Canada in the Global Community
The BIG Idea: The world is interconnected and interdependent. What we do in Canada, has an impact around the world.
While there are about 196 different countries in the world, there is only ONE planet. We all share this planet. Canada is a country but it is also a member of the greater global community. As a country, we not only have a responsibility to care for and protect our own land and its citizens but we also have a responsibility to care for and protect the land and citizens around the globe as well. For instance, protecting the environment is an issue that involves all citizens of the world.
Canada and Canadians are connected to world in several ways:
1. Through our economy (trade)
2. With our military (war and peacekeeping)
3. As activists fighting for positive change
4. By providing aid around the world in times of need.
While there are about 196 different countries in the world, there is only ONE planet. We all share this planet. Canada is a country but it is also a member of the greater global community. As a country, we not only have a responsibility to care for and protect our own land and its citizens but we also have a responsibility to care for and protect the land and citizens around the globe as well. For instance, protecting the environment is an issue that involves all citizens of the world.
Canada and Canadians are connected to world in several ways:
1. Through our economy (trade)
2. With our military (war and peacekeeping)
3. As activists fighting for positive change
4. By providing aid around the world in times of need.
Canada is just one country in the larger global community.
Here are some key questions to consider as we explore this unit:
- In what ways is Canada's economy related to the global economy?
- What is Canada's role and responsibility when there is a natural disaster in the world?
- When there is war or civil unrest in other countries, does Canada play a part in restoring peace? How do we do that?
- How does Canada participate in the global community to ensure that we do our part to protect the environment?
- What do Canada and Canadians do for other people around the world? What else can we do?
- 1. In what ways is Canada's economy related to the global economy?
- (Recall what we learned from the article, "A Trading Nation")
Economy - the system of how money is made and used within a particular country or region. A region's economy is connected with things like how many goods and services are produced and how much money people can spend on these things.
Canada's economy was terribly weak in the 1930s; families had little money and many people lost their jobs.
Goods - things that are sold also known as merchandise.
That shop is known for its baked goods.
Services - any work done for another.
We offered our services to the neighborhood clean-up team.
Canada has many trading partners (countries it buys goods and services from and countries it sells goods and services to). Watch the video below to learn a little more about trade between countries.
Canada's economy was terribly weak in the 1930s; families had little money and many people lost their jobs.
Goods - things that are sold also known as merchandise.
That shop is known for its baked goods.
Services - any work done for another.
We offered our services to the neighborhood clean-up team.
Canada has many trading partners (countries it buys goods and services from and countries it sells goods and services to). Watch the video below to learn a little more about trade between countries.
Task:
Answer ALL of the following questions before submitting. You may work with a partner. Submit one sheet with both of your names on it. If you would like to work on the computer, download the document here.
Section 1 - Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the list:
List
A. Free Trade
B. Tariff
C. Exports
D. Imports
1. A way of trading between countries without barriers or restrictions is called _____________ _________________.
2. When goods or services are bought from foreign countries they are called ___________________and when they are
sold to foreign countries they are called _______________.
3. A barrier or restriction on trade is called a ________________.
Section 2 - Thinking/Knowledge
Answer ALL of the following questions before submitting. You may work with a partner. Submit one sheet with both of your names on it. If you would like to work on the computer, download the document here.
Section 1 - Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the list:
List
A. Free Trade
B. Tariff
C. Exports
D. Imports
1. A way of trading between countries without barriers or restrictions is called _____________ _________________.
2. When goods or services are bought from foreign countries they are called ___________________and when they are
sold to foreign countries they are called _______________.
3. A barrier or restriction on trade is called a ________________.
Section 2 - Thinking/Knowledge
Here are Canada's top ten trading partners (in 2013). The percentages show how much of the trade each country had in comparison to the others in the group.
1. If Canada spent a total of $100 in trade with the ten countries above and spent its money on merchandise imports according to the percentages indicated in the picture above, how much money would be spent with China? How about with the USA? How much would be spent on imports from Mexico?
2. Canada's actual trade with the ten countries above was closer to about $800 Billion in 2013. Nine percent of that $800 Billion would give us how much they spent with China, which means Canada spent about $72 Billion on imports from China. Make a list of 5 goods you believe Canada might be importing from China.
3. Click this link to take a look at some of Canada's major trading partners. Choose one of the countries Canada trades with to learn more about. Merchandise imports are things that we buy in the store that come from another country (e.g., shoes, toys, electronics). Merchandise exports are things we make in Canada and sell to other countries (e.g. clothes, toys, electronics). Research what types of things this country produces and buys by finding it on the following website: http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html
Name of country: _________________________________
a) What is the country's population?
b) What are some of this country's major imports?
c) What are some of this country's major exports?
Reflection Question
How is Canada connected to the rest of the world through our economy?
Bonus question(s):
What percentage of the population of the country you chose uses the internet? How does this compare with Canada?
(population divided by total internet users x 100 = percentage of people who use the internet)
Submit your sheet of paper when you have finished answering the questions.
More info
Click this link for a list of websites you can use to research about different countries and who they import or export goods to.
Click here to play "Trading Around the World" - a game that allows you to try your luck with international trade.
2. Canada's actual trade with the ten countries above was closer to about $800 Billion in 2013. Nine percent of that $800 Billion would give us how much they spent with China, which means Canada spent about $72 Billion on imports from China. Make a list of 5 goods you believe Canada might be importing from China.
3. Click this link to take a look at some of Canada's major trading partners. Choose one of the countries Canada trades with to learn more about. Merchandise imports are things that we buy in the store that come from another country (e.g., shoes, toys, electronics). Merchandise exports are things we make in Canada and sell to other countries (e.g. clothes, toys, electronics). Research what types of things this country produces and buys by finding it on the following website: http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html
Name of country: _________________________________
a) What is the country's population?
b) What are some of this country's major imports?
c) What are some of this country's major exports?
Reflection Question
How is Canada connected to the rest of the world through our economy?
Bonus question(s):
What percentage of the population of the country you chose uses the internet? How does this compare with Canada?
(population divided by total internet users x 100 = percentage of people who use the internet)
Submit your sheet of paper when you have finished answering the questions.
More info
Click this link for a list of websites you can use to research about different countries and who they import or export goods to.
Click here to play "Trading Around the World" - a game that allows you to try your luck with international trade.
Inquiry question: How does what we buy impact others around the world?
Activity #1: Taking a closer look at chocolate:
Activity #2 - Investigating Chocolate Makers
As we've become aware, various news sources have revealed that children are being used as slaves or cheap labor in West African cocoa farms, (where the majority of the world’s cocoa comes from). The two videos above present facts from a particular point of view. Let's take a look at how the actual chocolate makers view the issue and their place within it by searching their websites for information regarding: 1) Where their chocolate comes from and 2) Whether or not it is ethically sourced
Learning Goal: To find out which chocolate-makers are producing chocolate from ethically-sourced cocoa (no forced labour/slavery).
1. Click the image that corresponds to the company you will be researching.
2. You will be directed to a Google Document
2. Complete all questions and submit when you are finished.
Learning Goal: To find out which chocolate-makers are producing chocolate from ethically-sourced cocoa (no forced labour/slavery).
1. Click the image that corresponds to the company you will be researching.
2. You will be directed to a Google Document
2. Complete all questions and submit when you are finished.
*All images, logos are trademarks of the respective companies indicated in the caption. I do not own or purport to own any of the images posted on mrgarraway.weebly.com.
For those of you interested in learning more about Fair Trade, read the article, What is "Fair trade" and just how fair is it? - Explain that Stuff by Chris Woodford.
Bottled Water
The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day) employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get people to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap. Over five minutes, the film explores the bottled water industrys attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call to take back the tap, not only by making a personal commitment to avoid bottled water, but by supporting investments in clean, available tap water for all.
