The normally free trade-oriented COMPAS panel of CEOs and business leaders supports the Prime Minister’s decision to stop the sale of Potash Corporation by a more than two-thirds margin. The main reason is the singular importance of potash, as revealed in the verbatim comments. Respondents’ principal reservation is that “interference on this issue makes it difficult for Canada to criticize other countries for politicizing economic issues.”

There are nonetheless a few hints from the survey of a slight tendency to protectionism. This is evidenced in hints of weakening support for loosening ownership restrictions in respect of financial institutions and perhaps airlines.

These are the key findings from this past week’s Internet survey of CEOs and business leaders on the COMPAS panel. The weekly business survey is undertaken for Canadian Business magazine under sponsorship of BDO Dunwoody LLP.

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