Bumps on road continue to jolt trade with United States

The U.S. is Canada's biggest trade partner and vice versa, but this doesn't mean the relationship is seen as equally important by people on opposite sides of the border.

The ratio is slowly changing, thanks in part to the post-recession sluggishness in the U.S. economy that's forcing Canadians to look further afield. But for industries in most parts of this country, the U.S. market has traditionally accounted for all but a tiny fraction of export sales. Even in B.C., the least U.S.-dependent province thanks to our proximity and strengthening ties to Asia, we sell more to the Americans than to our next five top trading partners combined.

Meanwhile, Canadians buy not quite 20 per cent of what U.S. companies export.