Economics in Canada

Canadian Economic Theory Conference

2008-04-26T20:32:00.003-04:00

The 2008 edition of the Canadian Economic Theory Conference will be held from May 23 to May 25 - 2008, at Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver.

The objective of the conference is to encourage and disseminate leading-edge research in any area related to microeconomic theory. Submissions of research papers in these areas are solicited to be presented at this conference.

If you wish to present a paper, please email a copy of the paper or abstract in pdf format to: daniel_monte@sfu.ca. Preference will be given to complete papers, but extended abstracts will also be considered.

With around 1400 members across the country and from abroad, the Canadian Economics Association (CEA) is the organization of academic economists in Canada.

The Association has for its object the advancement of economic knowledge through the encouragement of study and research, the issuing of publications, and the furtherance of free and informed discussion of economic questions. The Association as such will not assume a partisan position upon any question of practical politics nor commit its members to any position thereupon.

The CEA does not have an office. Please send any e-mail inquiries directly to the appropriate person shown on the list of elected CEA officers.

What we do:

The CEA publishes the foremost economics journal in Canada, the Canadian Journal of Economics, and organizes an annual conference. The Canadian Public Policy journal is also affiliated with the CEA; the CEA is one of the supporting organizations.

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http://economics-in-canada.blogspot.com/

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Economics in Canada Statistics

2008-04-22T19:59:00.003-04:00

Economics in Canada Statistics

Population 1st quarter 2008 33,143,610

Unemployment rate March 2008 6.0 %

Inflation rate March 2008 1.4 %

Real GDP January 2008, % change 0.6 %

Exports 4th quarter 2007, % change -2.2 %

Imports 4th quarter 2007, % change 2.6 %

Exchange rate March 2008 - $CAN buys US$ 0.9980

Prime interest rate March 2008 5.25 %

S&P/TSX Composite Index March 2008 (1975=1000) 13,350.13

Federal debt 2007 - $ millions 467,268.0

Retail sales January 2008 , % change 1.5 %

Housing starts March 2008,thousands 243.0

Composite leading indicator March 2008, % change 0.0 %

For additional stats: http://canadianeconomy.gc.ca/english/economy/

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Economics in Canada BLOG URL
http://economics-in-canada.blogspot.com/

The Travel Language Culture Network Club organizes events, activities, language exchanges, culture exchanges, immigration, employment, shopping, homestay and professional services for students. Go to: http://www.eslincanada.ca

The Blog Directory has school, Canada, USA, jobs, University, Learn English and personal blogs, go to: http://www.eslincanada.com/blogs.html

How to Shop for Discount Dentists and Dentistry Part 2

2008-02-26T09:19:00.006-05:00

How to Shop for Discount Dentists and Dentistry

Update 1
The USA clinic wants me to stay for 2 days for each trip that will be an extra $200 in accommodation expenses for each trip to the USA.

Update 2
Ths dentistry training program will let me apply for $1,500 from my group benefits insurance and accept payments of $100 for 22 months to total $3,700. They seem to want my business and will structure a more convenient payment plan.

Update 3
My friend who has choosen the implant route has had 8 put in over the last six or seven years. the average cost is between 4 and 5 thousand each and requires both the dentist and a lab worker to make sure the formulated crown is the correct size and fit. That would pay for my last 3 cars!!! I can not afford implants.

Update 4
Some of the other regular Canadian dentists are promoting invisible braces, simpler orthodontics, low down payments and longer term payment plans that are rivaling the dental training program.

Update 5
The dentistry training option is fading in value very fast. The group insurance plan will not pay for any orthodontics. Even to repair for a lost or broken tooth. When I talked to the dentistry training they told me that they qualify for almost all of the plans. When I called both my and several of the other larger group insurance carriers - none of them paid for orthodontics !!

Update 6
The dentistry training program became less cooperative when I explained that they did not qualify for a lump payment of $1500. I offered to pay the same payments of $100 each month in this case 37 months and 37 payments of $100.

The finance person said this was unacceptable - they only offer payments over 18 months. When I showed the previous schedule of 22 months - the finance person said "we don't do this". They went on to say we will not honour the 22 month program you have to change it to 18 months.

It seems that each person in that Dentistry office operates as if their word is final and ignores anything and everything that the dentist set up. I am wondering if they also counterdict the medical advice.

So that is the end of it - they rejected my offer completly - I rejected their offer. It is finished. Time to move on to another alternative.

Update 7
It is a not good thing - the initial trial work all broke and fell out. So the last thing that I want to do is recommend a service that will say anything to get you in the office - then change all the terms and conditions - then when you have a problem they ignore your phone calls and emails !!! When something sounds too good - it's not.

Time to investigate the USA and overseas options for professional dentists and dentist services and dentures.

Update 8

The trial work has severly damaged two of my teeth. One has cracked and the other has had a "side fall off".

I called the Canadian dentist 3 times and sent 3 emails. My message was simple - look at this blog to see what was written and call me back to fix the problem they created.

On the second call I mentioned that the wire broke - cut the inside of my mouth during the night and I woke to find dried blood all over my pillow and face - can they give me an appointment - no call back from October 14 to November 29 - yes my calls to the "emergency hotline" were not answered and it took them 47 days for their office manager to call and leave a message asking what happened to me.

My "How to shop for Discount Dentistry" has created so much trouble - you have to plan for costs, complications and dealing with unplanned changes and circumstances.

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Economics in Canada BLOG URL
http://economics-in-canada.blogspot.com/

The Travel Language Culture Network Club organizes events, activities, language exchanges, culture exchanges, immigration, employment, shopping, homestay and professional services for students. Go to: http://www.eslincanada.ca

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How to Shop for Discount Dentists and Dentistry

2008-02-01T13:39:00.003-05:00

Right now I have a dentistry matter to attend to and will take an economic perspective while deciding what to do with my teeth.

I recently cracked a tooth and had the filling which represented 80% of the tooth fall out. The tooth will break off completely if I just leave it.

I have a few initial options to solve this dentistry problem. I have to do something as the little shell sticking up will break if I bite on it the wrong way and then my problem tooth will create additional dentistry expenses.

My Dentistry Options:

1. pull the tooth out - cost $300 to the dentist
2. refill the filling and hope that it does not break again - cost $300
3. do a root canal and put on a crown total cost $1,700 by a dentist
4. put in an implant and crown top total cost $4,500 with a dentist

Any of these four initial dentistry options leaves me with the same old crooked overlapping teeth which will continue to have problems as my teeth are too big for the size of my mouth.

I have to research both Canadian dentistry alternatives and perhaps some overseas dentistry options for dentistry services offered at less cost.

One alternative strategy is to pull the tooth and then use orthodontics to fill the gap (total cost $6,500). This will cure the problem of the gap from the missing tooth and help correct the remaining overlaps and help straighten out most of the remaining teeth.

So far my fillings have lasted between 15 and 20 years each. Each tooth with a filling represents about $500 in future dental expenses as this is the cost for two fillings.

So if I live another 30 years this is what I can expect on average. With 16 fillings in the remaining 26 teeth this will cost about $8,000 to maintain as long as I do not have any new cavities from tooth decay. New cavities will represent additional expenses with a dentist to repair the cavities.

Alternative strategy two is to travel to Buffalo in the USA pull out all of my teeth. This cost is 26 times $70 or $1,820 to pull out all of my teeth. The cost for (2) two full upper and lower dentures is about $950. This is estimated to cost about $2,770 plus 3 or 4 sets of travel expenses. Even if I require an second set of dentures this represents a total cost of approximately $4,000.

If I just get the full dentures all of the potential future cavity and fillings expenses are eliminated.

The third alternative strategy is to volunteer for a training dentist or the local University dentistry school and have school professors and dentists do the work over a longer period of time during class times which are not the most convenient but the cost for the orthodontics will be less than $4,000.

The cost of dental school maintainence dentistry for my existing fillings is reduced to about $5,000 over the next 30 years.

When I summarize the costs of the three main options it looks like this:

Dentures about $4,000.
Dentistry school orthodontics and maintainence $8,700.
Regular orthodontics plus maintainence about $14,500.

All of them are expensive. I had better do some further negotiation.

If you want the denture, discount dentistry information or dentistry training program info write to me: BAADSTER (at) gmail (dot) com

More Later

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Economics in Canada BLOG URL
http://economics-in-canada.blogspot.com/

The Travel Language Culture Network Club organizes events, activities, language exchanges, culture exchanges, immigration, employment, shopping, homestay and professional services for students. Go to: http://www.eslincanada.ca

The Blog Directory has school, Canada, USA, jobs, University, Learn English and personal blogs, go to: http://www.eslincanada.com/blogs.html