CANADIAN TRADE RECORD ESTABLISHED

Chronicle (Levin), 27 December 1946, Page 4

CANADIAN TRADE RECORD ESTABLISHED

The international trade record established by Canada during the war, when tliat Dominion became the third largest trading nation in the world, was maintained during 1946, Mr. P. V. McLane, commercial secretary at the Office of the Canadian Iligh Commissioner, announced 011 Tuosday. Despite the alraost complete eliyunation of munitions and war sujiplies from tlie list of articles traded,' Mr. kleLane said the total value of Canadian exports and impOTls in 1946 appro.ximated 4,()0(),0()U/)()0 dollars. That ligure was two and a half tititea greater than the average total recorded by Canada during the three years immediately preceding the war. Canada 's foreigrt- trade, during the transition from war to peace, was being affected by very important changes, he added. Bhipincnt of munitions and wai* supplies, for exaniple, exceeded 500,000,000 dollars in 1944, an,d 1,100,000,000 dollars in 1945; aitd th'ose de- • el i-ned to less thaii ' -10,000,000 'dollars this year. - l^ut even. ini spi.te that tremerulous dKoi^hd-'-' total value ; of 1946 Canadian experts was i'af above anything experienced in the country's pea'cetime history. Mr. McLane said' that Canada 's aid, since Y.T day, had been sought by nuinerous countries in all parts of the world. Canadian food, elothiug, machinery, and transportation equipment, as a result, were now playing a vital part in the rehabilitation of many devastated areas. Cominodities such as newsprint, wheat and timber, which were of prime importanee iii any list of Canada 's prewar exports, were in. greater demand than ever before. Saies of Canadian railway ears and loeomotives, negligible export items before tlie war, became so great in 1946 that they were listed among the Dominion 's 10 principal exports. Many other Canadian products, the production oi which was citlier begun or tremendouslv accelerated during the war, were linding large peaeetime markets in foreign countries. U.S. Pttrchases. Presenting a review of Canada ^s 1946 foreign trade, Mr. McLane said tliat, during the year, there had been some structural changes in Canadian export trade. "With 1946 exports to the United tttates exceeding 800,000,000 dollars that countrv replaced the United Kingdom as the largest foreign bttyer of Canadian goods. Newsprint and wood products, as before the war, were the principal cominodities which Canada sent to the United States, and they accounted for one-half of the total value of shipments. Canadian exports to the United Kingdom, prineipaHy food products, were valued this year at 600)000,000 dollars. That represented a large increase over prewar years, and it was made in spite of the restrietions imposed on import by the United Kingdom, necessitated by shortage of Canadian dollars, and the Jack, of availability in the Canadian market for many needed commodities. Canadian exports to Latin Ameriea and to the Union of South Africa in 1946 also showed very large inereascs over the prewar averages.