China and Canada building bridges

Canada is under mounting pressure to decide how far it will allow foreign state ownership of natural resources

CANADA is under mounting pressure to decide how far it will allow foreign state ownership of natural resources, at a time when traditional sources of capital from the US and Europe show signs of waning. The administration of prime minister Stephen Harper is faced with choosing whether to the slow the rapid pace of China's entry into the oil sands, in particular, or agreeing with those who argue that China's sovereign oil and gas producers could be vital to the sustainable future of Canada's energy sector. To date, the government has practically abstained from interfering, attaching only moderate conditions as Chinese firms have quietly ratcheted up their presence in the oil-sands, although C