Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland,Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*
Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)
National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution: amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to
Canada 17 April 1982; charter of rights and unwritten customs
Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where
civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a
hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Romeo LeBLANC
(since 8 February 1995), who was appointed by the queen
head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November
1993) was appointed by the governor general; on 25 October 1993;
Deputy Prime Minister Sheila COPPS (since NA); note - the prime
minister is the leader of the political party commanding a majority
in the House of Commons
cabinet: Federal Ministry was chosen by the prime minister from
members of his own party sitting in Parliament
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlement)
Senate (Senat): consisting of a body whose members are appointed to
serve until 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on
the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators
House of Commons (Chambre des Communes): elections last held 25
October 1993 (next to be held by NA October 1998); results - percent
of votes by party NA; seats - (295 total) Liberal Party 179, Bloc
Quebecois 53, Reform Party 52, New Democratic Party 8, Progressive
Conservative Party 2, independents 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party, Jean CHRETIEN; Bloc
Quebecois, Michel GAUTHIER; Reform Party, Preston MANNING; New
Democratic Party, Alexa MCDONOUGH; Progressive Conservative Party,
Jean CHAREST
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG
(observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB
(non-regional), EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-
7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond A. J. CHRETIEN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682–1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682–7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and San
Juan (Puerto Rico)
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669–0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238–5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 238–5720 consulate(s) general: 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
Economy———
Economic 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. Canada started the 1990s in recession, and real rates of growth have averaged only 1.1% so far this decade. Because of slower growth, Canada still faces high unemployment and a large public sector debt. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, however, Canada will enjoy better economic prospects in the future. The continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas is raising the possibility of a split in the confederation, making foreign investors somewhat edgy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $694 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.1% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $24,400 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 26% services: 72% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 13.38 million by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 9.5% (1995)
Budget:
revenues: $90.4 billion
expenditures: $114.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95 est.)
Industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth
