Canadian Labour Reporter

Jobless rate hits 2-year high, but trade outlook improves OTTAWA — Canada lost 5,700 jobs in January and the unem- ployment rate edged up to a two- year high of 7.2 per cent, in part because of further job losses in the oil-producing province of Alberta, underlining the econo- my's struggles with weak energy prices. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a gain of 5,500 positions and for the unemployment rate to stay at 7.1 per cent. It last hit 7.2 per cent in December 2013. Statistics Canada said on Fri- day that in the year to January, employment increased by an anemic 125,500 jobs, or 0.7 per cent. The jobless rate in the energy- producing province of Alberta rose to 7.4 per cent, the highest since February 1996. January marked the first month since December 1988 that the Alberta unemployment rate exceeded the national rate. The Bank of Canada last month decided not to cut interest rates but admitted it was not an easy call, as concern about a rapid decline in the currency clashed with an economic slump. In January, the economy cre- ated 5,600 full-time jobs and lost 11,300 part-time positions. "We're looking at something that is vaguely consistent (with) a slower pace of hiring, which makes perfect sense given the conditions in the wider economy," said David Tulk, chief Canada macro strategist at TD Securities. The Canadian dollar weak- ened on the data, touching $1.3785 to the U.S. dollar, or 72.54 U.S. cents. The six-month moving aver- age for employment growth was 8,900, down from 10,700 in No- vember. While the weak dollar is hit- ting jobs, it is also helpingCana- da's exporters. The trade deficit unexpect- edly shrank to $585 million in December from $1.59 billion in November as exports jumped by a healthy 3.9 per cent. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a deficit of $2.2 bil- lion. Statscan said imports grew 1.6 per cent after three consecu- tive monthly decreases. Exports to the United States, which accounted for 74.8 per cent of Canada's global total in December, grew 2.9 per cent while imports grew 1.3 per cent. As a result, Canada's trade surplus with the United States swelled to $3.19 billion from $2.63 billion in November. Canada posted a record $23.32-billion trade deficit in 2015. Summer caseworkers at Parkdale Community Legal Services ratify fi rst contract TORONTO — Summer case- workers at Toronto's Parkdale Community Legal Services (PCLS) voted unanimously to ratify their first-ever collective agreement. The new unit represents about 20 students enrolled in the Osgoode Hall Law School program. The members work at PCLS from May to August. The contract includes de- fined hours of work, grievance and arbitration rights, paid va- cation time and bereavement leave. According to the On- tario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), this collective agreement marks the first time in PCLS's 45-year history that summer caseworkers will have a legal say over their wages and working conditions. "This is the first bargaining unit of its kind in the legal aid sector," said OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "This new collective agree- ment will change the nature of the clinic for the better, as well as bolster other organizing efforts across Ontario's legal sector." Unemployed workers in Tunis, Tunisia, protest outside the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment to demand the government provide them with job opportunities. LABOUR LENS LABOUR BRIEFS 2 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2016 FORMERLY CLV REPORTS Serving labour relations professionals since 1956 www.labour-reporter.com Published weekly by omson Reuters Canada Ltd. 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