Monog raffia from canada

Teacher: José Manuel Ávila

Student: Carolina Salas Gómez
Group: Area III – A
Subject: Economic Geography
Index
Territorial organization Page 3
government and politics Page 5
Economy Page 7
Culture Page 21
Education, science and technology Page 22
Religion Page 23
Sports Page 24

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Territorial organization
Canada is a federation made up of ten provinces and three territories. In turn, they
can be grouped into regions: Western Canada, Central Canada, Atlantic Canada
and Northern Canada (the last one is made up of the three territories). Eastern
Canada refers to Central Canada and Atlantic Canada together. Provinces have
more autonomy than territories, are responsible for most of the country's social
programs (such as health care, education and welfare) and together receive more
revenue than the federal government, a nearly unique structure. among federations
in the world. However, it is the federal government that can initiate national policies
in provincial areas, such as the Canada Health Act; Provinces can opt for models
other than these, but they rarely do so in practice. Compensation payments are
made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of
services and taxes are maintained between the richest and poorest provinces.
Canada occupies much of northern North America, sharing its land borders with
the contiguous United States to the south and with the state and territory of Alaska
to the northwest, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific
Ocean in the west; To the north it borders the Arctic Ocean. By total area (including
its waters), it is the second largest country in the world, after Russia. For land area,
it ranks fourth (land area is the total area minus the area of lakes and rivers).
Since 1925, Canada has claimed the portion of the Arctic between the meridians
60° W and 141° W, but this claim is not universally recognized. The northernmost
settlement in the country (and the world) is the FC warning station, located on the
northern tip of Ellesmere Island at 82.5°N, just 817 kilometers from the North Pole.
Much of the Canadian Arctic is covered by ice and permafrost. It is also the country
with the longest coastline in the world: 202,080 kilometers.
The population density, at 3.3 inhabitants per square kilometer, is among the
lowest in the world. The most densely populated part of the country is the Quebec
City area and the Windsor Corridor, (located in southern Quebec and Ontario) on
the shores of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.
Niagara Falls are one of the largest waterfalls in the world, in addition to providing
hydraulic power.
Canada has an extensive coastline, to the east, north and west, and since the last
glacial period it has had eight different forest regions, including a large area of
taiga on the Canadian Shield. The vastness and variety of Canada's geography,
ecology, vegetation and relief have given rise to a wide variety of climates
throughout the country. Also due to its large size, Canada has more lakes than any
other country, so it also contains much of the world's fresh water. There are also
freshwater-bearing glaciers in the Rocky Mountains and Coast Mountains.
The average temperature in winter and summer varies by location. Winters can be
harsh in many regions of the country, especially in the interior and prairie
provinces, where a continental climate is experienced, with average daily

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temperatures of -15°C, but can dip below -40°C. . In landlocked regions, snow can
cover the ground for almost six months (longer in the north). The coast of British
Columbia enjoys a temperate climate, with a warmer but rainy winter. On the east
and west coasts, average temperatures generally do not exceed 20 °C, while
between the coasts, the average summer maximum temperature ranges between
25 and 30 °C, with occasional heat waves in the interior exceeding 40°C.
The beaver is one of the country's own animals, to the extent that it is considered a
national symbol.
Canada is also geologically active, with earthquakes and potentially active
volcanoes occurring in the country, such as Mount Meager, Mount Garibaldi,
Mount Cayley, and the Mount Edziza Volcanic Complex. In 1775, the volcanic
eruption of the Tseax cone caused a catastrophe, killing 2,000 Nisga'a people and
causing the destruction of their village in the Nass River Valley of northern British
Columbia; The eruption produced a 22.5 kilometer lava flow, and according to
Nisga'a legend, it blocked the course of the Nass River.

government and politics

Canada has a parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions.
Parliament is made up of a popularly elected House of Commons and an
appointed Senate. Each Member of Parliament in the House of Commons is
elected by a simple majority in an constituency or its equivalent. The prime minister
is the one who calls general elections, which must be a maximum of five years
after the previous election, or can be triggered by the government by requesting a
motion of no confidence in parliament.
The members of the Senate, whose seats are distributed according to each region,
are chosen by the prime minister and formally appointed by the Governor General
and can serve until the age of 75. In the 2008 elections, four parties had elected
representatives to the federal parliament: the Conservative Party of Canada (ruling
party), the Liberal Party of Canada (the official opposition), the New Democratic
Party (NDP) and the Bloc Québécois.
The federal structure divides government responsibilities between the federal
government and those of the ten provinces. Provincial legislatures are unicameral
and operate similarly to the House of Commons. The three territories also have
their own legislatures, but with fewer constitutional responsibilities than the
provinces and with some structural differences (for example, the legislative
assemblies of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut do not obey political parties
and operate under a consensus).
Canada is also a constitutional monarchy, in which The Crown plays the role of a
symbolic or ceremonial executive power. This consists of Queen Elizabeth II (legal
head of state), her appointed viceroys, the governor general (who acts as head of
state) and the lieutenant governors, who perform most of the monarch's
ceremonial functions. The executive branch, in matters of policy, consists of the

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prime minister (head of government) and the cabinet, who make the daily decisions
of the government. The cabinet is made up of ministers who are usually selected
from the House of Commons, headed by the prime minister, who is usually the
leader of the party that maintains the majority in that house.
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is one of the most powerful institutions in
the government, whose function is to initiate the legislative process for its approval
in parliament and to select, in addition to cabinet members, senators, magistrates
of the federal court, heads of Crown corporations and government agencies and
the governor general. Formally, the Crown approves parliamentary legislation and
the prime minister's orders. The leader of the political party with the second largest
number of seats becomes the leader of the opposition and is part of an adversarial
parliamentary system, designed to keep the government in constant check. David
Johnston has been Governor General since 1 October 2010; Stephen Harper,
leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has been Prime Minister since
February 6, 2006; and Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, has
been the leader of the opposition since December 10, 2008.
The judiciary plays an important role in interpreting laws and has the power to
revoke those that violate the Constitution. The Supreme Court of Canada is the
highest court and is the last resort for crimes; Since 2000 it has been presided over
by Judge Beverley McLachlin. Its nine members are appointed by the governor
general with the advice of the prime minister and the minister of justice. All judges
at the higher and appellate levels are appointed after consultation with non-
governmental judicial bodies. The federal government also appoints judges to
superior courts at the provincial and territorial levels. The lower level judiciaries in
provinces and territories are the responsibility of their respective governments.
Common law prevails throughout the country, except in Quebec, where civil law
predominates. Criminal law is a federal responsibility and is uniform throughout the
national territory. Law enforcement and criminal courts are the responsibility of the
provincial government, although in rural areas of all provinces except Ontario and
Quebec it is the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Foreign relations and armed forces
Canada and the United States share the world's longest unarmed border,
cooperate in military campaigns and exercises, and are each other's largest trading
partner. However, the former has an independent foreign policy, notable for
maintaining full relations with Cuba and for refusing to participate in the Iraq War.
The country also maintains historical ties with the United Kingdom, France and
other former British and French colonies, thanks to its membership in the
Commonwealth of Nations and Francophonie. Furthermore, another notable
aspect of its foreign relations is the strong and positive relationship with the
Netherlands, and the Dutch government traditionally gives tulips (the Dutch
national symbol) to Canada each year, in memory of the latter country's
contribution to its liberation from the German occupation.

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It currently employs a professional military force, whose personnel numbers about
67,000 troops and about 26,000 in reserve. The Canadian Forces (FC) unify the
army, navy and air force into a single body. The FC's major military equipment
includes 1,400 armored vehicles, 33 warships and 861 fighter aircraft.
The strong attachment to the British Empire and the Commonwealth led the
country to participate in most of the British military raids in the Second Boer War,
the First World War and the Second World War. Since then, Canada has been an
advocate of multilateralism, making efforts to solve global problems in collaboration
with other nations. In addition, it was one of the founding countries of the United
Nations in 1945 and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949. During the
Cold War, he was a major contributor to United Nations forces in the Korean War
and together with the United States founded the North American Aerospace
Defense Command (NORAD), to defend against possible air attacks by the Soviet
Union.
During the Suez Crisis of 1956, future Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson
eased tensions by proposing the creation of the United Nations Peacekeeping
Forces, for which he was awarded the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize. As this was the
first UN peacekeeping mission, Pearson is often credited as the inventor of this
concept. Canada has since served in fifty peacekeeping missions, including every
UN campaign until 1989, and maintains several regiments on international
missions in Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere; The country has faced
controversy over its involvement abroad, particularly in the 1993 Somalia Affair.
The number of Canadian military personnel participating in peacekeeping missions
has decreased considerably over the past two decades. As of June 30, 2006, 133
Canadians were on UN missions around the world, including 55 members of the
FC, compared to 1,044 military personnel under UN command on December 31,
1996.
Canada joined the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1990, in addition to
the OAS General Assembly being held in Windsor, Ontario, in June 2000 and the
third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City in April. of 2001. It also aims to
expand its ties with the economies of the Pacific Rim through its membership in the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC).
Since 2001, the FC has had troops deployed to Afghanistan as part of the US
Stabilization Force and the International Security Assistance Force. However, they
pledged to withdraw from Kandahar province by 2011, while announcing that the
estimated total cost of the war in Afghanistan is more than $11.3 million. Canada
and the United States continue to integrate state and provincial agencies to
strengthen security along their border, through the Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative.
In February 2007, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, Norway and Russia
announced plans to fund a $1.5 million project to help develop vaccines that could
save millions of lives in poor nations and invited other countries to join them. In
August 2007, Canadian sovereignty in Arctic waters was challenged after a

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Russian submarine expedition to the North Pole; Canadians have considered that
area sovereign territory since 1925.

Economy
Canada is one of the richest and most developed countries in the world. Its
economic system is free market where small and medium-sized companies run by
their owners and large multinational companies compete. There is a certain degree
of state intervention in health, social services, transportation and
telecommunications, even though the trend in the last two fields is towards
privatization.
Canada is a country of abundant natural resources. Canada's economic growth
has been based largely on the export of agricultural products -cereals- and on the
exploitation and export of forestry and mining resources. The development of
Canadian industry since the Second World War has made Canada one of the top
ten industrial powers in the world. The same has happened with the service sector.
The boost in the secondary sector has been based largely on the large endowment
of natural resources (including low-cost energy) that have provided "inputs" to a
large number of processing companies. In addition to natural factors, its proximity
to the large market of the United States of America, the abundant and qualified
workforce due to the level of education and immigration, the ease of access to
capital, have influenced, with foreign investment playing a key role in economic
development.
It is from the 1970s that Canadian industry began to pay increasing attention to
research, which gave rise to cutting-edge technology companies in the fields of
aeronautics, communication and biotechnology.
There is an industrial concentration along the border of the United States of
America, and especially in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British
Columbia.
The province of Ontario is, until now, the largest economic center in the country. Its
contribution to the Gross Domestic Product at market prices, its population and its
employment represents approximately 40% of Canada's total. Toronto is Canada's
main financial and services centre. The most important industry is automotive and
transportation, which are in turn the most important in the country.
The province of Quebec follows next, with a share of GDP, population and
employment of just over 20%, with a downward trend. The industrial structure of
Québec is more balanced than that of Ontario, since food production, paper and its
processing, aeronautics and transportation stand out.
Next is British Columbia with a share of GDP, population and employment of just
over 10%, with an upward trend. The most important industries (in descending
order) are logging, the paper industry and its derivatives, oil refining, coal mining
and the food industry. British Columbia has been the only province whose GDP

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has not experienced any decrease due to the recession, mainly due to growing
economic ties with East Asia (Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc.).
In fourth place is the province of Alberta with a share of GDP, population and
employment of just under 10%. Its industry is based on oil refining and coal mining,
food and chemicals. Although the recession of the early 90s affected this province
since there was a drop in GDP in 1991, due to its healthy economic situation, the
decline in the production of goods and services was much smaller than the
Canadian average.
The Atlantic provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward and New
Brunswick, the poorest, have a secondary sector based on fishing, mining and
logging. Between the four of them they have a representation in the GDP,
population and employment of just over 7%. However, the evolution was not
uniform in the four provinces, since Newfoundland presented a greater drop in
GDP than the average, which was offset by the improvement produced in New
Brunswick.
Finally, the two central provinces, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which apart from
their agricultural wealth - they are the largest producers of cereals - have energy
resources (oil, gas, coal). Manitoba accounts for just over 3.5% of GDP, population
and employment. Saskatchewan represents around 3% of GDP, population and
employment.
- Agriculture and fishing
Canadian agriculture, with a weight of 2 percent in the GDP, is characterized by a
high degree of mechanization and large size of farms. The number of farms is
almost 300,000 and their average size is about 225 hectares. 70 percent of the 68
million hectares dedicated to cultivation are used for cereals (wheat, oats, barley
and corn), forage, and legumes, of which approximately half are exported. Most of
this type of agriculture is found in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and to
a lesser extent, in Alberta. In contrast, vegetable and soy production is
concentrated in Ontario. In the St. Lawrence River region - Ontario and Quebec -
livestock farming predominates, especially dairy cows and stable pigs, contributing
70 percent of total dairy production, 60 percent of pork production, and 50 percent
of pork production. percent of egg production. Large beef cattle ranches are found
in the prairie region (Saskatchewan and Manitoba).
The Canadian agricultural sector faces serious problems. On the one hand, cereal
producers, who do not have to receive subsidies to be internationally competitive,
would like the disappearance of all types of barriers in international trade and on
the other, producers of milk and derivatives, eggs and poultry who advocate for the
continuation of the system that existed until now: supply control, which regulates
the Canadian market through the allocation of quotas to ranchers. (The purpose of
this system is to maintain the income level of livestock farmers and achieve price
and supply stability.) That is, Canadian agricultural policy is free trade in cereals
and protectionist in dairy products, eggs, chickens and turkeys.

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Forests are Canada's largest renewable resource. The exploitation of forest wealth
represents an enormous contribution to Canada's economy. Canadian forests
produce raw materials for the sawn timber, pulpwood, paper and plywood
industries. The value of forest products is around 10 percent of GDP and accounts
for 16 percent of total exports. Canada is the world's leading exporter of wood, pulp
and paper. The forestry industry is concentrated in the provinces of Quebec, British
Columbia and Ontario.
The best fishing grounds in the Atlantic were east of Canada. The 200-mile
extension meant for Canada control of the largest fishing area in the world. The
extension produced enormous growth expectations which led to the creation of fish
processing factories and increased employment. The overexploitation of fishing
grounds led to greater control of stocks, which led to the gradual closure of a large
number of factories and increased unemployment in the Atlantic regions. On the
other hand, NAFO has established a moratorium on fishing in different areas of the
large banks and for different species. Although it affects all the Atlantic provinces,
the most affected is Newfoundland, where most of the income obtained from
fishing has been replaced by transfers from the federal government to its
inhabitants, either through early retirement, unemployment insurance or social
help.
The economic importance of hunting and breeding wild animals for the fur industry
is not negligible.
- Mining
Canada has almost all the minerals necessary for the development of economic
activity (uranium, zinc, nickel, gold, chromium, platinum, lead, silver) and is the
third largest producer of non-fuel minerals in the world. The contribution of this
sector to the GDP was 4 percent in 1992.
Canada is self-sufficient in energy resources. Energy production is based on crude
oil, hydroelectric energy and nuclear energy. Mineral resources (excluding fuels)
are found throughout the national territory, but Ontario occupies first place with 35
percent of the total, followed at a great distance by Quebec with 15 percent, British
Columbia with 11 per 100, Saskatchewan with 8 per 100, Alberta with 6 per 100,
Manitoba with 6 per 100 and the rest, the other provinces. In terms of energy
resources, Canada occupies one of the first places in the world. This country also
has the most energy-intensive economy in the world, due to the high standard of
living, the harsh and rigorous climate and the great distances. The energy sector
contributes around 9 percent of the GDP, employs 3 percent of the active
population and exceeds 10 percent of the value of total exports. The exploitation of
energy resources is concentrated in Alberta, then British Columbia and
Saskatchewan.
Electrical energy is, above all, of hydraulic origin (more than three quarters). It is
concentrated in British Columbia, Quebec and Manitoba. Nuclear energy accounts

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for 15 percent of total electrical energy and is used in Ontario and Nova Scotia.
The rest of the electrical energy is produced by coal.
- Industry
The secondary sector has been decreasing its relative weight in GDP since the 70s
to date. The causes of this decline are several:
Difficulty in recovering from the 1981-1983 recession, whose problems carried over
and increased in the one suffered in the 1990-1992 biennium with the consequent
disappearance of a large number of companies, restructuring and constant
increase in the services sector.
Industrial employment followed the vicissitudes of manufacturing production, as it
went from representing 20 percent in 1975 to 13 percent of the active population in
1992. Industrial producers are not distributed evenly throughout the country, but
most of them are located next to the source of the corresponding natural
resources. Thus, manufacturing activity is located mainly in Ontario and Quebec,
and at a greater distance, in British Columbia. Furthermore, industrial production
tends to settle within large metropolitan areas, even though a process of industrial
relocation has recently been observed since industrial units tend to leave urban
centers to establish themselves in industrial estates designed for this purpose.
The main industrial sectors are: transportation equipment, pulp and paper, metal
minerals, food, electronic and electrical, chemical and petroleum refining. In recent
years, the Canadian telecommunications and engineering industry has come to
occupy a prominent place on a global scale. The production of transportation
equipment is both the first industrial sector and the first exporter.
The Free Trade Agreement between the United States of America and Canada
was expected to boost the automobile sector, as customs duties between the two
countries were eliminated. However, with the passage of time it does not seem that
this has been the case, quite the contrary, since several spare parts producers
have ended up closing their factories in Canada to establish themselves in the
United States, and car manufacturers, such as General Motors, have closed
several floors.
This drop in activity, along with problems defining national content and the higher
installation and maintenance costs (social security) in this country, may cause
Canadian companies that also serve the American area to end up moving to the
United States as well.
The iron and steel industry, protected by the frequent imposition of "anti-dumping"
duties on foreign competition, had some buoyant years in the late 1980s, but has
once again fallen into the red, leading to to the restructuring of employment and
production.
Canada's industrial sector has received large foreign investment, especially,
logically, from the United States. Foreign control of the industrial sector is

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estimated at around 52 percent. In chemical and textile products it is 72 percent; in
electrical products, 66 percent and in wood and paper, 45 percent.
- Canada's trade balance
Canada has an important foreign sector. Exports of goods account for around 28
percent of GDP. Its exports and imports of goods and services have a share of 65
percent, 32 percent corresponding to exports, and 33 percent to imports.
The merchandise balance is traditionally in surplus. Most of its imports are finished
products, about 70%, followed by intermediate products, 20%, non-edible raw
materials, 5%, and live animals, foods, beverages and tobacco the rest. . Exports,
for their part, enjoy the same structure as purchases but in a different proportion:
finished products represented a little more than 40% of the total, intermediate
products, a little more than 30%, non-edible raw materials, a little more. 10%, and
live animals, food, beverages and tobacco 10%.
Within the finished products and in both aspects, the weight of automobiles and
trucks stands out along with the engines and their parts. Adding these goods, the
result is a proportion of more than 30% of the finished products on the import side
and more than 50% on the export side.
An important item in foreign trade is computers. On the export side, Paper and
Cardboard stands out, representing close to 15% of the total. If we add the exports
of cars, trucks and their parts together with those of paper and cardboard, their
contribution to total sales abroad would be close to 40%.
The United States of America, Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany are its
main clients and suppliers. The preponderance of the first country stands out, a
weight that should continue to increase in step with North American commercial
integration within the framework of NAFTA. Canada maintains a trade surplus with
the United States while it registers a deficit with the rest of its main trading
partners. The leap that Mexico has made as a supplier in recent years is notable.
The logical thing is that this trend will consolidate in the future.
- The Canadian trade regime
Duty
Canada is a contracting party to the GATT. Canadian tariff regulations are included
in the Custom Tariff Act. Since January 1, 1988, the Canadian tariff uses the
nomenclature of the International Convention on the Harmonized System of
Description and Coding of Goods, of the Customs Cooperation Council of
Brussels, for the classification of goods.
There are four types of tariffs: the British preferential tariff, applicable to imports
from member countries of the Commonwealth (it should be specified that the
United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland receive most favored nation
treatment); the most favored nation tariff, applicable to most developed countries

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(Spain among them); the general preferential rate, intended for certain imports
originating in developing countries and the general rate, the highest. The general
preferential rate is, on average, 10 to 15 percent lower than the most favored
nation rate.
Since 1985, tariff rates are mostly based on the transaction value of the
merchandise, as established by the GATT in the application code of its Article VII:
the price paid or payable, according to invoice, of the imported goods. Tariffs are
usually applied on the CIF customs value. There are alternative valuation methods
for specific situations (linked transactions) where the transaction value is not
acceptable. There are also specific duties for some products and, in some cases,
combined duties and specifics apply.
The Canadian market is a very competitive market. Products are imported from
practically all over the world. On the other hand, Canadian society is an opulent
society, with consumption needs different from those for satisfying basic needs.
Taking into account the structure of the population, an increase in demand is
forecast for Canada in the coming years in the housing, domestic equipment
(furniture, appliances) and services, leisure and children's products sectors.
Canada has the highest tariff duties among all industrialized nations. The average
tariff rates show great dispersion, although in general terms it can be said that
there are practically no duties on raw materials and exotic products, and the rates
tend to increase as the degree of finishing of imports increases. The highest rates
range between 20 and 30 percent.
No duty barriers
However, as duties decline in importance, the impact of non-tariff barriers has
become evident: excessive health regulations, e.g. imports of beef and pork
products from countries they vaccinate these animals against foot and mouth
disease; very strict requirements on labeling and containers; I do not respect
appellations of origin; existence of import licenses for most agricultural products
that can compete with Canadian goods; import quotas (dairy products, eggs and
poultry); establishment of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of
steel products, etc.
According to a study carried out by the Trade Advisors of the countries of the
European Community in 1989, exports from the EEC to Canada were affected by
non-tariff barriers in more than 15% of community sales. These non-tariff barriers,
to a large extent, continue to persist.
These Canadian non-tariff restrictions sometimes respond to the difficulties that
Canadian exporters encounter in the US market, who ultimately use the last
alternative to expel the foreign competitor from their domestic market, accusing
them of dumping and/or receiving subsidies. for export in the country of origin.

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It is believed that there are more than 500 non-tariff barriers in Canada between
Canadian provincial entities, which limit the free circulation of goods and services
within the same Canadian territory; Among the most striking are: the prohibition of
selling alcoholic beverages in a province that has not produced or imported them,
the management system for agricultural products, public procurement contests,
restrictions on the mobility of labor. The existence of these internal obstacles to the
free circulation of goods and services has a high economic cost and it is incoherent
that a country so focused on the outside world - one of every five jobs is in the
export sector - and which has also established with its two countries neighbors -
the United States and Mexico - free trade there are barriers between the provinces
to the free circulation of goods and services. The previous government got all the
provinces to sign an agreement in August 1990 to come into force in January 1991
- Québec joined in March 1991 - with the aim of eliminating before 1994 all
discrimination between the provinces based on the origin of the good. or the
service. Among the objectives to be achieved is the abandonment of the
preferential purchasing policy by provincial governments for purchases of goods or
services of more than $25,000, excluding from this commitment purchases for
regional development purposes and those made by public companies. Although
some positive results have been obtained, we are still far from reaching the set
objective.
- Import regime
The Canadian import regime, regulated by the Canada Customs Act, corresponds
to a liberalized trade model. Most imports do not require authorization of any kind.
However, some goods can only be imported after obtaining a license. This is the
case of: certain drugs; a few agricultural products (dairy products, eggs and
derivatives, poultry, etc.); certain textile products, clothing, certain animal and plant
species in danger of extinction; natural gas; material and equipment for generating
or using nuclear energy; steel products and weapons. In some cases, particularly
for certain agricultural products such as dairy products, official policy is never to
grant licences.
The Export and Import Permits Act of 1987 includes an import control list that
specifies all goods that are prohibited from being imported into Canada.
Imports of clothing and certain textile products from and originating in countries
with low production costs (South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, PR China) are
subject to bilaterally agreed quotas, in accordance with the provisions of the
Multifiber Arrangement (MFA) negotiated within the framework of the GATT.
License applications must be accompanied by a proforma invoice; Customs
authorities may require more documents. The validity period of a license is thirty
days; Extensions can be negotiated. Licenses are transferable. Import licenses are
issued by the Import Control Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign
investments.

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The existence of the Canadian law on foreign investment in Canada, Investment
Canada Act, dates back to 1985. This law regulates only capital that is invested in
Canada and not the capital investment of residents of this country abroad, which is
completely free.
The content of the Investment Canada Act is simple: no type of federal
authorization is required, only notification to the central government for the
establishment of new businesses or the acquisition of existing firms when assets
do not exceed 5 million dollars for direct investments and 50 for hints. There may
be an exception if the Minister of Industry recommends that in the public interest
the investment should be examined by the Council of Ministers and the permit
should be subject to federal authorization.
The mentioned ceilings are different when the investor is American. In 1993, the
ceiling was $152 million. However, this same ceiling with the United States was
lowered to 5 million, the same as for third countries, when the sector is one of the
following: uranium, financial services (except in new entities in life insurance),
transportation services and cultural businesses. Indirect investments with the
United States do not require federal authorization. In addition to the restrictions
established by federal legislation, there are various limitations established by the
different provinces, within the scope of their legislative powers. Some require a
majority of Canadian citizens on the boards of directors of companies incorporated
in their respective territories. Others control real estate very strictly. Others limit
foreign ownership of rural land.
The body in charge of managing foreign investments under the Investment Canada
Act is the government agency called Investment Canada. It was, like the law,
created in 1985 and is framed within the Ministry of Industry, Science and
Technology of Canada, although the previous Conservative government separated
the Investment Promotion Directorate and included it in the Ministry of International
Trade.
Its purposes are several: promotion of investments in Canada; investment
research, studies of possible foreign investments for the benefit of the country and
its citizens. To do this, it takes into account: the effect on employment, on exports,
services, degree and importance of participation in the affected industry, effects on
productivity, industrial efficiency, technological development, product innovation,
etc.
The Canadian Governments, both Federal and Provincial, favor investment. The
measures to stimulate local investments are almost entirely applicable to foreign
investment.
The incentives are very varied: from non-refundable subsidies, to technical
assistance and advice, to participation in the share capital. Their generosity takes
into account the degree of industrial and/or commercial development in the area,
as well as the unemployment rate.

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Canada is a net recipient country of foreign investments. Foreign investments in
Canada have not stopped growing. The largest investor, naturally, is the United
States of America with 62 percent of the total volume of foreign capital invested in
Cana. US investments are concentrated in the manufacturing sector, followed by
the oil sector, natural gas and the financial sector.
Next is the United Kingdom, whose investments represent a total volume of just
under 20% of the total foreign investments in Canada, of which just under 40
percent were in the financial sector and 35 percent in the manufacturing sector.
Next is Japan, in the financial, trade and finance sectors.
If the analysis is done by sector, the manufacturing industries are the largest
recipients of foreign capital. Its stock represents just over 45% of the total. Within
manufacturing, the iron and ferrous products subsector stands out, with 13%; then
chemical products, with 8 percent, and paper and wood manufactures with 7
percent.
The second most important receiving sector is finance, with nearly 20 percent of
the total; Next are oil and natural gas with 17 percent of the total.
As for Canada's capital investments abroad, they have not stopped growing over
the years. The country that collects more than 60 percent of Canada's capital stock
abroad is the US, and mainly in the manufacturing sector. Next is the United
Kingdom. Next are Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Bahamas and France. It highlights
the importance that Canada's investments in Latin America are recently acquiring
(Chile, with whom it signed a Free Trade Agreement in 1996, Mexico and Cuba).
- Company constitution
Canadian law is based on the British system of "Common Law", with the sole
exception of that of Quebec, which comes from the French tradition of Civil Law. It
must be taken into account that in Canada there are also several corporate laws:
the federal corporate law (Canada Business Corporations Act) and the corporate
laws of each of the provinces and territories.
The main forms of commercial establishment existing in Canada are basically four:
the individual company ("sole proprietorship"), the general or limited association
("general or limited partnership"), the joint-stock company or public or private
corporation ("public or private corporation").
1. Sole proprietorship
There is no specific regulation for this type of establishments. Each province
dictates the rules relating to those establishments that carry out their activity in
them. As a general rule, it is not necessary to register the company, unless its
activities are carried out under a name other than that of the owner. This type of
company is not subject to audits, but must keep adequate accounting and financial
reports available for inspection.

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2. Partnership
It involves a commercial relationship between people who jointly develop a
business for profit. Companies can be of two types, general and limited, which
correspond to civil and limited partnerships in Spain, respectively. In the "general
partnership" each partner is unlimitedly and jointly responsible for the obligations
and debts of the company. The "limited partnership" includes one or more general
partners and one or more limited partners, whose liability is limited to their
contribution to the company, and without the power to take an active part in the
management of the company.
3. Public limited companies or corporations ("Corporations")
It has its own legal personality, different from that of its owners or shareholders.
There is no minimum capital requirement or number of shareholders for the
constitution of a company, except in the case of financial institutions. Corporations
must hold general meetings of shareholders at least once every 15 months and are
required to keep accounting books and undergo an annual audit.
- Establishment of a company
A foreign company considering establishing itself in Canada can choose between
several possibilities:
If you wish to act without partners, you can choose between creating a branch or a
subsidiary, except in the event that you intend to establish a banking institution,
where it is not permitted to create branches.
If you choose to share the risks with local partners, you can either establish a joint
venture or acquire shares or the entire capital of a Canadian company.
Other ways would be the choice of a franchisee, if the conditions for this are met.
- Subsidiary and branch
For tax and image reasons, most foreign companies prefer to establish a
subsidiary rather than a branch. The reasons are:
From a formal point of view, the constitution of the subsidiary is simpler than the
branch.
The foreign company is responsible for the acts, debts and contractual obligations
of the branch, which is not the case in the case of the subsidiary.
The subsidiary has a different legal personality than the parent company, which
facilitates the sale and provision of services between the two.
The subsidiary enjoys the advantage of its greater "Canadian" character. This
implies a different image, since the branch tends to be associated with the "foreign"
presence. In addition, the subsidiary has easier access to public markets.

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 - SOME OF THE SPANISH COMPANIES ESTABLISHED IN CANADA
NORTH AMERICAN STAINLESS
Q. EITHER. Box 69540
Oakville, Ontario
Mr. Luis de la Fuente
Activity: Marketer of steel products.
(Dependent of Acerinox).
HISPANIC CENTRAL BANK
330 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
Mr. John Estruch
PETRESA CANADA INC. (PCI)
5250 Blvd. Becancour, RR3
Becancour, Quebec
Mr. Jaime Berbes
Activity: Producer of linear alkylbenzene.
- Investments between Canada and Spain
Within Spanish investment in Canada, the Central Bank stands out, with a
subsidiary in Toronto; There are several marketing companies with Spanish
capital: one for steel tubes, another for steel products; another of mining and
mineral trade; another of articulated mechanisms for awnings; a travel agency; a
valve marketer and a wholesaler, apart from other important manufacturing
companies with mixed Spanish-Canadian capital.
Regarding the stock of Canadian investments in Spain, the amount of capital is
much greater than the corresponding Spanish one in Canada: there are twenty-two
Spanish companies with more than 100 million pesetas of direct Canadian
participation each; 16 with a direct investment between 25 and 100 million; and
143 with a direct Canadian participation of less than 25 million pesetas.
- Sectors of interest for Spanish investment
Canada is one of the developed countries with the most natural resources. This
has facilitated foreign investment in sectors that use natural raw materials. This,
together with the abundance and low cost of energy, and the proximity of the

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largest developed market in the world, attracted the small group of Spanish
companies currently established in Canada. The incorporation of Mexico into the
large American market should increase the presence of Spanish investors in this
country.
- Spanish-Canadian trade relations
Canadian imports from Spain
Canadian duties are relatively high when it comes to Spanish products. They are
close to 25 percent in textiles and the duties on footwear, furniture, toys, telephone
equipment, etc. are between 15 and 23 percent. Approximately 70 percent of our
exports in value face tariff duties exceeding 10 percent.
Canadian purchases from Spain are, for the most part, industrial goods, even
though since 1989 there has been a growth in food products; Thus, in 1988 the
relative weights were 87.7 and 12.3 percent, respectively, and in 1992 they were
81.6 and 18.3 percent, respectively.
If we review the sections in Canadian imports from Spain, the following chapters
stand out with a participation between 10 and 12 percent: "Machines, electrical
equipment and sound and image equipment", "Plastics and rubber", "Footwear" in
third place and "Prepared foods, beverages and tobacco" in fourth place.
Next, "Chemical Products" are placed, with a relative weight of 9 percent; and
"Common metals and their manufactures", with 8 percent. About 6 percent are
"Mineral products", "Manufactures of minerals and glass"; "Optical, musical and
medical-surgical instruments" and "Plant products".
If the analysis is carried out through the chapters, the most important is that of
Footwear, gaiters, booties and similar items with more than 12 percent
participation. Below is the chapter on Rubber and its manufactures with 10 percent.
Next, "Machines, appliances and electrical material and their parts" is placed with 7
percent participation. Between 5 and 6 percent of the relative weight are
"Preparations of legumes and vegetables"; "Nuclear reactors, boilers, machines";
"Ceramic products"; "Organic chemicals" and "Optics, photography instruments
and apparatus."
Around 4% represent "Mineral fuels, mineral oils", "Iron and steel foundry articles"
and "Beverages, alcoholic liquids and vinegar".
Finally, the chapters of "Legumes and vegetables, plants, roots" and "Iron and
steel foundry" represent 2 percent, respectively; and approximately 1 percent in the
chapter on "Edible fruits, citrus or melon peels."
The Canadian provinces that import Spanish products are traditionally Ontario, with
more than 50 percent of the total, Quebec, with approximately 35 percent, and
British Columbia, with just over 5 percent.

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Canadian export to Spain
Canadian exports to Spain consist mostly of raw materials and intermediate
products.
However, a slight greater diversification has recently been noted, not only due to
the appearance of new merchandise, but also due to the relative decrease in the
weight of the three majority sections ("Mineral Products", "Paper and Books" and "
Machines, electrical equipment, sound and image equipment"), even though they
still account for a little more than half of the three.
If the analysis of Canadian exports to Spain is done by chapters, it is observed that
nine chapters account for practically more than 70 percent. The most important
are: minerals, slag and ashes, with a participation of more than 32 percent; iron
and steel foundry, with 8 percent; that of paper and cardboard, with a weight of 7
percent; around 5 represent nuclear reactors, boilers, etc., wood pulp, fish,
crustaceans, etc., and around 3 percent are salt, sulfur, air or space navigation,
that of copper and copper manufactures, and that of legumes, plants and
vegetables.
Canadian exports to Spain originate mainly in the provinces of Ontario, 23 percent,
Quebec, 20 percent, British Columbia, 20 percent, and Yukon, 13 percent.
Sectors of interest for Spanish exports
With the Free Trade Agreement with the US first, and with NAFTA later, it is not
easy to predict which Spanish products could improve their sales in Canada. It is
worth remembering that the average tariff protection in Canada is around 10%, and
for some products it can reach 25%, including footwear. These barriers will
disappear with the United States in 1998 and with Mexico they will be eliminated,
for the most part, gradually over ten years. With this perspective, the Spanish
goods with the most future in this market would be mandarins and clementines,
olive oil, anchovies, different kinds of juices, chemicals, penicillin, antibiotics,
pigments and preparations based on titanium dioxide, resinoids, electrodes carbon
or graphite. These products enter Canada generally duty-free, since most of the
remaining products that constitute Spanish exports to this country face competition
from Mexico and the United States and therefore the payment of higher tariff
duties, which which leads to a higher final price. Recently, Spanish exports to
Canada are registering significant growth (since 1989, continuous falls were
normal), caused exclusively by the depreciation of the value of the peseta with
respect to the dollar - 25 percent compared to the average value of 1992 -, which
has managed to compensate and even overcome the tariff differences in relation to
the United States and Mexico.

Culture
Historically, Canadian culture has been influenced by the traditions and customs of
English, French and indigenous cultures. Throughout the national territory, various

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forms of cultural, linguistic, artistic and musical expressions distinctive to each
region can be found. Many words, inventions and games from the indigenous
people of North America have become part of the daily lives of Canadians.
Canoeing, snowshoeing, bobsledding, lacrosse, tug-of-war, maple syrup, and
tobacco are examples of such products, inventions, and games. Some words of
indigenous origin are barbecue, caribou, tamias, woodchuck, hammock, skunks,
mahogany, hurricane and elk. Numerous areas, cities and rivers have names of
indigenous origin. The name of the province of Saskatchewan is derived from the
Cree language name of the Saskatchewan River, "Sipi Kisiskatchewani". Another
example is the name of Canada's capital, Ottawa, which comes from the Algonquin
adawe, meaning "to trade." National Aboriginal Day recognizes the cultures and
contributions of Canadian Aboriginal people.
Aside from indigenous people, Canadian culture has been greatly influenced by
immigrants from all over the world, which is why most people perceive Canada as
a multicultural nation. However, the country's culture also possesses many
characteristics of American culture, due in large part to its proximity and the high
rate of migration between the two countries. Between 1755 and 1815, the vast
majority of English-speaking immigrants came from the United States; During and
after the War of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies, 46,000 Americans loyal to
the British Crown settled in the country. Between 1785 and 1812, there was a new
wave of American immigrants who came to the country in response to promises of
land.
In this way, American media and celebrities became very popular, if not dominant,
in Anglo-Saxon Canada; On the contrary, many Canadian cultural products and
artists are successful in the United States and other parts of the world. Many of
these are marketed toward a unified North American or global market. The creation
and preservation of Canadian culture are clearly consistent with federal
government programs, laws and institutions, such as the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC), the National Film Board of Canada and the Radio and
Telecommunications Commission. Canadian Television.
Canadian visual arts have been dominated by Tom Thomson — one of Canada's
most famous painters — and the Group of Seven. Thomson's brief career painting
Canadian landscapes spanned only a decade until his death in 1917, when he was
39 years old. The Group of Seven were painters with a nationalist and idealist
approach, who exhibited their distinctive works for the first time in May 1920.
Although its name indicates that there were seven members, five artists (Lawren
Harris, A. AND. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, J. AND. H. MacDonald and Federico
Varley) were responsible for articulating the group's ideas. They were briefly joined
by Frank Johnston and commercial artist Franklin Carmichael. TO. J. Casson
became part of the group in 1926. Another notable Canadian artist who had
connections with the group was Emily Carr, known for her landscapes and portraits
of indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast.

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Canada has developed a music infrastructure and industry, with broadcasting
regulated by the Canadian Radio and Television and Telecommunications
Commission. The Canadian music industry has produced internationally renowned
composers, musicians and groups, while the Canadian Academy of Arts and
Sciences administers Canada's music industry awards, the Juno Awards, which
began in 1970. The national anthem O Canada, adopted in 1980, was originally
commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, Théodore Robitaille, for the
1880 St. John the Baptist Day ceremony. Calixa Lavallée composed the music,
which was an accompaniment to a patriotic poem, written by the poet and judge
Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The lyrics were originally written in French, and in 1906
they were translated into English.
National symbols refer to natural, historical and indigenous elements with which
the country is identified. The use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates
back to the early 18th century. The maple leaf is depicted on former and current
national flags, coins and the coat of arms. Other important symbols are the beaver,
the Canadian barnacle, the great loon, the Crown, the Mounted Police and more
recently, the totem pole and the inukshuk.

Education, science and technology

Each of the provinces and territories are responsible for education; Each of these
systems has similar characteristics, while reflecting the history, culture and
geography of each region. The age at which children begin their education ranges
from 5 to 7 years old, contributing to a 99% adult literacy rate. Higher education is
also administered by provincial and territorial governments, which provide most of
its funding; The federal government awards scholarships, student loans, and
additional research grants. In 2002, 43% of Canadians aged 25 to 64 had a post-
secondary education; for those aged 25 to 34, the post-secondary education rate
reached 51%.
Canada is an industrial nation, with a highly developed science and technology
sector. Almost 1.88% of the national GDP is allocated to research and
development (R&D). 18 Canadians have won a Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry
and medicine. It is considered the 12th country with the most Internet users in the
world, since it has 28 million users, that is, 84.3% of the total population.
The Canadian Space Agency's main function is space and planetary exploration,
aviation research, as well as the development of rockets and satellites. In 1984,
Marc Garneau became the first Canadian astronaut, serving as a cargo specialist
for STS-41-G. Canada is a participant in the International Space Station and a
pioneer in the field of space robotics, thanks to the development of the Canadarm,
Canadarm 2 and Dextre. It was ranked third out of twenty countries in the field of
space science.153 Since the 1960s, Aerospace Industries of Canada has designed
and built ten satellites, including RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT-2 and MOST.154 The
country also produced one of the most successful sounding rockets, the Black
Brant; More than 1,000 of these rockets have been launched since they were

21
initially produced in 1961. Canadian universities are working on the first national
spacecraft landing project: the Northern Light, designed to search for life on Mars
and investigate the planet's environment for questions of electromagnetic radiation
and atmospheric properties. If Northern Light is successful, Canada will be the third
country to land a spacecraft on another planet.

Religion
Although the country's Constitution does not establish any official state religion ,
religious pluralism is an important part of Canada's political culture. According to
the 2011 census, 67.3% of Canadians identify as Christians (they were 77.1% in
2001); Of these, Catholics constitute the largest group (38.7% of the population).
The largest Protestant denomination is the United Church of Canada, of the
Presbyterian rite (made up of 6.1% of Canadians), followed by the Anglicans (5%)
and the Baptists (1.9%). The remaining percentage belonged to other Christian
currents. About 23.9% of Canadians declared they have no religious affiliation
(they represented 16.5 in 2001) and the remaining 8.8% are affiliated with non-
Christian religions (a figure that was 6.3 in 2001). , of which the most important are
Islam (3.2%) and Hinduism (1.5%).http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canad%C3%A1 -
cite_note-religion2011-173
Sports
Officially, the national sports are ice hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the
summer. Hockey is a national pastime and the most popular spectator sport in the
country. It is also the sport most played by Canadians, since in 2004 there were
more than 1.65 million hockey players.http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canad%C3%A1 -
cite_note-sports-208 Seven of the largest metropolitan areas in Canada (Toronto,
Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg) have franchises
in the National Hockey League (NHL), and the majority (54%) of the players in this
league are from Canadian origin. Other popular spectator sports are curling and
Canadian football ; the latter has a professional league, the Canadian Football
League (CFL).
Canada has franchises in the numerous American professional leagues: Major
League Baseball ( Toronto Blue Jays ), National Basketball Association ( Toronto
Raptors ) and Major League Soccer ( Toronto FC , Vancouver Whitecaps and
Montreal Impact ). Golf , baseball , skiing , soccer , volleyball and basketball are
beginning to gain traction among young people and at the amateur level, but
professional leagues and franchises are not widespread.
At the Olympic Games, Canada is particularly successful in winter sports (hockey,
short and long track skating, figure skating, aerobatic skiing, curling). This
phenomenon is observed in both the male category and the female category.

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Canada has hosted the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games , the 1988 Calgary Olympic
Games and the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games , in addition to several other
international sporting events such as the 1967, 1999 and 2014 Pan American
Games , the Canadian Formula 1 , the Toronto Grand Prix of the IndyCar Series ,
the Montreal Grand Prix and Quebec Grand Prix of cycling of the UCI World Tour ,
the Canadian Open of Golf of the PGA Tour , and the U-20 Soccer World Cup of
2007 .

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