KRGV.com

TORONTO (AP) The Canadian economy created 40,000 full-time jobs in December, driving the unemployment rate to its lowest in four years.

Statistics Canada said Friday that the unemployment rate slipped by one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.1 percent.

The results easily topped economist estimates for a gain of just 5,000 jobs nationally and an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent.

The better-than-expected results follow what was a strong November, when Canada's economy created 59,300 jobs.

December saw 41,200 new full-time jobs added, while the number of part-time positions fell by 1,400.

The new jobs were added in a month of much handwringing over the U.S. fiscal cliff and worries that if a budget deal was not reached Canada's largest trading partner could be tipped back into recession.