The TSX has been performing quite well lately. On January 23, I hit an all-time high, with $469,813.55. Despite economic uncertainties tied to Donald Trump’s policies, the TSX remains resilient and strong—but for how long? The TSX closed today's session at 25,419.45 points (+130.30, +0.52%). Despite these gains, my stock portfolio experienced a loss of -$1,526.18 (-0.39%) today.
Recently, one of my stocks was enrolled in the Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program at National Bank Direct Brokerage: Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A). Additionally, my U.S. stock General Mills Inc. (GIS) has also been in the program for a while. You don’t get to choose which stocks are enrolled in the Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program, and sometimes the selection is quite surprising. At one point, my Fortis Inc. (FTS) shares were enrolled in the program for a short period. You don’t get to know the identity of the borrowers who are borrowing your stocks.
Once you enroll in National Bank Direct Brokerage’s Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program, all stocks held in your non-registered portfolios—both Canadian and U.S.—become eligible for lending at any time. You might even notice some lending activity over the weekend. January marks my first full month in the program. I’ll see how much I earn for January around February 6 or 8. I don’t remember the exact date of the payment, but it probably won’t be much. In December, for two weeks of lending, I earned just a few U.S. cents… But hey, you never know, so we’ll see how it goes.
I’ve recently decided to leave X/Twitter and have joined Bluesky instead: https://bsky.app/profile/sunnyjnb.bsky.social.
Even with a free account, posting on X/Twitter indirectly supports Elon Musk, and I no longer wish to contribute to his platform. I’ve never been a fan of Musk—his erratic behavior and lack of stability are deeply concerning.
For me, the final straw came when Musk made what appeared to be a Nazi salute during a post-inauguration rally. To make matters worse, reports surfaced about his appearance at the campaign launch of Germany’s Alternative for Germany, a far-right organization. That was the push I needed to leave the platform for good. Soon, I’ll be deleting my X/Twitter account. It’s not enough to simply stop posting—reducing the platform’s user base is a powerful way to make a meaningful impact.
Bluesky, created by the same team behind X/Twitter, offers a similar aesthetic but without Musk’s influence or presence. While I don’t fully understand why they chose to replicate Twitter, I’m grateful for the alternative. Without Bluesky, I’d have no social media platform to chat on. I do have a Facebook account, but I’m not a fan of Mark Zuckerberg, so I rarely post there. I also avoid Instagram since it’s owned by the same company…
As Canadians, we need to be mindful of where we spend our time online and what we consume. Starting February 1, Donald Trump will likely impose a 25% across-the-board tariff. With this looming threat, now more than ever, it's time to act as true patriots and buy Canadian goods. It’s frustrating to hear Trump mock Canadians, suggest that Canada should become the 51st state, and disrespect our Prime Minister. His leadership is deeply flawed, and his comments are unacceptable.
One way to defend our interests is by choosing Canadian products whenever possible. Many Canadian brands offer high-quality goods at competitive prices—you just need to be aware of what you’re buying. For example, Marcelle, a Montreal-based makeup brand founded in 1949, offers high-quality products that you can find in most drugstores at affordable prices. I’m a big fan of Marcelle's Kohl Eyeliners—I wear their Copper Coin shade almost daily.
When it comes to clothing, I frequently shop at Reitmans and Garage for basics like jogging pants. I also enjoy Uniqlo, a Japanese brand known for its minimalist style.
For skincare, I rely on Yves Rocher (France) and NIVEA (Germany). I also use L’Oréal, another French brand. While I typically buy Dove and Ivory soap (both great for sensitive skin), I could easily switch to NIVEA soap bars or another Canadian alternative. For makeup, I occasionally purchase Maybelline, NYX, and Revlon, but I’m looking forward to sticking with Marcelle for most of my needs.
My tech choices already reflect my preference for non-U.S. brands.
Phone: Samsung – I’ve always preferred it over Apple. Samsung is headquartered in South Korea.
Laptops: Acer – I own two: a Chromebook and a Windows model. I’ve been a loyal Acer customer for years, and they’ve never given me issues. Fortunately, Acer is a Taiwanese company.
Like most people, I use Microsoft Office, Google Chrome, and YouTube. For antivirus software, I rely on Norton, though I’ve considered switching to Bitdefender, a reputable antivirus from Romania. Sadly, I haven’t found a Canadian-made antivirus yet.
Back in the day, I used Kaspersky, but I stopped after the Canadian federal government banned its use within its departments—long before the war in Ukraine. Given the current geopolitical climate, I wouldn’t consider Kaspersky, which is headquartered in Moscow. Surprisingly, it’s still available in Canada, but I don’t think it’s an antivirus that Canadians should buy.
Footwear has always been a challenge for me. I love Columbia, The North Face, and… ASICS. Luckily, ASICS is a Japanese company, and their sneakers are incredibly comfortable. When it comes to footwear, ASICS is the absolute best.
Looking ahead, I plan to be much more mindful with my spending. By the end of 2025, I aim to build $20,000 in savings. It’s important that I save at least $10,000 by early summer because I want to pay for my summer vacation with money I actually have, instead of borrowing on my margin and paying it back later—like I used to. Currently, I am at exactly $3,591.55 in savings.
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