Canadian government blocks sale of space technology to American firm
Overdue.
After blocking a foreign takeover of the
country’s largest satellite and space robotics firm, Industry Minister Jim
Prentice is refusing to commit federal funds to offset the effect of nixing the
sale.
Prentice defended the decision to halt the $1.3 billion sale of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), saying Canada has no choice but to hang on to its technological know-how if it wishes to have a vibrant aerospace sector and pursue vital policies like the protection of Arctic sovereignty.
“My bottom line is this: Canada must retain jurisdiction and control of technologies that are vital to the future of our industry and the pursuit of our public policy objectives,” he said. “We will not accept the loss of jurisdictional control to another party or another country…”
Critics of the sale have also raised concerns about who would control the imaging data gathered from the satellite, which could find itself subject to strict U.S. security regulations and be kept out of Canadian hands.
Hah! Canadian Homeland Insecurity confronts American Homeland Insecurity.
Prentice defended the decision to halt the $1.3 billion sale of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), saying Canada has no choice but to hang on to its technological know-how if it wishes to have a vibrant aerospace sector and pursue vital policies like the protection of Arctic sovereignty.
“My bottom line is this: Canada must retain jurisdiction and control of technologies that are vital to the future of our industry and the pursuit of our public policy objectives,” he said. “We will not accept the loss of jurisdictional control to another party or another country…”
Critics of the sale have also raised concerns about who would control the imaging data gathered from the satellite, which could find itself subject to strict U.S. security regulations and be kept out of Canadian hands.
Hah! Canadian Homeland Insecurity confronts American Homeland Insecurity.
Posted: Mon - April 14, 2008 at 07:25 AM