Oaken Update
It’s that time of year again! July 1 is just around the corner, so we want to wish all our Oaken customers and friends a happy Canada Day. As our country turns 152 years old, we have a lot to be proud of and thankful for, so there’s every reason to celebrate. To get in the festive mood, and just like we did last year, here's a little list of interesting historical facts about Canada that we hope you’ll enjoy:
"O Canada" was composed by Adolphe-Basile Routhier and Calixa Lavallée in Quebec City in 1880. Even though it has long been our national anthem, Parliament only adopted it officially in 1980.
Sports comparable to ice hockey have been played since the 10th century in Europe, however the modern version was invented here. The rules were first published in the Montreal Gazette in 1877.
The first flag to appear in Canada was one granted to Nova Scotia by King Charles I in 1625. For much of our history we used the Red Ensign, which was replaced by the current maple leaf design on February 15, 1965.
There were nine officers in the first Mounted Police, formed in 1873. In 1920, the Mounted Police merged with the Dominion Police to become the RCMP.
James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, was born in Almonte, Canada West—now part of Mississippi Mills, Ontario. He invented the game to provide physical activity for his students in Springfield, Massachusetts during the long winter months.
The first NBA game in history was played in Toronto on November 1, 1946, between the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knickerbockers. The Toronto Raptors are the only team outside the USA to have ever won an NBA championship.
Ottawa was originally named Bytown after Colonel John By, the man who spearheaded the construction of the Rideau Canal to connect the Ottawa River with Lake Ontario.
Canada has more lakes than any other country in the world, and is home to about 20% of the world’s fresh water. Around 30% of the country is covered in trees.
We’ll be celebrating along with everyone else, which means we’ll be closed on Monday, July 1. Enjoy the long weekend!
Gather round for more stampede fun!
The month of July is a time to celebrate everywhere in Canada, but perhaps more so in Alberta than anywhere else, thanks to the magnificent Calgary Stampede. The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth will be rolling into town once again, and as is our tradition, our Oaken Calgary team will be hosting a little celebration of our own. It’s our way of contributing to the stampede spirit, which is just part of what makes Calgary so special.
The event is taking place on Wednesday, July 10, between 3:00pm and 7:00pm, so you can simply drop by at any time that suits you best. As usual, we’ll be serving drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and there will also be live music as well. If you'd like to attend, all you have to do is let us know you’ll be coming by July 5, which you can do right away by completing our online RSVP form.
We'll be holding it on the rooftop patio this year, so when you arrive at our location at 517-10th Avenue SW, just enter through the main building doors and then take the elevator all the way up to "PH". Unless it rains, in which case you'll find us inside the Oaken store.
It’s always the people who make a party, so whether you’re a local Calgarian or an out-of-town visitor, we’d love to see you there!
MoneySense acclaims Oaken for best GICs
Here at Oaken, we’re quite used to being recognized as the GIC leader in Canada, but it still always feels good whenever this happens. And it happened again this month, after MoneySense recently ranked the best GICs in the country. Oaken came out on top in three of the five categories, declaring us as having the best Long-Term GICs, Short-Term GICs and Cashable GICs. This shows that for safe and secure savings at a high rate, we’re in a class of our own in Canada. To read more on MoneySense’s study of the best GICs in Canada in 2019, click here.
Meet our new guest writer, Rubina Ahmed-Haq
We recently introduced a new Oaken Blog series called “Women and Finance”, featuring commentaries provided by Rubina Ahmed-Haq. Rubina is a well-known personal finance expert, and you’ve likely seen her on national news outlets including CBC and Global News. Rubina also writes for a number of financial and lifestyle publications, and has her own website entitled "Always Save Money".
A stay-at-home parent’s guide to retirement savings
Having a parent at home to raise children provides many benefits, but you also need to understand how this could impact your retirement planning. In her opening article for Oaken, Rubina Ahmed-Haq explains what you need to know. Read more here.
Marc on staying true to his values
Marc is part of the growing trend of investors seeking to align their investments with their ethics. In this edition of Saversodes, Marc explains how his values guide his savings and investment decisions. Read more here.
Downsizing for retirees
There’s a lot to consider if you’re thinking of downsizing your home as part of your retirement planning. In this Oaken Blog feature, we looked at the pros and cons of downsizing. Read more here.
Simple driving tips to save fuel (and money)!
With world oil prices pushing gasoline costs higher, here are some easy driving habit changes you can make to help improve your vehicle’s efficiency and save money. Read more here.
Is early retirement just a dream?
Most of us dream of early retirement, but given current economic conditions, is this really possible? We discussed the reality of retiring early in Canada. Read more here.
Further reading
Summer’s finally here, and that means our additional reading items are all light material that’s perfect for a lazy summer day...
Feast your eyes on ten awesome photographs of ten awesome natural sites in Canada, or even better, visit some of them while the weather is warm and sunny.
If you’re contemplating a garden makeover this summer, think about helping out pollinators when you plant, with some help from this Weather Network article.
Plant-based food is all the rage, and here’s how you can make it part of barbecue season.