DAVID AKIN, PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU CHIEF, The Edmonton Sun (Final) News, Page 18
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave China's authoritarian rulers an early Christmas present Friday by offering them a bigger piece of Alberta's oil patch.
As a result, a company controlled by the communist government of China will be allowed to acquire Calgary oil and gas producer Nexen for $15 billion.
Stephanie Levitz and Craig Wong, Canadian Press
Prince George Citizen (Final) News, Page 14; Times Colonist (Victoria) (Final) Business, Page B1/Front
Prime Minister Stephen Harper ended months of market uncertainty by approving the foreign takeovers of Calgarybased Nexen Inc. and Progress Energy Resources Corp. -but insisted future appropriations by state-owned firms in the oilsands would become the exception rather than rule.
EVAN SOLOMON (HOST), CBC Radio - The House
- And then we'll hear from the NDP's critic on the file, Peter Julian, with his reaction. -
But what does the opposition think about this? Let's get some reaction now from the Energy and Natural Resources critic for the NDP, Peter Julian. Good morning and welcome to The House.
PETER JULIAN (NATURAL RESOURCES CRITIC, NDP):
Jason Fekete, Postmedia News; With Files From Gordon Hamilton And Jonathan Fowlie, Vancouver Sun, And Mike De Souza And Jordan Press, Postmedia News
VANCOUVER SUN (FINAL)
CANADA & WORLD, Page: B1 / FRONT
- Canada is open for business and foreign investment - but is not for sale - the Harper government declared Friday in approving two major foreign takeovers of Canadian natural resource companies, including one deal with major implications for British Columbia.
Corcoran: Rocky road lies ahead for foreign investments in Canada
OTTAWA - After months of uncertainty, the Conservative government finally broke its silence Friday - approving two contentious foreign takeovers that are destined to form the basis of Canada's investment strategy for years to come.
But the prime minister indicated he would draw a line in the oil sands when dealing with future overtures from foreign companies, state-owned enterprises in particular.
“This is a farce. While Conservatives admit that under the new rules this transaction is not a net benefit to Canadians, they have approved it anyway,� said Peter Julian, NDP Natural Resources Critic.
“Canadians should be very apprehensive about the long-term economic and environmental consequences. In the past, these kinds of takeovers have resulted in job losses,� added Julian.
Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP): Mr. Speaker, what Canadians should be counting on is being consulted by the government. Canadians deserve better than what they are getting from the government.
Yesterday, the convoluted message of this minister sent the stock market spinning yet again. The Conservative government has missed deadlines time after time. The Conservatives have made decisions in the middle of the night, they have confused investors around the world, they have shut down any consultations with the Canadian public. This is no way to run a G8 country. This is not even the way to run a lemonade stand. It is all a mess. Will the minister clean up the mess that he has created?
M. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NPD): Monsieur le Président, ce sont 350 000 chômeurs de plus. Les familles canadiennes méritent mieux que ça, c'est sûr.
Les conservateurs refusent tout débat public concernant l'accord de commerce avec la Chine. Ils refusent toute consultation publique sur la nationalisation de nos ressources naturelles par une entreprise d'État chinoise. Ils sont incapables d'élaborer des critères claires.
Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the truth is the Minister of Industry continues to bungle the CNOOC-Nexen deal.
There is no transparency in the process, no clear criteria for net benefit, and he missed the deadline for the national security review. Even company CEOs, like those at Petronas are saying:
Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP): Mr. Speaker, we have learned that CNOOC and Nexen have jointly withdrawn and resubmitted their bid for U.S. Nexen assets because of CFIUS and because of a clear review process in the U.S.
However, here in Canada the Minister of Industry continues to evade public and parliamentary scrutiny. He has refused to come up with a transparent review process. He has failed in establishing clear criteria, and now we learn that the Conservatives have chosen the Prime Minister's unelected chief of staff to manufacture some investment guidelines, still in secret. It is a mess.
M. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NPD): Monsieur le Président, pendant des mois, les conservateurs ont planifié la vente aux enchères de Nexen derrière les portes closes.
Ils savent que les Albertains refusent de voir une entreprise d'État chinoise nationaliser une partie de notre industrie pétrolière. Ils ont essayé de ne pas faire de bruit, pendant l'élection partielle de Calgary-Centre, parce qu'ils avaient peur de perdre.
M. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NPD): Monsieur le Président, il y a deux ans les conservateurs ont promis à la suite des pressions du NPD de nouvelles règles pour les investissements au Canada. En fin de semaine, les Canadiens ont appris que de nouvelles règles allaient finalement voir le jour,
mais seulement après que les conservateurs ont approuvé la vente de Nexen Ã