APPROVAL OF CNOOC-NEXEN DEAL COULD MEAN PROBLEMS FOR ALBERTA’S OILPATCH

For immediate release | December 07, 2012

EDMONTON—In response to the federal Conservative government’s decision to approve the Chinese National Offshore Oil Company’s bid to take over Canadian-owned Nexen, Alberta’s NDP Leader Brian Mason said that there are grave concerns about the direction of the oilsands as a result.

“Alberta New Democrats have argued for a long time that all Albertans should be getting our fair share out of their oilsands,” said Mason. “The increasing amount of foreign ownership in the oilsands is disturbing, and it will ultimately mean profits would be seen overseas, instead of in Canada and in this province.”

Mason said that the decision is even more proof that the Alberta government will have to do a better job of advocating on behalf of Albertans when dealing with their federal counterparts.

“Already this year, we saw federal cuts and carelessness impacting one of Alberta’s most important industries, with the XL foods E.coli crisis,” said Mason. “Now we have the federal government making decisions that will directly impact another one of Alberta’s most important industries. The provincial government needs to take action to ensure that our raw materials are not only mined here but processed here.”

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For more information, please contact:

Adrienne King, Communications Officer: 780-916-3937 or Adrienne.King@assembly.ab.ca