A mere $200 micro-loan is all it took to change the life of Sharifa and her daughter forever.

The Afghan villager, struggling to survive in this war-torn area, used the loan to start her own business, and invested in a rug loom and weaving supplies. She was soon able to hire other women weavers, freeing up her young daughter to finally go to school.

OTTAWA (June 26, 2009) - Canada Post has submitted a regulatory proposal, in accordance with the Canada Post Corporation Act ("the Act"), to set the domestic basic letter rate (BLR) for letters weighing 30g or less for a five-year period starting January 11, 2010. The BLR would increase by three cents to 57 cents in January 2010, and rise by an additional two cents annually from 2011 to 2014. The proposal will be published in the Canada Gazette on June 27, 2009.

It's never too early to start planning for your child's future post-secondary education, but with the rising cost of tuition fees, it's more important than ever for parents to start saving. Thanks to a new incentive from the Québec government, getting started is much easier.

OTTAWA (May 8, 2009) – Canada Post Corporation reported a slim profit in its 2008 annual report, which was tabled in Parliament. The Corporation recorded a consolidated net income of $90 million on revenues of $7.7 billion. To remain profitable and meet its targets, Canada Post had to undertake a series of cost-cutting measures that enabled the Corporation to achieve a narrow operating margin of 1.8 per cent. Without these extraordinary efforts to reduce costs, the Canada Post segment (unconsolidated) would have lost more than $150 million.

The Canada Post Group:

- Consolidated revenue from operations reached $7,729 million, an increase of $255 million, or 3% from 2007.

- Consolidated net income for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2008 was $90 million, an increase of 36 million from the previous year.

- Consolidated net income before taxes was $161 million, an increase of $1 million from 2007.

- Consolidated cost of operations for fiscal 2008 totalled $7,594 million, an increase of $248 million over the $7,346 million recorded in the previous year.

Ottawa – The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) welcomes the recommendation of an independent advisory panel to not deregulate public postal services.

In a report made public last week, a government-appointed advisory panel categorically rejected the deregulation of Canada Post.

"The public and postal workers said no to deregulation and the panel listened. This is a real victory for the people's post office," said CUPW National President Denis Lemelin.

OTTAWA (February 23, 2009) – Canada Post is pleased to announce that, thanks to the generous support of its employees, customers and suppliers, the newly-formed Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health reached its 2008 $1 million fundraising goal. Fundraising activities began in earnest following the announcement of the Foundation's creation last June.

Many Canadians may be questioning the value of investing in a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) after 2008, when global stock markets posted significant declines in the second half of the year. From a long-term perspective, history teaches us that economies and stock markets are resilient and inevitably recover from such downturns. And if you don't want the risk equities bring, remember that your RRSP can hold investments that come with less risk, such as GICs

For most investors, 2008 was one of the most difficult years in memory.

Global stock markets posted a significant decline in the second half of the year. But from a long-term perspective, history teaches us that economies and stock markets are resilient and inevitably recover from such downturns.

By Louise Kinross

Canada's new Registered Disability Savings Plan is a tax-free vehicle to help parents save for the long-term needs of children with severe disabilities.

The deadline for setting up a 2008 plan – which was announced by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty at Bloorview Kids Rehab in Toronto in December – has been extended to March 2, 2009.