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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Monarch butterflies tagged last year in Southern Oregon found in California ... Upper Rogue navigability fight may go to U.S. Supreme Court ... $1.5 million in grants awarded to Jackson County health groups ... Monarch butterflies tagged last year in Southern Oregon found in California ... Upper Rogue navigability fight may go to U.S. Supreme Court ... $1.5 million in grants awarded to Jackson County health groups ... Canada's economy is shrinking — here's what's going on Comment By Portia Crowe MailTribune.com By Portia Crowe Posted Aug. 2, 2015 at 7:00 AM By Portia Crowe Posted Aug. 2, 2015 at 7:00 AM » Social News Canada's in rough shape. The country's statistics agency released GDP data on Friday that showed the Canadian economy shrank by 0.2% in May . That's worse than expectations of 0.0% growth, and it's the fifth consecutive month the economy contracted. Weighing on the economy were the manufacturing and mining, oil, and gas extraction sectors. Wholesale trade was also down. Manufacturing output contracted 1.7% in May to its lowest level in a year, following no growth in April, according to the report. Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction fell 0.7%, down for the seventh consecutive month. The oil crash and a smoked loonie The drop in oil prices that began more than a year ago has been hard on the net oil-exporting nation. Major oil producers like Schlumberger are now cutting jobs , and Alberta, Canada's main oil-producing province, saw its unemployment rate jump from 5.5% to 5.8% in May. It looks like the effect of falling commodities prices on the Canadian economy is not going to let up anytime soon. That's according to a note from BNP Paribas' Derek Lindsey. The Bank of Canada cut interest rates last month, and now it's likely to continue easing, Lindsey noted. Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz has yet to use the word "recession," preferring to describe the economic situation as a "complex and significant adjustment." The Canadian dollar — aka the loonie — is weak. Here's what's happened with the currency over the past year: One bubbly bright spot Not all economic sectors contracted in May. Construction was up slightly, and Canadians continued to spend money on their homes. An increase in retail trade was driven by spending on building material, garden equipment, and supplies, according to the report. Meanwhile, housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver are still super hot . Canadian home prices did not drop nearly as much as home prices in the US during the housing-market crash, and they've soared ever since. In Toronto, home prices are reportedly 42% higher than they were in 2008 . Homes in Vancouver are the second most expensive in the world. Economist Robert Shiller suggested back in 2012 that Canada could experience a slow-motion version of the US housing bust. According to BNP’s Lindsey, "investment and exports remain in contractionary territory and the economy remains vulnerable to a correction in housing and a pull-back in spending due to high levels of household debt." Looking forward So what's to come for Canada? The country is due for a general election this year. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party have been in power since 2006, and have consistently campaigned on the economy. He's expected to formally launch his campaign as early as Sunday . A strong economic record leading up to and after the financial crisis meant political success for the fiscally conservative party. Overall, the recession was much less painful in Canada than in the US. Now things could change for Harper's conservatives. After nine and a half years of Conservative Party leadership, it's hard to gauge what economic policies the rival Liberal Party would pursue. A statement on the Liberal Party website reads: "The world has changed in the last 10 years ... Now and in the future, the path to economic growth and good middle class jobs is through strong environmental policy." The New Democratic Party, the official opposition party in parliament, recently released " 5 signs that Stephen Harper's economic plan just isn't working ." No alternative solutions were offered. The upcoming election, expected to be held in mid-October, will be worth watching. NOW WATCH: 11 Surprising Facts About Canada See Also: Canada is in recession Canada's Achilles' heel is showing The US and Canada are on the brink of a potentially deadly fight over lobsters SEE ALSO: The drop in commodity prices is destroying Canada's economy By Portia Crowe MailTribune.com By Portia Crowe Posted Aug. 2, 2015 at 7:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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