A large majority of Canadians believe the recent flurry of foreign takeovers of Canadian firms is a bad thing for the economy and want the government to intervene, a new poll suggests.
The Canadian Press-Harris-Decima poll was surprising, not in that it found Canadians getting worried about the so-called "hollowing out" of corporate Canada, but that such a large portion of respondents — 72 per cent, including 66 per cent of Conservative supporters — said they want the government to act.
The poll of 1,000 respondents conducted between Aug. 30 and Sept. 2 came at a time when a series of iconic Canadian firms, including Bell Canada, Alcan, Falconbridge, Inco, Dofasco, and The Hudson's Bay Co., have either been swallowed up or are targets of foreign interests.
The hollowing-out issue has emerged as one of the major attack points used by the Opposition against the Conservative government's economic policies, along with income trusts.
In July, the federal government launched a blue-ribbon panel to study competition policy and foreign takeovers, headed by Lynton Wilson, the former head of Bell Canada Enterprises. The panel's mandate includes a look at the treatment of state-owned enterprises, restrictions on foreign direct investment and the possibility of a national security review clause.
Full Story
Should the government put more restrictions on foreign takeovers or let market forces operate unimpeded?
More...
The Canadian Press-Harris-Decima poll was surprising, not in that it found Canadians getting worried about the so-called "hollowing out" of corporate Canada, but that such a large portion of respondents — 72 per cent, including 66 per cent of Conservative supporters — said they want the government to act.
The poll of 1,000 respondents conducted between Aug. 30 and Sept. 2 came at a time when a series of iconic Canadian firms, including Bell Canada, Alcan, Falconbridge, Inco, Dofasco, and The Hudson's Bay Co., have either been swallowed up or are targets of foreign interests.
The hollowing-out issue has emerged as one of the major attack points used by the Opposition against the Conservative government's economic policies, along with income trusts.
In July, the federal government launched a blue-ribbon panel to study competition policy and foreign takeovers, headed by Lynton Wilson, the former head of Bell Canada Enterprises. The panel's mandate includes a look at the treatment of state-owned enterprises, restrictions on foreign direct investment and the possibility of a national security review clause.
Full Story
Should the government put more restrictions on foreign takeovers or let market forces operate unimpeded?
More...