Big Surprise From The WTO.

“The outward-looking orientation of Canada’s trade regime has facilitated the economy’s successful adjustment to a number of external shocks, and helps explain Canada’s good economic performance during the last four years,” said the organization’s latest review of Canada’s trade policies and practices. “However, productivity growth has been relatively slow, significant trade barriers still protect certain agricultural activities and foreign-investment restrictions remain in areas such as telecommunications, audiovisual and air and maritime transport,” it said. “Reform in these sectors could lower costs to Canadian taxpayers and consumers while increasing productivity and competition in the domestic market.” Noting that trade and foreign investment are particularly important for Canada, which is the world’s fifth-largest goods-trading nation, the report urged the Canadian government to address those “remaining policy-induced distortions” to help ensure that Canadians continue to enjoy one of the highest living standards in the world. http://tinyurl.com/2w5hcw [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on March 26, 2007]

Note: http://tinyurl.com/2w5hcw