Poll: Canadians dislike CNOOC-Nexen deal

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Most Canadians taking part in a survey said they didn't support the proposed Chinese takeover of oil and gas company Nexen Inc., poll data indicate.

China National Offshore Oil Corp. in July offered to take over Nexen for $15 billion. Around 90 percent of the Nexen shareholders voted in favor of the deal last month. The company said the terms of the agreement with CNOOC are subject to the approval of the provincial government of Alberta.

Of the 1,000 Canadian adults who took part in an Angus Reid Public Opinion online survey last week, 58 percent said they wanted the government to block the takeover while 78 percent expressed concern about foreign control over Canadian natural resources.

CNOOC, under the terms of the proposal, would set up its regional headquarters in Calgary. The company would take on Nexen's assets in Canada, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Nigeria and the British North Sea.

Angus Reid said 26 percent of those interviewed, who are Angus Reid Forum panelists, said they were following CNOOC-Nexen developments closely.

Canadian Industry Minister Christian Paradis had said the transaction is undergoing "rigorous review."

The Angus Reid survey had a statistical margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.