Conference Board, Canada: China Central Cause of Changes in Trade

http://www.conferenceboard.ca/

The "lost decade" of essentially no growth in Canadian exports is due less to the strong dollar and more to the rise of China and other emerging economies. A Conference Board of Canada report for the Global Commerce Centre explains how Canada's trade has shifted this "two-gear" trade model in which the United States is relatively less important and emerging markets offer the greatest opportunity for growth.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Canadian-U.S. trade relationship is waning in importance, while emerging markets, particularly China, are becoming increasingly important.
Our trade strengths are shifting away from some manufactured products toward professional services and products related to our natural resource wealth.
The strong loonie alone does not explain this trend.

Since the dawn of the 2000s, what Canada trades has changed. A decade ago, five key products -transportation equipment, pulp and paper, electronic products, plastics and wood products - accounted for almost half of Canadian exports. Today, the top five consists of oil and gas, mineral products, chemicals, primary metals and food products. Other areas of trade strength in recent years include professional and financial services.

The emergence of China on the world stage has led to a realignment of North American trading patterns.