Student worksheet 1

Trade is very important to Canada's economy, and even more so since we signed the Free Trade Agreement with the United States in 1989 and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) a few years later.

• List some of the advantages and disadvantages of exports to Canadians:
  
  
  
• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of imports to Canadians?
  
  
  

A. Identifying Canada's major trading partners using Summary tables

1. At the Statistics Canada website http://www.statcan.gc.ca/, click on the language of your choice, English or Français.
2. Click on the tab Key resource beside Browse by, then click on Summary tables.
3. Find the Summary table "Imports, exports and trade balance of goods on a balance-of-payments basis, by country or country grouping" to answer the questions below.

Questions

1. How has the amount of Canada's total exports to the United States changed over the last five years?
   
   
   
2. Of Canada's total exports, approximately what percentage did the United States purchase in the most recent year?
   a) 20% b) 40% c) 60% d) over 80%
3. Based on data in this table, describe the pattern of exports to Japan, compared with exports to the United States, over the last five years.
   
   
   
4. Which is larger — our total exports or total imports with the United States?
   
   
   
5. Did Canada have a trade surplus or a trade deficit with the United States in the most recent year shown?
   
   
   

B. Identifying Canada's major exports using Summary tables

Canada's major export products have changed over time. In the table below, rank the list of products in the order you expect, from highest to lowest value of exports (in $) in column A.

1. In Summary tables find the table "Exports of goods on a balance-of-payments basis, by product."
2. With the most recent year shown, fill in column B in the table below, listing the actual rankings.
3. Looking at the data over the last five years, fill in column C in the table below, indicating whether it has been increasing, decreasing or remaining stable over time.
   
   

   Canada's major exports

   Product	A Your estimated ranking value of exports  highest (1) to lowest (6)	B Actual ranking value of exports for the most recent year highest (1) to lowest (6)	C Trend in exports of this product over the last five years (increasing, decreasing, or stable)
   Wheat
   Natural gas
   Lumber and sawmill products
   Newsprint and other paper and paperboard products
   Aircraft and other transportation equipment
   Motor vehicle parts

4. Outline a possible reason for the trend in exports for any one of these products.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Now, scroll down to the bottom of the table and read the line labeled "Source." Fill in the blank in the text below.
   
   Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table ________. (For use in E-STAT)
   
   Note: More detailed data on Canada's trade is available on E-STAT, free to Canadian educational institutions.