But the 45-day window to review the $15.1-billion friendly takeover of the Calgary oil company by a state-controlled Chinese firm has already closed, with no mention of anything that may have triggered a national security concern.
In effect, the expiry of the review period means CNOOC has essentially bypassed a major hurdle, Ottawa insiders said on the basis of anonymity. (The approval process is so sensitive no one involved is free to speak about anything related to the proposal.) There is absolutely no doubt that [national security] should have been a consideration, said Peter Julian, the NDP natural resources critic who opposes the deal.