When bhp Billiton, the world's biggest mining company, announced a $40 billion hostile takeover offer for Pot-ashCorp in August, few expected the business-friendly government of Stephen Harper to get in the way. Being the world's largest producer of potash, an ingredient of fertiliser, is hardly strategic. And to reject the Anglo-Australian firm's bid would send an unwelcoming message to foreign investors, upsetting Canada's business leaders, who had asked the government not to intervene.
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