they used to. The remaining 40 per cent said they were not trying to save any money.

"The most significant result of Canadians continuing to live paycheque to paycheque is its impact on their concerns about personal finances and retirement," CPA chair Cindy Forget said.

Younger workers feel especially vulnerable, with 65 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 35 saying they would find it difficult to make ends meet if they missed a single paycheque.

More than two thirds (69 per cent) of respondents said it would be difficult to find comparable employment with a similar salary if they lost their job.

For the survey, the agency interviewed 2,766 Canadian employees across the country. The survey is considered to be accurate within 1.86 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

It was taken between June of 2009 and July of 2010.

A generation or so ago, our universe was thought by many then, brilliant scientists to be a closed system that had neither beginning nor end. The existence of the cosmos was regarded as a "brute fact" and needed nothing to produce it. The modern and well-nigh universally accepted by the new brilliant scientists theory of the big bang changed all that.

If the universe did have a beginning, it becomes not only reasonable
but also unavoidable that we would ask what generated that beginning.
Now, however, we have left physics (i.e., how nature works) for
meta-physics (i.e., why nature exists at all).

This is the point at which a theist calls attention to a traditional
and powerful argument for God's existence. If the material universe has
not existed forever, the possibilities are limited. Either it somehow
called itself into being or was brought into being by an eternal
Creative God. From Plato to Polkinghorne, Aristotle to Aquinas, Darwin
to Davies, this argument has been offered.

In his recently released book "The Grand Design," Stephen Hawking gives
this answer:

As recent advances in cosmology suggest, the laws of gravity and
quantum theory allow universes to appear spontaneously from
nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something
rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist. It is
not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set
the universe going.

Something has existed forever.

Hawking insists the "laws of gravity" and "quantum mechanics" explain
how something comes from nothing. But, gravity cannot be defined
without mass and quantum mechanics accounts for certain interactions
between energy and matter. Both have demonstrated value for
understanding how existing things function; neither has obvious value
to account for the origin of those things.

We need not pretend that ultimate questions such as Hawking raises are
too profound for "ordinary souls" to contemplate; they are central to
defining oneself and deciding on the value and meaning of one's life.
Neither should we pretend that statements such as "something can come
from nothing" or "life arose spontaneously and inevitably produced
intelligent human life" is somehow plausible because spoken by a
brilliant physicist; both are un-demonstrated theories that deny the
more obvious and direct conclusion of a Grand Designer.

If there had ever been a time when absolutely nothing existed, nothing
could exist now. Since something clearly has existed forever, you take
your pick: Person or matter, Intelligence or gravity, Creative God or
quantum mechanics.

To say the least, the following thesis is reasonable: "In the
beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1)

OTTAWA - Canada's unemployment rate rose to over eight per cent in August, providing new evidence the slowing economy is taking a toll on the country's previously buoyant labour market.

Statistics Canada said the jobless rate increased one-tenth of a point to 8.1 per cent even though the economy actually created 35,800 net new jobs that month.

But the gain in the number of jobs was overshadowed by the fact than even more Canadians were actively looking for work in August than a month earlier, bringing the number of officially unemployed to 1.5 million.

The rise in the unemployed brought fresh calls for Ottawa to extend the program that expanded Employment Insurance benefits by five weeks.

Earlier in the week, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty called the rollback a "mistake," and the federal Liberals have also asked the Harper government to consider new stimulus.

The Canadian Labour Congress said Friday that once discouraged workers are factored in, the underlying unemployment rate is 11.6 per cent.

“The federal government is walking away from workers and their families at a time when unemployment remains high and the economic recovery is fragile,” CLC president Ken Georgetti said in a news release.

Ottawa is ending a program that offered extended EI benefits to longer-term workers. The government has also announced that it will shut down its package of stimulus spending by the end of March 2011, and a federal panel is recommending a hike in the EI premiums paid by workers.

The reversal in the unemployment rate had been forecast by economists, but not alas by Harper, and may cause Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to pause from raising interest rates once more in October after three straight monthly hikes, said CIBC economist Krishen Rangasamy.

In a speech in Calgary, Carney highlighted the risks to the recovery in Canada and the world and said he would "chart a careful course" on monetary policy going forward. Mr. Carney should get wonderful Canada on track first..eh

The Bank of Canada (read government) is the only central bank among the G7 advanced economies to embark on a monetary tightening path, having raised interest rates three times in about as many months. On Tuesday the bank's trendsetting rate was raised another quarter point to one per cent.

This is the first time the unemployment rate has been above eight per cent since May, and the report was even weaker than the headline numbers suggest.

Harper Mathmatics:
While the economy created jobs last month, analysts all but dismissed the gain as a "technical" correction.

They had previously warned the jobs number should carry a caveat, since it was expected that the outsized 65,000 contract educational workers that were reported as out-of-work in July would be re-hired in August.

And in fact, that is what happened with the sector picking up 68,000 workers. Discounting the seasonal variation in the sector would mean the economy actually shed jobs last month.

"With this gain, employment in this industry is back to levels observed during the first six months of the year," the agency said, noting similar volatility had occurred in past summers.

In an additional note, the agency said averaging out July and August shows the labour market is slowing noticeably with an average pickup of 13,000 jobs during the summer months, compared with 51,000 for the first six months of the year.

The summer of 2010 was also a difficult time for students searching for work. The category averaged a 16.8 per cent unemployment rate from May to August, better than during last year's recession, but about three points worse than in 2008.

Still, the agency said with the new gains, Canada has recouped all of the jobs lost during the 2008-2009 slump, although the unemployment rate remains about two points higher and the number officially unemployed remains about 400,000 above pre-recession levels.

Since July last year, the economy has created 430,000 jobs, of which about two-thirds are part-time work.

TD Bank economist Derek Burleton said Canada's labour market has performed remarkably well in the past year, but with both the Canadian and U.S. economies slowing, the picture in the near term is not as bright.

"It reflects the reality of the U.S. recovery, which will be quite slow," Burleton said. "We're not looking at a commodity boom, housing is slowing in Canada, the consumer is tapped and government (hiring is weak). When you added all up, it's going to be a more challenging environment for job creation."

Burleton pointed out that although about 80,000 full-time jobs were created in August — offset by 44,000 part-time losses — most were in the public sector, such as those educational jobs. The private sector actually contracted by 40,000 workers.

The mixed nature of Friday's report gives ammunition to both those who support the government's decision to continue with withdrawing the expansion of benefits for the unemployed, and those who believe more help is needed.

On Thursday, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Ottawa would not renew a program to offer five extra weeks of employment insurance benefits when the program expires this month.

Factoring out the seasonal education jobs, August shows that the economy actually lost about 32,000 jobs, said labour economist Erin Weir of the United Steelworkers.

"With more than 1.5 million Canadians still officially unemployed, the government should renew that benefit extension," he said.

Statistics Canada said there was little change in the employment picture in most provinces, with the exception of Quebec, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, which saw the biggest gains relative to their population.

Employment rose in construction, professional, scientific and technical services, and in natural services. The battered manufacturing sector continued to struggle, however, giving up 26,000 workers.

Why am I not amazed..and this is without the new rate hike and its affects on Exports ..so sad.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's trade deficit widened more than expected in July as exports to the United States sank because of anemic demand while overall imports surged to their highest level since November 2008.

The shortfall in July totaled C$2.74 billion ($2.66 billion), Statistics Canada said on Thursday, more than triple the deficit forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll of C$810 million.

Statscan revised its estimate of the June trade deficit to C$1.81 billion from C$1.13 billion previously. Why do they keep revising figures..are they scared to show the true figures at the time..?

Exports in July fell 0.7 percent to C$32.80 billion, below the consensus forecast of C$33.40 billion, dragged down largely by weak demand for machinery and equipment and forestry products.

Imports jumped 2 percent to C$35.54 billion, led by energy products and autos, surpassing the forecast of C$34.70 billion.

Canada's trade surplus with the United States narrowed to C$1.2 billion in July from C$2.4 billion in June as the stumbling U.S. economic recovery reduced demand for Canadian goods.

TORONTO - Canada's five biggest banks earned a combined $4.8 billion in third-quarter profit — nine per cent more than last year — as they cashed in on strong growth in mortgages, consumer and corporate loans and other retail operations which we will all pay for LATER.

While the results were higher than the $4.4 billion in profits booked in the same 2009 period, the banks took a major hit from weakness in their capital markets divisions as economic uncertainty affected returns on stock markets because they had to use their own brains for investment opportunities.

The economic recovery in the last year and continued growth in the housing market helped boost the banks' main lending businesses to ordinary consumers, homeowners and companies. As well, the healthier economy reduced the number of bad loans whci the Bank write off anyway. I would love to see the write-off figures..anyone?

TD Bank chief executive Ed Clark said the bank saw the best credit quality and lowest credit losses in seven quarters across all of our businesses.

"The continued strength of the housing market drove strong volumes in real estate lending and business deposits also became a very good source of growth. As was the story last quarter the tailwind of improving credit led to lower provisions for credit losses," he said on a conference call with analysts to discuss the bank's strong third-quarter earnings.

However, it was hard to ignore some of the potential dangers that still threaten Canada's banking industry, which has often been championed as one of the best in the world after surviving the financial crisis with little significant damage. Championed but never proven.

One key weakness was on full display in each of the Big Five banks' capital markets results. Overall, earnings for the divisions were nearly halved to $1.05 billion, as trading revenues declined from lofty heights last year when the economy was first showing signs of a recovery. Amazingly these brains of Canada did not see this was going to happen....Duh?

"Wholesale earnings continue to normalize, as we have been indicating," Clark said.

"Last year, we were seeing unsustainable market activity and positive valuation adjustments, given a broad rebound following the financial crisis. Today, we're generally seeing softer capital market activity and earnings declined 45 per cent versus last year."

Troubles in Europe and the continued weakness of the U.S. economy eroded global economic optimism and with that stock markets have taken a hit. That has led to lower corporate financing and weaker profits on stock and bond trading.

The capital markets decline has put a major pressure on overall results when compared to the second quarter of this year, when big banks' profits were a beefier $5.09 billion.

TD Bank (TSX:TD) was the last of the Canadian banks to report its third-quarter results, saying that its profits grew 29 per cent to $1.18 billion, narrowly missing analyst expectations.

The results released Thursday were equivalent to $1.29 per diluted share for the quarter, and compare to a net income of $912 million in the same period a year ago.

On an adjusted basis that excludes certain items, earnings were $1.43 a share, falling a penny short of analyst expectations according to Thomson Reuters.

Revenue rose to $4.74 billion from $4.66 billion a year earlier.

In its wholesale banking division, TD's profits dropped about 45 per cent to $179 million on weaker trading results as economic uncertainty affected stock markets, leading to lower corporate financing activities and weaker profits on stock and bond trading which is always a risky business...yes?.

TD's North American retail banking operations were the high point of its results with the Canadian division's profits increasing 24 per cent to a record $841 million.

"We expect continued strong earnings growth, but not at the rate we've seen this year," said Tim Hockey, chief executive officer of TD Canada Trust.

He added that the Canadian housing market is cooling and a competitive environment continues to put pressure on margins.

U.S. retail operations reported a profit up 30 per cent to US$271 million, as the bank continued to grow its operations in New England and parts of Florida.

TD now operates about 1,300 branches in the United States and bills itself as the bank with the widest presence across North America, having roughly 1,000 branches in Canada.

Provisions for credit losses dropped to $339 million versus $557 million in the comparable period of last year, as more of the bank's corporate and retail clients paid their loans back on time. TD said it expects credit losses on personal loans will remain stable for the rest of this year.

Barclays Capital analyst John Aiken said that TD's results are unlikely to surprise the market considering that it's relatively close to expectations.

There's "not enough of a disappointment to generate a significant decline in valuation, but not enough positives to produce near term valuation outperformance," he wrote in a note.

TD Bank has more than 74,000 employees across its retail operations in both Canada and the United States.