The HomeEquity Bank launched the “By Canadian” book club this week amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff threats.
The book club, a play on words in reference to the recent “Buy Canadian” trend, is offering a free book to customers from a list of authors that includes former CBC News anchor Peter Mansbridge.
Yvonne Ziomecki-Fisher, HomeEquity Bank chief customer, brand and advice officer, tells strategy the bank is seeking to empower its clientele in the face of economic uncertainty.
“For almost 40 years, we’ve been proudly serving Canada and wanted to match our clients’ patriotism and frustration in this moment,” Ziomecki-Fisher says. “Our primary goal is to offer clients some comfort and inspiration as we navigate this challenging time, while supporting Canadian voices as part of the ‘Buy Canadian’ movement.”
The reading list, which touches on topics such as personal finance, home improvement and self-fulfillment, was curated by HomeEquity Bank president and CEO Katherine Dudtschak to offer insight from Canadian voices to the bank’s target demographics.
To help shape the book selection, Ziomecki-Fisher says research found that older Canadians are some of the country’s most devoted readers.
“We know that older Canadians are avid readers – a 2023 report from Statista highlights that 12% of those aged 65-plus have read 50 or more books in the past year,” Ziomecki-Fisher says. “We hope that the ‘By Canadian’ book club will strengthen our relationship with Canadians 55 and better by showing our commitment to their well-being beyond financial solutions.”
The book list includes titles such as How Canada Works: The People Who Make Our Nation Thrive, by Mansbridge, Leading to Greatness by former Rogers executive Jim Reid and Home Run: The Reverse Mortgage Advantage co-authored by Ziomecki-Fisher and Steven Ranson.
HomeEquity Bank customers will be eligible to claim one book of their choice at the “By Canadian” website through the end of March.
