Selling Radarsat-2: Why Can’t Canadians Think Strategically?

March 24 2008 by The Systemic Analyst.

The proposed $1.3-billion sale of a Canadian developed geospatial unit to a U.S. firm spurs a question that’s been nagging at me: why can’t Canadians think strategically? That the pending sale has even made it this far is a prime example of the inability of Canadians to consider issues strategically; it also explains why Canada continues to slip in international importance.

Radarsat-2, the highly advanced geospatial technology in question, provides exceptionally detailed information on monitored regions, such as the arctic. MDA’s website describes the endeavour as:

“A unique collaboration between government - the Canadian Space Agency, and industry…MDA will operate the satellite and ground segment, while the CSA is contributing funds for the construction and launch of the satellite. CSA will recover its financial investment in the program through the supply of RADARSAT-2 data to Canadian government agencies during the lifetime of the mission.” 

The mission’s lifetime will be a minimum of 7 years beginning from it’s launch on the back of a “Soyuz vehicle from Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan” in late 2007.  Although MDA and Alliant Techsystems Inc. are providing assurances for continued provisions of satellite imaging to the Canadian government, concerns abound which are not unfounded. 

Chief among those concerns is how a country such as Canada, with all of its assertions over arctic sovereignty, could even consider selling the only tool it has available proven to help ensure such territorial interests are protected. Far from simply being a matter of business, this sale is a potential threat to national security. After all, did not the government foster the development of this very technology to enable Canada to protect its own interests, as in without the assistance of our powerful southern cousins? Selling the technology to a foreign firm (regardless of how close our relations are with that foreign country) seems a bit antithetical; it makes no sense from a security perspective.

Anyone accepting the assurances that imaging will continue to be provided should the sale be approved is as naive as the prairies are flat. Most countries operate based on national interests, in other words, a country does what it thinks is best for it. This means that should it not be in the best interest of a country to share information, it won’t. Furthermore, as a result of new security measures implemented in the U.S. since 9/11, many firms inside of the country are under pressure to co-operate more closely with the government - even if such co-operation is morally questionable (consider the communication service providers abetting the NSA wiretapping scheme.) Thus, just because Alliant Techsystems Inc. agrees to certain conditions under the sales terms doesn’t mean it will always be able honour them.

After using $400 million from the Canadian taxpayer caboodle to develop technology that could help us with our age-old sovereignty issues, the only thing standing in the way of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.’s (MDA) sale to Alliant Techsystems Inc. is Industry Minsiter Jim Prenice. 

The decision whether to allow the sale or not will be an interesting test for Mr. Prentice, (not to mention the Conservative government.) Should he go against the urgings of most Canadian experts and allow the sale, Mr. Prentice and his party ought to expect the typical political tar and feathering: an unflattering media giddily picking up on a story that smacks of further integration with a security-happy U.S. On the other hand, the decision provides the Conservatives with a golden opportunity to practice what they preach - block the sale and maintain the only real tool available to us in our bid to maintain arctic sovereignty. Choosing to block the sale could also stand as a turning point in Canadian decision making from short-sighted to strategic, a change I for one would welcome.

Don’t worry, Mr. Prentice has another 30 days to consider the deal…

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