Oppose the sale of MDA (MacDonald, Detweiler and Associates)

January 21, 2008

As most of you will have heard about, MDA, the company  famous for its Canadarm and also for  Radarsat-2, Canada's newest radar satellite, is set to be sold to Alliant Tech Systems (ATK)  a major player in the US military-industrial complex. It took over from Honeywell the manufacture of many types of military equipment, especially weaponry. In particular, this company continues to manufacture  various types of land-mines and munitions using depleted uranium - arguably the only weapons of mass destruction actually be used in current warfare. Equally important to Canada, the loss of control of a key satellite to a US company with close ties to the Pentagon is a direct threat to our sovereignty - the one factor that PM Stephen harper has said would cause him to intervene in a foreign investment.

This is an extremely important issue because if it gets enough coverage - this remains to be seen - it can be cast as the acid test of whether Harper will ever defend Canadian sovereignty by opposing foreign buy-outs. So far his only target is Chinese interest in the oil sands - not to protect Canadian sovereignty but to protect US capital and energy security from Chinese competition.

The decision cannot go ahead without the O.K. of the federal government which can decide (or not) to review the sale. It has 40 days to do so.

Write a short letter demanding that the Harper government intervene and prevent the same of this high tech company to a US arms manufacturer.

FRAMING: Two essential elements make up the framing of this issue. The first casts doubt on the morality of the same: We are selling a Canadian company engaged in peaceful technology to a US firm notorious for making some of the worst and most destructive weapons when it comes to destruction of civilian life and the second calls Harper to account and makes him a hypocrite if he allows the sale: in selling this company we put Canadian sovereignty at risk by effectively losing control of our most important satellite for monitoring and protecting the Arctic.

If sovereignty really is a reason for stopping the same of a Canadian technology then Mr. Harper should stop this one.

Some facts to incorporate into you letters:

• Canada has put over $400 million into this company which is the key partner with the federal government in Canada’s space program.

• Besides making land mines ATK is one of the largest suppliers of depleted uranium munitions in medium and large caliber sizes to the US military and is a major supplier of cluster bombs - a devastating weapon infamous for the slaughter of children who pick up unexploded bomblets. This sale offends the values of Canadians and foreign policy of our country and should be stopped.

• Even Americans have shown their contempt for this company as expressed by a group  of dedicated activists who have been demonstrating outside the company's head office in Minnesota every week (Wednesdays, 7-8 am) for the last 11 years. 

• Astronaut Marc Garneau stated in commenting on the sale that MDA represents "the crown jewel" of robotics and aerospace work in Canada (see article)  

• Garneau also told CBC News the sale raises the delicate issue of whether Canada wants its eye on the Arctic run by a foreign company. "The concern is we might not have 100 per cent control of that satellite from now on."

• Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency said of the ne satellite just two months ago:  “The space sector now has a clear road map to follow, particularly those companies developing imaging satellite. RADARSAT-2 sends a clear signal to the world that Canada intends to lead in this space activity.”

• The deal between the government and MDA was a public private partnership (P3) and demonstrates the danger of such deals to the public interest

• We learned just a day after the potential sale was announced that the head of Canadian  Space  Agency, Laurier Boisvert resigned in December. It has been strongly rumoured that the sale of MDA was the reason. We need to find out why he resigned and his assessment of the sale.

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