We have looked at
information from COMTRADE, a database maintained by the United Nations that tracks the bilateral trade for almost 200 countries and 5,000 product categories. Some of these categories are broader than the specific products we’d like to consider, but they offer internationally comparable data.
Professional masks
Professional masks, such as the now famous N95 masks, are essential in the battle against COVID-19, but in Canada, most of them are imported. They appear in the COMTRADE product category as “breathing appliances and gas masks” and “protective masks” having no mechanical parts.
Beyond professional masks, the WTO
recently published a list of products that are essential for tackling COVID-19. We tracked 75 of these products in COMTRADE data. Let’s call them COVID-19 products.
In Canada, COVID-19 products accounted for 3.9 per cent of total imports in 2018, compared to 5.8 per cent in the U.S. These products include medicinal products, immunological products, medical, surgical or dental instruments and plastic products, among which there are certain types of masks. The exact composition of COVID product imports differs in each country, reflecting their different manufacturing structures.
The COMTRADE data also shows that Canada is a key supplier to the United States for some products that the U.S. does not export much itself to other countries, and therefore rarely produces. They include antibiotics other than penicillin, sterilizers for medical, surgical or laboratory use and electro-cardiographs.
In times of crisis, it’s easier to ensure quick deliveries, if necessary, with commercial partners that are geographically close and with whom we share a trusting relationship. And so
maintaining a harmonious relationship between Canada and the U.S. is important for both countries.
Why Canada needs the United States to fight the coronavirus
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