E-Activities

CHAPTER 20 INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIPS (3 Activities)

E-ACTIVITY: CANADA'S INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT PARTNERS (p. 498)

Activity: Match countries to their economic regions

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) organizes the countries of the world into five different economic regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. This system of organization makes it easier to keep track of trade and investment in Canada and abroad. In this activity, you'll use the DFAIT Web site to identify the countries included in each region and to research some of these countries in more detail.

1. Visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Country and Regions links and select "The World" from the main menu on the left side of the page. Recreate the chart shown below in your notebook, and explore the links to each of the economic regions listed in the chart. In the second column of the chart, identify the countries included in each region.

2. After you have completed your organization chart, play the "Name Game" with one of your classmates.
   
   To play the Name Game, name one of the countries on your chart and ask your partner to identify the economic region to which it belongs (without looking at his or her organization chart). Repeat for 10 different countries. Then, switch roles—your partner names a country and you try to match it with the correct economic region.
   
   
3. Choose one country from each region to research in more detail. Use the information provided on the DFAIT Web site to answer the following questions:
   
   
   • What is the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)?
   • What are the country's main exports to Canada?
   • What are the country's main imports from Canada?
   • Is foreign direct investment (FDI) and Canadian direct investment abroad (CDIA) data reported for this country? If so, record the FDI and CDIA statistics for the most recent year given.
     
     

   Share your findings with the class or in a small group.

Teacher's Notes

The country lists provided on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Web site are quite extensive (e.g., the site identifies more than 40 countries in the Asia-Pacific region). To make sure that they have sufficient space to record their answers, you may wish to have students complete the data lists in their notebooks. The DFAIT site also contains political, economic, and trade and investment data for individual countries.

For answers go to the Answer Key.

E-ACTIVITY: CANADA'S INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT PARTNERS (p. 502)

Activity: Examine recent statistics on foreign direct investment in Canada and Canadian direct investment abroad

International investment is an important part of the Canadian economy. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Canada often benefits Canadians, creating more jobs for workers and providing consumers with more choice. Similarly, Canadian Direct Investment Abroad (CDIA) has enabled many domestic companies to expand their operations around the globe, increasing profits and giving Canadian businesses a larger profile on the world stage.

In which industries are foreign investors most heavily involved and how much money are they investing? What industries are experiencing an increase in foreign investment? In which industries is Canadian investment abroad most concentrated? In this activity, you will use recent statistics to update the information on FDI and CDIA provided in your textbook.

1. View the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's State of Trade report to find the latest figures on direct investment. Select the most recent issue. Use the table of contents to locate the section on direct investment.
   
   
2. Use the most current statistics contained in this report and the information in Table 20.1 on page 493 of the textbook to complete the following table. (Recreate the table in your notebook, or download and print this file.)

3. In the same report, locate the latest statistics for Canadian direct investment abroad by industry. Use these statistics and the data provided in Table 20.2 on page 496 of the textbook to complete the CDI table below.

4. In the same report, locate the latest statistics for Canadian direct investment abroad by industry. Use these statistics and the data provided in Table 20.2 on page 496 of the textbook to complete the CDI table below.

Teacher's Notes

The State of Trade reports document in detail Canada's involvement in international trade and investment over the course of the year. The reports are prepared by the Economic and Trade Analysis Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

Students should review the most recent report available.

For answers, go to the Answer Key.

E-ACTIVITY: THE IMPACT OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES (p. 508)

Activity: Find out about the cultural characteristics of a country you may like to visit or do business in

If you could visit any country in the world, which one would you choose? Why? What do you know about this country? Before you travel abroad, either for business or for pleasure, you need to find answers to some important questions: What documentation is required in order to enter the country? What forms of payment are acceptable? What language is spoken? What customs should travellers and businesspeople be aware of?

In this activity, you will create a "passport" to one of Canada's trading partners. This passport will provide the information you would need in order to travel to and conduct business in that country.

1. Select one of Canada's trading partners that you would like to visit. Then, go to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Countries and Regions links and click on "The World" from the menu on the left side of the page. Select the appropriate economic region and then follow the links to find information on your country of choice.
   
   
2. Create a passport to this country that includes the following:
   
   Vital Information:
   • language(s) spoken
   • currency
   • capital city and other important business centres
   • form of government
   • main exports
   • main imports
   • areas of trade with Canada
   • areas of Canadian investment
   • required visas and documentation
   • type of health care system
     
     
   Culture:
   • Write a short summary of the cultural facts you would want to know as a visitor to the country. You could address considerations such as history, politics, religion, and ethnic background.
     
     
   Doing Business:
   • Write a paragraph on doing business in this country, including factors such as economic outlook, required registrations, taxation, and permits.
     
     
   Travel Tips:
   • Make note of any advisory information you should keep in mind when travelling to and staying in this country—safety, transportation, accommodation, etc.
     
     
3. Once you've completed your passport, make a brief presentation to your class on the country you have chosen, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of travelling and doing business in this country. If you owned a business in Canada, would you consider expanding into this market? Why or why not?

Teacher's Notes

Students can find information about hundreds of individual countries through the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Web site. However, the amount and quality of available data varies from country to country. You may wish to browse through the site beforehand and create a list of countries that would be most suitable for this activity. Students could then choose a country from the list.

This activity may be completed individually or in a group. You might group students who choose the same country and have each group member research a specific topic to include in the passport. Information on customs and business practices is available on the DFAIT Web site, although it may be difficult to find for some countries. To supplement the material provided on the DFAIT site, students could perform a general Internet search to locate other useful data sources.

For answers go to the Answer Key.