U.S. construction employment continues to suffer as housing starts are leveling off from their precipitous slide, but are not yet at bottom. After a slight hiccup in late 2006 and early 2007, construction employment growth in Canada has bounced back to the 7.0%-plus year-over-year rate. Prospects for the U.S. manufacturing sector have improved, but Canada’s dollar value gains will make the playing field a tougher contest for Canadian manufacturers trying to sell into the U.S.