I am writing you because you have expressed concern about the $15.1 billion bid
by Chinese State Owned oil company CNOOC to purchase Calgary-based Nexen. I urge
you to take action to stop this acquisition.
New Democrats share your concerns about CNOOC's environmental record and human
rights record. This takeover does not make a long term commitment to Canadian
value added jobs or heed national security concerns. Further, CNOOC does not
operate at arm's length from the Chinese government.
For all of those reasons we have said NO to the CNOOC takeover bid.
The Investment Canada process is broken. Time after time, successive federal
governments have rubber stamped takeovers of key industrial resources by foreign
companies - without public consultations and explanations of net benefits for
Canada.
We also know that these foreign corporations are not held accountable when they
break their commitments to Canada. The takeover of Stelco by US Steel, Inco by
Vale and Alcan by Rio Tinto are all examples whereby the take-over company broke
the agreed upon conditions and showed complete disregard for the Investment
Canada process.
This process must be fixed. We can't afford to allow major acquisitions that
radically reshape our energy sector. This is an extremely important issue and we
need your help to send a strong message to the Conservatives.
On Tuesday November 6, the NDP will introduce a motion at the Standing Committee
on Natural Resources calling on the government to reject the proposed takeover
of Nexen by CNOOC. It also asks that the Committee be given the mandate to
conduct public hearings on how these takeovers affect our oil and gas industry
and national interests. Please see the full text of our motion below.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Write to Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver and the Conservative MPs on
the Standing Committee on Natural Resources and urge them to support the NDP
motion.
Minister Joe Oliver joe.oliver@parl.gc.ca
Leon Benoit leon.benoit@parl.gc.ca
Mike Allen mike.allen@parl.gc.ca
Royal Galipeau royal.galipeau@parl.gc.ca
David Anderson david.anderson@parl.gc.ca
Blaine Calkins blaine.calkins@parl.gc.ca
Ryan Leff ryan.leff@parl.gc.ca
Brad Trost brad.trost@parl.gc.ca
Thank you for your support in helping to protect the interests of Canadians in
this matter.
Sincerely,
Thomas Mulcair, M.P. (Outremont)
Leader of the Official Opposition
New Democratic Party of Canada
Follow Tom on Facebook and Twitter
www.facebook.com/ThomasMulcair
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Notice of motion
Peter Julian, M.P.
That the Standing Committee on Natural Resources recommend that the government
reject the proposed takeover of NEXEN by CNOOC; that the Committee conduct
hearings on foreign takeovers of Canadian Oil and Gas companies to assess the
impact on Canada's production, transportation and exportation of Oil and Gas
resources, on domestic added value and employment, on national security, and on
Canada's ability to chart a sustainable and independent energy policy; and that
the Committee report back to the House.
