CANADA
GENERAL
- Area:
- 9,971,000 km2.
- Population:
- 27,300,000 (July 1991).
- Capital:
- Ottawa.
- Ethnic composition:
- British (38%), French (24%), German, Italian, Chinese,
Inuit, Ukrainian.
- Major languages:
- English and French (both official).
- Major religions:
- Roman Catholic (close to 50%), United Church of Canada,
Church of England.
- History:
- The dominion of Canada was established by the British
North America Act of 1867, and Sir John MacDonald became
the first prime minister. Under the 1931 Statute of
Westminster, Canada became a fully sovereign nation
within the British Commonwealth. In 1982 the country
acquired an independent constitution.
GOVERNMENT
- Type:
- Constitutional monarchy.
- Head of state:
- Queen Elizabeth II, represented by the governor general.
- Legislature:
- The bicameral Parliament encompasses an appointed Senate
and an elected House of Commons. The Senate consists of
104 members and the House of Commons 295 members.
- Executive:
- Jean Chrétien is prime minister. The foreign minister is
André Ouellet.
- Domestic politics:
- In the October 1993 election the Liberal Party of Canada
returned to power for the first time in nine years and
inaugurated the Chrétien administration. The leading
opposition party is now the Quebec Bloc (Bloc
Québécois), which is pressing for Quebec's
sovereignty. In third place is the Reform Party of
Canada, which is broadly supported by conservative groups
in western Canada. The Progressive Conservative Party
(PCP), the former ruling party, has been left with just
two seats. The Chrétien administration has made job
creation its highest priority and is aggressively
implementing public works projects. It is also seeking to
reduce the fiscal deficit, reform Parliament, and respond
to the Quebec separatist movement.
- Foreign policy:
- While preserving close ties with the United States,
Canada places emphasis on activities in such multilateral
forums as NATO, the United Nations, and the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It is also
actively involved in peace-keeping activities.
- Military:
- Defense budget, C$11.0 billion (fiscal 1995); regular
armed forces (volunteer) consist of approximately 75,000
members serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, a combined
team of army, naval, and air forces.
ECONOMY
- Major industries:
- Services, manufacturing, banking, insurance.
- GDP:
- C$711.7 billion (1993).
- Per capita GDP:
- C$24,751 (1993).
- Real growth rate:
- 4.5% (GDP, 1994).
- Inflation:
- 0.2% (1994).
- Unemployment:
- 10.4% (1994 average).
- Trade:
- Exports: C$219.4 billion; imports: C$202.3 billion (1994,
international payments basis).
- Principal items traded:
- Exports: automobiles, transportation equipment, lumber,
newspaper; imports: automobiles, transportation
equipment, computers, semiconductors (1993).
- Principal trading partners:
- Exports: United States, Japan, Britain; imports: United
States, Japan, Britain.
- Currency:
- Canadian dollar. C$1=US$0.72 (US$1=C$1.40) (Feb. 1995).
- Fiscal deficit:
- C$508.2 billion (fiscal 1993, 71% of GDP).
- Economic conditions:
- After suffering negative growth of 1.8% in 1991, the
economy began a gradual recovery in 1992 with a 0.6%
growth rate. Bolstered by brisk exports to the United
States, growth then accelerated to 2.2% in 1993 and 4.5%
in 1994, and this expansion is still continuing.
BILATERAL RELATIONS
- Political:
- Japan and Canada have a solid relationship. Summit-level
contacts include a visit to Canada by Prime Minister
Toshiki Kaifu in September 1989 and an official working
visit to Japan by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in May
1991. The bilateral dialogue is assisted by meetings
between Canadian and Japanese leaders at the G-7 summits
and by regular consultations between foreign ministers.
In 1991 the Japan-Canada Forum 2000 was established as a
gathering of eminent persons to study desired relations
between the two countries in the next century. In
December 1992 this forum submitted a report containing
various recommendations to the Canadian and Japanese
prime ministers. In June 1993 a committee was formed to
follow up these recommendations and advise the Japanese
and Canadian governments on the future of their
relationship. Canada in 1989 announced the Pacific 2000
Strategy, which is designed to strengthen Canada's
relations with the Asia-Pacific region, especially with
Japan. As evidenced by the establishment of consulates in
Fukuoka in November 1991 and Nagoya in November 1992,
Canada is actively developing its diplomacy toward Japan.
- Economic:
- Japan sent an investment mission to Canada in October
1989, while Canada sent a similar mission to Japan in
October 1991. A Japanese tourism promotion mission
visited Canada in September 1993. Canadian economic
ministers and provincial premiers have been coming to
Japan with increasing frequency. During 1994 Canadian
External Relations Minister André Ouellet called on
Japan in July, Industry Minister John Manley visited
Japan in October, and Minister of International Trade and
Industry Ryutaro Hashimoto went to Canada in September.
International Trade Minister Roy MacLaren came to Japan
in February 1995, and Finance Minister Paul Martin came
in April. Symbolic of the firm economic ties between the
two countries is that Japan ranks as Canada's
second-largest trading partner after the United States.
- Trade:
- Exports to Japan: $8,930 million, featuring lumber, coal,
pulp, fish and shellfish; imports from Japan: $5,906
million, featuring automobiles and auto parts, motors,
office equipment (1994).
- Investment:
- Japanese direct investment in Canada amounted to $562
million in fiscal 1993. The cumulative total in the
fiscal 1951-93 period came to $7,769 million.
- Japanese residing in Canada:
- 23,756 (Oct. 1994).
- Canadians residing in Japan:
- 6,636 (June 1994).
(June 1995)
Back to Index
