Exchange Rate, American Dollar

I just noticed today when taking some money out of my U.S. dollar account for my reno that the U.S. dollar is once again below the Canadian dollar! As I live in Canada you might think this would make me happy. Well, no it doesn't. For one thing I have invested a lot in American money when I can. I have always done this as it's my way to help out my home country by investing there and in the American dollar. For another all my family live in the U.S....it's bad news for them and their businesses. AND in many cases it's bad for Canadian business too. It means our export goods cost more here and therefore not as attractive a buy for others. AND it hurts our tourist industry. I live in a border tourist town. Americans flood the streets of my city all summer long. Used to be their dollar went a long way here. Not anymore. Now it's more expensive to come here so fewer people come, that hurts local businesses. For many years in the summer our streets were just loaded with tourists. The last two years, in the summer it's been a lot less people than before. It hasn't dried up completely but, it's not nearly as busy as before. I care about my community and LOVED it that so many American tourists came here for so many months.

I sure hope things level out again sometime soon. I have had a heavy heart over the economy in my home country the last few years. My brother lost his job when the company he worked for, for over twenty years went under. Now here he is in his forties starting over. the stress on him and many like him has just been incredible. My sister and brother in law are okay but, worry about their savings. My mother before she died lost a TON of her savings due to it being invested in companies that were hit hard.

Everybody is antsy over this mess. I hate it when the Canadian dollar climbs like this. They NEVER give us lower prices because of it either. For over a year our dollar has been at par or over the U.S. dollar here yet prices here have stayed exactly as high as they were before. Before the reason they told us things were so much higher here than the U.S. was "Well, our dollar isn't worth as much and so much is imported from the U.S." That made sense then, it doesn't now. It's not good for ANYONE in North America when the U.S. dollar falls. I'm really concerned about it. Hang in there you all. This mess can't last forever.