By Julie Gordon and Steve Scherer OTTAWA (Reuters) -The Bank of Canada on Wednesday raised its main interest rate by 100 basis points in a bid to crush inflation, surprising markets and becoming the first G7 country to make such an aggressive hike in this economic cycle. The central bank raised its policy rate to 2.5% from 1.5%, its biggest rate increase in 24 years, and said more hikes would be needed. Economists and money markets had been expecting a 75-basis point increase. “We had indicated we were prepared to be more forceful. Today was more forceful,” Governor Tiff Macklem told a news co…