The Wealthy Barber Podcast

Our guest this episode is Rob Carrick — longtime personal finance columnist at The Globe and Mail and one of Canada’s most respected voices on money. Rob returns as our first-ever repeat guest after being a fan favourite back in episode #3!

For 27 years, Rob helped Canadians make sense of investing, housing, debt and retirement through his widely read column at The Globe. He semi-retired in the spring of 2025 and now writes a Substack newsletter, does public speaking and contributes biweekly columns to The Globe.

In this episode, Dave and Rob cover a wide range of timely topics — from Rob’s transition into semi-retirement and how people can successfully navigate retirement themselves, to the growing role of advice-only financial planners and why the quality of financial advice in Canada has improved dramatically. They also dive into broader economic issues affecting Canadians today, including inflation, mortgage renewals, household debt levels, the true cost of home ownership and whether Canadians should be counting on their homes to fund retirement.

It’s a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation with one of Canada’s most experienced personal finance journalists — packed with practical insights and big-picture perspectives on money in Canada today.

 

Rob Carrick's Substack: https://robcarrickpf.substack.com/

 

Show Notes:

(00:00) Intro & Disclaimer

(00:55) Intro to Rob Carrick

(02:18) Rob’s Retirement From The Globe and Mail

(04:47) The Power of Reader Feedback

(06:39) Rob’s Impact on Readers

(08:06) How to Successfully Transition to Retirement

(11:05) Finding Purpose in Retirement in Key

(13:27) The Rise of Advice-Only Financial Planners

(17:25) The Quality of Financial Advisors Has Increased Dramatically

(22:55) Why Almost Everyone Needs a Financial Advisor Near Retirement

(25:41) Pros and Cons of Advice Only Financial Planners

(28:30) The Power of Paying Yourself First

(29:17) Should You Ask ChatGPT Your Financial Questions?

(33:37) Inflation and Economic Worries

(35:02) Does CPI Accurately Reflect Inflation?

(36:43) Mortgage Renewals and Financial Strain

(37:59) Canada’s Dangerous Debt Levels

(39:41) The K-Shaped Economy

(41:09) The True Cost of Owning a Home

(44:53)  Counting on Your Home for Retirement and the Realities of Downsizing

(48:30) The High Costs of Aging in Place

(50:09) Conclusion

Our guest this episode is Amber Kanwar, host of the “In the Money” Podcast and former BNN Bloomberg anchor who has spent over a decade covering financial markets and interviewing hundreds of portfolio managers, CEOs, political leaders and major newsmakers across North America.

In this episode, Dave and Amber explore the world of investing and the ongoing debate between active and passive strategies. They discuss whether active managers can truly beat the market, whether retail investors should pay attention to the daily moves of the stock market and whether strategies like private equity are right for everyday Canadians.They also discuss why women remain underrepresented in finance, the differences in investing behaviour between men and women, and what lessons investors can learn from their mistakes.

It’s a wide-ranging conversation filled with thoughtful insights on investing, markets and the future of the economy.

 

Show Notes

(00:00) Intro & Disclaimer

(00:55) Intro to Amber Kanwar

(04:08) How Amber’s First-Ever Article Become Front Page News at The Globe and Mail

(08:38) Leaving BNN Bloomberg to Start a Media Company

(13:45) The Debate: Active vs. Passive Investing

(19:38) Hard-Hitting Interviews and Past Performance Metrics

(21:05) Is Private Equity a Good Investment for Retail Investors?

(25:39) Learning From Investing Mistakes

(27:30) Why Are Women Underrepresented in Finance?

(28:30) Investing Differences Between Men and Women (on Average)

(32:38) The Difficulty of Investing Based on Macro Forecasts

(37:56) Outperformance in Small- and Mid-Cap Companies

(40:46) AI and the Impending Loss of Entry-Level Jobs

(43:04) Real Estate Trends

(45:14) Regulation and Business Formation in Canada

(48:14) Talent Retention Challenges for Canadian Businesses 

(50:00) Could Passive Investing Break the Market?

(54:58) Conclusion

Our guest this episode is Gary Teelucksingh, author of “Roots of Prosperity” which is a guide to preserving wealth, values and family unity across generations. Gary is also a seasoned financial services expert and consultant with over two decades of experience spanning operations, technology and strategic transformation across North America and beyond.

In this conversation, Dave and Gary explore one of the most challenging topics families face: inheritances and how to talk about money with the people you love. They discuss why estate planning conversations are often avoided, how to add clarity and context to your will to prevent misunderstandings and strategies for navigating unequal inheritances, family cottages and potential hard feelings. Gary also shares insights from his new book, “Roots of Prosperity,” including how families can preserve not just wealth, but values and relationships across generations—and why open communication is the key to a lasting legacy.

If you’ve ever wondered how to start money conversations with your parents or children or want to avoid conflict around inheritances this episode is packed with thoughtful insights and practical advice.

 

Show Notes

(00:00) Intro & Disclaimer

(00:55) Intro to Gary Teelucksingh

(02:09) Why Families Struggle to Talk About Money

(04:51) Why Estate Planning Conversations Are Considered Taboo

(06:22) Why You Need to Add Colour and Context to Your Will

(08:56) How to Avoid Hard Feelings with Inheritances

(12:30) Leaving Unequal Inheritances to Multiple Children

(14:26) The Challenges of Passing on a Cottage

(16:33) Why Gary Wrote “Roots of Prosperity”

(21:57) How to Talk with Aging Parents About Money

(23:37) The Inheritance Economy

(26:12) Creating the Impetus to Act

(28:07) Conclusion

Our guest this episode is Jon Flynn — Broker of Record at Flynn Real Estate Inc. and a well-respected Realtor with more than 15 years of experience. Jon is also the creator of the popular YouTube channel “Jon Flynn Real Estate Stats” where he analyzes Canadian housing trends and market data to help consumers better understand what’s happening in real estate.

In this conversation, Dave and Jon dive into Canada’s housing market, from how Jon correctly predicted the current downturn to where prices could be headed next. They explore the impact of interest rates, affordability challenges and even artificial intelligence on jobs and housing demand. The discussion also tackles controversial industry topics like realtor commissions, lead generation, double representation and the iPro scandal involving misappropriated trust funds. Jon shares insights on why many markets are stuck, the risks of overpricing in a declining market and why some speculative builds could be in serious trouble.

Whether you’re a homeowner, buyer, investor or just trying to make sense of Canada’s real estate headlines, this episode is packed with insights and practical perspective you won’t want to miss.

 

Show Notes

(00:00) Intro & Disclaimer

(00:55) Intro to Jon Flynn

(03:04) How Jon Predicted the Real Estate Crash 

(05:26) Where is the Real Estate Market Headed?

(08:57) The Impact of AI on Jobs and Real Estate

(11:16) Do Realtors Make Too Much Money?

(14:58) The Debate Over Double Representation

(17:05)  The iPro Scandal and Misappropriation of Trust Funds

(21:32) The Impact of the Cost of Living on Home Buyers

(25:05) “Lowball” Offers

(26:04) Real Estate Markets Around the Country

(28:35) The Dangers of Overpricing Your Home in a Down Market

(32:08)  The Market is Stuck Because of Negative Equity and an Inability to Move Up

(36:08) Speculative Country Home Builds Are in Trouble

(38:46) Conclusion

Our guest this episode is Meagan Balaneski — Portfolio Manager and Certified Financial Planner® with Aligned Capital Partners in Vermilion, Alberta. Meagan earned a place on the CFP® President’s List for top exam performance in 2013 and recently won the FPAC 2025 Financial Planning Award.

In this conversation, Dave and Meagan explore both the opportunities and challenges shaping the financial planning industry today. They dig into what a great financial plan actually is, why meaningful planning starts with deep, thoughtful questions and the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional Assets Under Management model. Meagan shares her perspective on the growing advice-only movement, fiduciary standards under the new RFP rules and whether products like cash value life insurance are being overused. They also tackle practical topics like disability insurance, insuring children and why there is so much misinformation around RRSPs.

Whether you work in financial planning, are seeking advice, or are simply curious about how the industry is evolving, this episode offers a thoughtful, insider look at where financial planning is headed.

 

Show Notes

(00:00) Intro & Disclaimer

(00:55) Introduction to Meagan Balanski

(04:54) Meagan’s Recent Financial Planning Award and Flow State

(08:46) What is a Financial Plan? 

(10:09) Why Great Financial Planning Starts With Deep Questions

(12:29) The Assets Under Management Model

(15:30) Challenges of the Advice-Only Model and Implementation Gaps

(20:03) Reasons for Concern and Optimism About the Financial Planning Industry

(26:25) Fiduciary Responsibility and the New RFP Standard

(29:27) Is Cash Value Life Insurance Overused?

(34:15) Disability Insurance

(37:31) The Pros and Cons of Insurance on Children

(41:31) Is the Media Too Harsh on Financial Advisors?

(45:08) The Opportunity for Micro-Modular Financial Planning in Canada

(48:34) Debunking Misinformation About RRSPs

(50:42) Conclusion