“As the US software giant Microsoft waits to hear whether an
American judge will order its break-up, it has been revealed that
the company is being encouraged to relocate its operations to
neighbouring Canada.”
“The authorities in British Columbia have offered to do a deal
with Microsoft. They are promising favourable treatment which may
include a loan to build a new headquarters if Microsoft agrees to
move its operations 100 miles further north, to the other side of
the Canadian border.”
“Microsoft currently has around 20,000 employees in Seattle.
Transferring its headquarters could have a devastating effect
on the economy of the north-west corner of the United States. But
it would also frustrate the American authorities’ attempts to break
the company up.”