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OTTAWA — The Canadian job market lost a surprise 71,200 net positions in November while the unemployment rate rose to 5.9%, the highest in more than a year, data showed on Friday, as analysts said a repeat of the weak numbers could force the Bank of Canada to rethink its monetary policy.

Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast a gain of 10,000 jobs and had predicted the unemployment rate would hold steady at 5.5%. Wages for permanent employees jumped by 4.4%, matching the gain seen in October, Statistics Canada said.

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“All around miss,” said Derek Holt, vice president of Capital Markets Economics at Scotiabank. He noted November’s numbers followed a weak report in October, when the labour market unexpectedly shed jobs despite a likely boost from hiring related to the federal election.

“At the margin it is convincing evidence that we may be at a weakening spot in the labour market,” he said.

The Canadian dollar tumbled to 1.3244 to the U.S. dollar, or 75.51 cents U.S, after the jobs report.