加拿大經濟好轉

最近報紙上就是這個好消息，加拿大經濟開始明顯好轉，雖然不確定可以維持，但是相較於最近一年令人沮喪的大環境，還真是令人神清氣爽。

加拿大統計局上週五報告說延續四月份增加工作10.8萬之後，五月份又增加了2.5萬個，雖然增加的量緩和，但是包括抵消減少的4.3萬個兼時工作，所增加的都是實實在在的全職工作，而且主要來自安大略與亞伯特省，特別讓住在多倫多的我感到快樂，真希望這一切榮景可以持續下去，可惜加拿大總是看美國吃飯，美國不幸還在掙扎，同月增加的工作還主要是政府人口普查的臨時工。

加拿大央行順應這些變化，如大家所預料，上週已經把隔夜拆款利率調升，相信這會全面影響各方面的利率水準，不過歐洲國家債信危機而且美國經濟又還沒有起色，相信這些加息的措施會很保守穩健。

希望我們從台灣來的新舊移民都能漸入佳境，工作更順利。

Canadian employment growth beats expectations; 24,700 jobs added in May

Fri Jun 4, 10:41 AM

Julian Beltrame, The Canadian Press

By Julian Beltrame, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA - The Canadian economy keeps outperforming expectations and most of the industrialized world in its ability to create jobs.

Statistics Canada reported Friday that another 24,700 jobs were added to the labour force last month, about 10,000 more than economists had forecast. After April's shower of jobs — 108,000 — the May flowering may appear modest but underlying the headline was a string of positives, economists said.

Full-time employment increased by 67,300, the private sector added 43,400 workers and employers added 52,800 jobs, basically taking 28,000 out of the self-employment ranks.

The loss of 42,500 part-time jobs was also likely a positive indicator because the larger pick-up in full-time work suggests that employers are adding on hours as they ramp up production.

"This is very, very solid. There's no other way to characterize it after a record April," said economist Benjamin Reitzes of BMO Capital Markets.

"It just highlights the domestic strength in the Canadian economy despite all the stuff going on all over the world, the weakness in financial markets and continued worries out of Europe ."

Even the summer labour market for students showed signs of normalizing, with 54,000 more students aged 20 to 24 finding employment last month, an increase of 3.1 percentage points compared to May 2009 when the economy was in the throes of a deep slump.

The Canadian data looks even better compared to the United States , where employment grew a disappointing 431,000 — almost all accounted for by temporary hiring of census takers.

The bottom line is that Canada has now recouped 310,000 of the total number of jobs it lost during last year's recession, or about 75 per cent, while the U.S. has only begun to make a dent in the 8.5 million jobs that disappeared.

Last week, Statistics Canada reported that Canada 's economy had expanded by 6.1 per cent during the first quarter, and April and May's numbers suggest growth is continuing.

"The strong report provides further evidence that the labour market is getting back to health and warrants tighter monetary policy," said Krishen Rangasamy of CIBC.

Earlier in the week, Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney became the first among G7 central bankers to move off record-low interest rates, although he hedged whether he would continue to tighten in upcoming months.

Though Rangasamy added that the ongoing U.S. weakness coupled with withdrawal of stimulus likely portends of slowing of economic and job growth in Canada later this year.

Canadian shouldn't expect to see the unemployment rate to show dramatic improvement from the current 8.1 per cent, where it was last month as well, over the rest the year, he said. May's job growth did not move the jobless rate because more Canadians are returning to the labour market in the expectation that work is now available.

If there was a soft spot in the May numbers it was that the goods-producing sector, including construction and manufacturing, was relatively flat, although both had experienced gains of late.

"All said, the latest employment data confirms a relatively strong domestic economic recovery that has begun to mature — where incremental gains diminish while becoming self-sustaining," said TD Bank senior economist Pascal Gauthier.

The Canadian dollar was unmoved by the good news, dropping 0.76 cents to 95.28 cents US over concern about the European debt crisis and dipping oil prices.

The government agency said the key gains last month came in the transportation and warehousing industries, as well as health care and social assistance, and public administration.

There were setbacks in the accommodation and food services sector, information, culture and recreation, and in natural resources.

Regionally, Quebec, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island saw employment fall back, although only the last two by significant amounts relative to their population. Big job gains occurred in Ontario , 17,700 gain, and Alberta , 14,700.