Declaring the oil sands off limits to further takeovers by foreign state-owned companies is just the kind of rule that one would think would raise hackles among those who depend on making deals for a living. But it isn’t.

The rule was dramatically unveiled by Prime Minister Stephen Harper after months of suspense, complete with the longest news conference in some time, giving it all a sense of sweep and heft. In fact, it actually captures only a handful of potential transactions.