Northern Prosperity

I admit I'm biased toward Canada. My mother is Canadian, and I lived on both coasts for several years.

And I'm by no means an economist, but I keep an eye on the financial activities of my second home, largely through the ubiquitous Internet. News on the Canadian money front has been more than heartening; it has been exceptionally good.

The Missoulian, a Montana newspaper, reported yesterday that the Canadian economy is booming, and its national debt represents just 30 percent of the Canadian GDP. According to the Globe and Mail out of Toronto, Canadian inflation is at a six-month low. A few days prior, the newspaper talked about the 43,000 new jobs created in Canada in February, far more than expected.

There are many reasons for Canada's recent economic strength. The country has vast natural resourcesoil, minerals, timberit has carefully husbanded. It's known for its conservation policies and has maintained natural preserves in the face of demands to allow oil and mineral extraction.

However, the country's economy is tied inextricably with that of the U.S., and there are the beginnings of some strain as the U.S. sub-prime debacle continues to take is toll. The recent parity of the Canadian dollar with the U.S. has caused some consumer concerns.

Still, overall, our Northern neighbors continue to look like a good prospect for prosperity. I have touted these findings to a few individuals in the storage industry, and some have expressed interest in the prospects of expanding north. To them, I say Canada is worth investigating by anyone looking for a little international self-storage expansion.