October 18, 2012 – The Macdonald-Laurier Institute hosted a timely panel discussion yesterday on the economic and national security costs and benefits of CNOOC’s offer to buy oil and gas producer Nexen. The panel included leading experts Ray Boisvert, Roger Robinson, David Kilgour and Gordon Houlden, and was covered by major news outlets across the country! Video from the panel discussion can be found on the event web page, National security, national interest, and natural resources: What should Canadians think about CNOOC’s bid for Nexen?
MEDIA COVERAGE
In The Globe and Mail, “CNOOC’s bid for Nexen fuels security concerns,” reporter Shawn McCarthy covers MLI panel discussion and quotes our expert panelists. According to Ray Boivert, a former deputy director at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, “State owned enterprises have the same marching orders or essentially the same mandate or mission” as China’s intelligence services, which is to serve the interests of the party and the state. Both Mr. Boisvert and Roger Robinson, a former official at the U.S. National Security Council, urged the Harper government to balance Ottawa’s eagerness to expand trade and investment ties with China, with a “eyes wide open” approach to security and threats. Click here to read the full article.
The Financial Post’s Gordon Isfeld also attended the panel discussion and writes about it today in FP, “Engage China with ‘eyes wide open’, security expert warns during Nexen panel”. In the article, he quotes Mr. Boisvert as well who said, “There’s an imperative to engage China in terms of our future economic situation, in terms of our ability to compete as a nation…you must engage, but do so with your eyes wide open.” He also quotes Mr. Houlden, “China is a complex reality and I’m fearful that if we simply look at it in the security dimension, we’ll miss the other opportunities as well as the potential risks.” To read the full article, click here (republished in The Province).
Global National’s Shirlee Engel covered the panel discussion in last night’s newscast. Click here to view the video (coverage begins at the 18:16 mark).
Panelists David Kilgour and Gordon Houlden continued the debate on BNN’s Business Day. Click here to view the video.
Reporter Daniel Proussalidis, who also attended the panel discussion, wrote about it in the Toronto Sun, “Too many unknowns, fears about CNOOC-Nexen deal: Panel”.
David Kilgour then joined Jerry Agar on Sun News Network to recap MLI’s panel discussion on the CNOOC-Nexen deal.
CPAC also filmed and aired the panel discussion. Air dates can be found here and the archive video can be found here.
Earlier in the week, Hill Times journalist Chris Plecash quoted MLI’s Brian Lee Crowley in an article on the same topic, “Analysts urge feds to use Nexen extension to clarify foreign acquisition rules.” On October 22, Plecash followed up with a new article covering our panel discussion, “Ottawa think tanks highlight necessary considerations in precedent-setting $15.1-billion Nexen bid.”
On October 23, Bloomberg’s Andrew Mayeda quotes Gordon Houlden in an article about the Nexen sale, “Nexen Sale Said to Turn on China Backing Canada Deals.”
Finally, New Tang Dynasty TV covered the panel discussion and aired it as part of their newscast.
*Upcoming: Roger Robinson will be on the Dave Rutherford radio show on Monday, October 29 at 12 pm to discuss the CNOOC-Nexen deal. Click here to listen to the interview.
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