- Aug 6, 2012
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I have to post this in the Military section as there is no National Security section. Furthermore, this technology could in fact be used against allies in an act of war.
This is where Canada is headed, and it's worrying me and I'm sure our closest allies. Not only are we entering American corporations, but we are arming the most dangerous nations on earth with the naive belief they won't just use all of this leverage in one fell swoop.
In fairness, the RCMP and CSIS are fairly incompetent and self serving anyways (especially the RCMP, I would add the OPP and TPS to this list also) so I would prefer a third party such as the FBI conduct a security review and/or provide their opinion on whether the sale of this company constitutes a security risk. Possibly worse than incompetent security review is no review at all!
Liberals waive security review for Chinese takeover of high-tech firm
The Trudeau government is allowing Chinese investors to buy a Vancouver high-tech firm without a formal national security review even though Canada and many of its allies use the company’s patented satellite communications technology for security, public safety and defence.
Hytera Communications of Shenzhen, China, is acquiring Vancouver-based Norsat International Inc., a company with military customers including the Pentagon that is also delivering a satellite communication system this year for the Canadian Coast Guard.
The government decided after a preliminary security screening that further examination of the deal was not necessary.
The government’s handling of this takeover – after Britain imposed strict conditions on a similar Hytera acquisition – and several other recent approvals of Chinese investment in sensitive sectors suggest the Trudeau Liberals are less risk-averse than their predecessors to capital from China as they prepare for bilateral free-trade talks with the world’s second-biggest economy.
In February, the Liberals approved the sale of a large B.C. chain of retirement homes to a Beijing-based insurance titan with a murky ownership structure, giving China a foothold in Canada’s health-care sector. In March, they approved a takeover of ITF Technologies Inc. in Montreal – which the Harper government had blocked on the grounds it would undermine a technological edge Western militaries have over China.
Customers Norsat lists on its website include the U.S. Department of Defence, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, the Irish Department of Defence, the Taiwanese army, the aircraft manufacturing company Boeing and major journalism outfits including CBS News and Reuters.
A U.S. government official declined to comment on the takeover or whether the Trudeau Liberals consulted Washington.
Norsat says its technology is also used by NAV Canada, which operates the country’s civil air navigation service. In January, Norsat announced a big order to supply its Globetrekker portable satellite terminals to a “combat support agency” for the U.S. Department of Defence.
Richard Fadden, a former head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said in an interview that he would have recommended a full-fledged national-security review.
“On balance, and still without details, I would likely have suggested a review out of an abundance of caution,” Mr. Fadden said.
This is where Canada is headed, and it's worrying me and I'm sure our closest allies. Not only are we entering American corporations, but we are arming the most dangerous nations on earth with the naive belief they won't just use all of this leverage in one fell swoop.
In fairness, the RCMP and CSIS are fairly incompetent and self serving anyways (especially the RCMP, I would add the OPP and TPS to this list also) so I would prefer a third party such as the FBI conduct a security review and/or provide their opinion on whether the sale of this company constitutes a security risk. Possibly worse than incompetent security review is no review at all!
Liberals waive security review for Chinese takeover of high-tech firm
The Trudeau government is allowing Chinese investors to buy a Vancouver high-tech firm without a formal national security review even though Canada and many of its allies use the company’s patented satellite communications technology for security, public safety and defence.
Hytera Communications of Shenzhen, China, is acquiring Vancouver-based Norsat International Inc., a company with military customers including the Pentagon that is also delivering a satellite communication system this year for the Canadian Coast Guard.
The government decided after a preliminary security screening that further examination of the deal was not necessary.
The government’s handling of this takeover – after Britain imposed strict conditions on a similar Hytera acquisition – and several other recent approvals of Chinese investment in sensitive sectors suggest the Trudeau Liberals are less risk-averse than their predecessors to capital from China as they prepare for bilateral free-trade talks with the world’s second-biggest economy.
In February, the Liberals approved the sale of a large B.C. chain of retirement homes to a Beijing-based insurance titan with a murky ownership structure, giving China a foothold in Canada’s health-care sector. In March, they approved a takeover of ITF Technologies Inc. in Montreal – which the Harper government had blocked on the grounds it would undermine a technological edge Western militaries have over China.
Customers Norsat lists on its website include the U.S. Department of Defence, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, the Irish Department of Defence, the Taiwanese army, the aircraft manufacturing company Boeing and major journalism outfits including CBS News and Reuters.
A U.S. government official declined to comment on the takeover or whether the Trudeau Liberals consulted Washington.
Norsat says its technology is also used by NAV Canada, which operates the country’s civil air navigation service. In January, Norsat announced a big order to supply its Globetrekker portable satellite terminals to a “combat support agency” for the U.S. Department of Defence.
Richard Fadden, a former head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said in an interview that he would have recommended a full-fledged national-security review.
“On balance, and still without details, I would likely have suggested a review out of an abundance of caution,” Mr. Fadden said.
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