Firstly, forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong forum, admins please feel free to move it. I figure since this is the Air Canada section it should be relevant.

I'm very new to all of this, getting great deals on flights and such. I've been reading through different blogs and websites including the forums here and have been trying to acquire as much knowledge as possible. I've come to the conclusion that a lot of the advice/deals are for Americans, and as a Canadian it's making it hard for me to find out where to start.

What are the best credit cards to apply for as a Canadian?
What is the best company to divert points/miles to as a Canadian?

Does anyone know of a bank of knowledge or a specific blog for Canadian type deals, or is anyone here willing to offer my some advice?

I also know that applying for and cancelling credit cards hurts hurts my credit score in the short term, is starting all of this now a good idea if I foresee having a mortgage in the next one to two years, or could it potentially increase my credit score within that time frame by having more than just one line of credit?

Thank you for any and all help!