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John Cabot landed in Newfoundland while looking for a route to the Orient to get spices. He instead brought back fish. This led to hundreds of European fishing boats bring back cod to trade and sell in Europe.
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Early 1600s - Samuel de Champlain was sent by France to find the first permanent settlement to gain control of the fur trade in North America.
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1660 - Radisson and des Groseillier were stopped from setting up their own company by there French government.
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Formation of the Hudsons Bay Company.May 2, 1670 - Royal Charter to form a new company, the Hudson’s Bay (now known as the Hudson’s Bay Company), granted by the King.
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1779 - A group of 16 traders united to form the North West Company. They became a major competitor to the Hudson’s Bay Company.
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1816 - After the war of 1812, the American government passed a law which made it illegal for Canadians to trade furs in the United States. This forced the Hudson’s Bay and North West Company to join forces.
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1821 - The Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company merged under the Hudson’s Bay Company name.
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1840 - Silk became more popular in Europe reducing the demand for beaver belts. The fur trade has since never gained its significance.
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1885 - The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed to the west coast. This provided means to ship goods coast to coast.
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1950s - Japan entered North American markets, taking its inexpensive electronics, toys and automobiles.
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1993 - Canada signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which worked to eliminate all tariff barriers among Canada, the United States and Mexico by 2008. This led to a huge rise in trade with the countries but mainly between Canada and Mexico.
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1994 - Summits were held to arrange a free trade agreement called Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)
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July 1, 2009 - Canada established a Free Trade Agreement with the European Free Trade Association.
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January 2013 - Canada is negotiating with Nigeria and Ghana in the area of Extractive Industries, Mining, and Infrastructure.
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7-12 April 2013 - Canada is having trade talks with China, Japan and South Korea in the area of Information and communication technologies, Enterprise Solutions and Mobile Applications and Medical Imaging.
