CanWest: U.S. firm hires lobbyist to push sale of Canadian space firm

[tuvor]

...

Under the deal, Alliant would also become owner of the recently launched Radarsat-2 satellite, the world's most advanced radar imaging spacecraft.

The $524 million Radarsat-2 was built by MDA of Richmond, B.C. but Canadian taxpayers funded most of the project.

Alliant, which builds rocket engines and other space systems as well as cluster bombs and landmines, has turned to Emanuel "Manny" Montenegrino to represent the firm.

Montenegrino is an Ottawa lobbyist, lawyer and political fundraiser who has in the recent past represented prominent Conservatives in legal matters, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

...

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=819d7b1f-d40f-4a10-a907-c8bb7f77f0ee&k=6942

[Canuckistanian]

1. The sale must be stopped

Firstly, we may be violating several non-proliferation treaties (landmines, etc.) by allowing a weapons manufacturer to operate in Canada.

And secondly, there have been some concerns that RADARSAT, which was built with Canadian tax dollars, is going to be controlled by an American company who may not have Canada's interests in mind in it's use.
There are also some concerns that it may be used for military purposes.