The Canadian government has until November 3 to make a decision on whether they will allow the takeover of Potash Corporation (TSX: POT) to proceed.
I do not know what the decision will be politically – the only time that the Canadian government has exercised its right to refuse a foreign takeover of a Canadian company was in 2008 when Macdonald Deitweiller (TSX: MDA) was prevented from selling itself as Canada did not want its sole satellite manufacturer going into foreign hands.
As a matter of public policy the sale should proceed. First, the buying company is overpaying. Secondly, the media (and Saskatchewan government) is making it sound like that Potash Corp is the only potash producer in Canada – while they are large, it is not the only source of Potash production in the country.
If the Canadian government refuses this sale, you will likely see any built-in takeover premiums of large Canadian companies be reduced. This is also an increasing trend as of late – governments trying to protect their strategic interests in natural resources, including oil and gas, uranium, water, metals and other resources. One wouldn’t be shocked to see the ultimate resource – intelligent people – be a future (but hidden) consideration in the future.
Politically, however, the decision might be different.
Just as a side note, the government on November 3 blocked the takeover – considering there was a poll indicating a 4:1 support for blocking the takeover, politically there was not much choice in the matter.