Party, Brian MULRONEY; Liberal Party, Jean
CHRETIEN; New Democratic Party, Audrey McLAUGHLIN
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
House of Commons:
last held 21 November 1988 (next to be held by November 1993); results -
Progressive Conservative Party 43.0%, Liberal Party 32%, New Democratic
Party 20%, other 5%; seats - (295 total) Progressive Conservative Party 159,
Liberal Party 80, New Democratic Party 44, independents 12
Communists:
3,000
Member of:
ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB,
COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIIMOG,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
:Canada Government
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Derek BURNEY; Chancery at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20001; telephone (202) 682-1740; there are Canadian Consulates General in
Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles,
Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle
US:
Ambassador Peter TEELEY; Embassy at 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa
(mailing address is P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430); telephone
(613) 238-5335 or (613) 238-4470; FAX (613) 238-5720; there are US
Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and
Vancouver
Flag:
three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and
red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band
:Canada Economy
Overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles
the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of
production. Since World War II the impressive growth of the manufacturing,
mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural
economy into one primarily industrial and urban. In the 1980s, Canada
registered one of the highest rates of real growth among the OECD nations,
averaging about 3.2%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force,
and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. However,
the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking
areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation;
foreign investors are becoming edgy.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $521.5 billion, per capita $19,400; real
growth rate -1.1% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (November 1991, annual rate)
Unemployment rate:
10.3% (November 1991)
Budget:
revenues $111.8 billion; expenditures $138.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)
Exports:
$124.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas,
aluminum, motor vehicles and parts; telecommunications equipment
partners:
US, Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China
Imports:
$118 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
crude petroleum, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer
goods, electronic computers; telecommunications equipment and parts
partners:
US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea
External debt:
$247 billion (1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate -3.8% (August 1991); accounts for 34% of GDP
Electricity:
106,464,000 kW capacity; 479,600 million kWh produced, 17,872 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products,
transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural
gas
Agriculture:
accounts for about 3% of GDP; one of the world's major producers and
exporters of grain (wheat and barley); key source of US agricultural
imports; large forest resources cover 35% of total land area; commercial
fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is
exported
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of
hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of
high-quality marijuana indoors; growing role as a transit point for heroin
and cocaine entering the US market
:Canada Economy
Economic aid:
donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $7.2 billion
Currency:
Canadian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.1565 (January 1992), 1.1457 (1991),
1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
:Canada Communications
Railroads:
93,544 km total; two major transcontinental freight railway systems -
Canadian National (government owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger
service - VIA (government operated)
Highways:
884,272 km total; 712,936 km surfaced (250,023 km paved), 171,336 km earth
Inland waterways:
3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway
Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km
Ports: