The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, June 28, edition that it is a daunting task ranking all of Canada's largest stocks for their investment appeal. The Globe's guest columnist Norman Rothery writes that he employed the investing strategies of the Benjamin Graham and James O'Shaughnessy to identify two top picks, which he happens to own personally. Insurance-based conglomerate E-L Financial ($855) is one of his five-star stocks this year. At $862 a share (Monday's closing price), it trades near the high-end of its 52-week range, sports a bargain price-to-earning ratio under 10 and goes for just 71 per cent of its net asset value. On the downside, its shares are relatively illiquid. Auto-parts maker Magna International ($58.87) is also in Mr. Rothery's five-star spotlight. It trades at eight times earnings and is just off its highs for the year. With a little luck, the economy will continue to motor higher and take Magna with it.