Sources who asked not to be identified told the broadcaster Canadian Industry Minister Jim Prentice ordered a 30-day review of the proposed $1.3 billion sale of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates of Richmond, British Columbia, to Alliant Techsystems (NYSE:ATK), based in Minnesota.

MDA is the manufacturer of the robotic Canadarm used to perform space maintenance, as well as the Radarsat-2 satellite.

Conservative Member of Parliament from Calgary, Alberta, Art Hanger was vocal Thursday in his opposition to the sale, the broadcaster said.

"It is a waste of your money and a betrayal of the public interest," Hanger said. "It's about time Canada stop playing the nice guy at the expense of our own security and sovereignty -- not to mention our own research and development capacity."