Lisa Raitt

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated before, I was made aware at the time of the incident and unplanned closure at Chalk River on December 6. I was given an assurance by the CNSC and by the AECL, which has been proven to be true, that there was no health and safety risk to Canadians because of the incident at Chalk River.

It is very important to remember that the facts are important for the Canadian public. We have tabled the facts here today. The truth is there. I invite Canadians to read it and not listen to the constant fearmongering from the other side of the House.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we asked for reports from AECL, from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and from our Natural Resources Canada officials. They produced reports. The reports were received yesterday and tabled this morning in Parliament to give full disclosure to Canadians that there was no radioactive leak into the Ottawa River and that there is no risk to the health and safety of Canadians.

[Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I am pleased to table, in both official languages, three reports regarding leaks at the National Research Universal reactor.

I am tabling today, for full public disclosure, that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is assuring that a no time has the public or the environment been at risk and that there is no radioactive material leaking into the Ottawa River associated with these leaks.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the incident in December at Chalk River has been described by the CNSC as one that did not have a radioactive leak into the Ottawa River. It has assured us of that.

I have further indicated previously in the House that we have asked for reports from Atomic Energy Canada Limited, Department of Natural Resources officials and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, so that we may look at what happened in December, study what happened, and report on the matter. That is where the issue stands right now.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in my conversation last evening with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission president, and in a memo given to me today by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in a statement, it has been indicated that this is not a matter for the CNSC to look into because the city of Ottawa is not a licensee underneath the CNSC.

However, we are more than happy to help our friends in municipalities when they do need aid in the matter. We have dispatched an investigator to come and help them with respect to the identification of the radioisotope. We are doing everything we can to help the city of Ottawa.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I was anticipating the question, but I suppose it got caught in the rhetoric beforehand.

What should be clearly understood by the member for Ottawa South is this. We have indicated that at Chalk River there was no radioactive leak into the Ottawa River. CNSC has assured us of that. If he continues on with his CSI investigations of linking two completely unrelated incidents, he is fearmongering.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, when we were contacted by the city of Ottawa, we immediately phoned the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in order to enquire what aid it could give to the city of Toronto in the matter. It has dispatched an inspector to the city of Ottawa to help it track down the radioactive contamination.

The CNSC has assured me that the radioactive material is more likely to be a medical isotope, Iodine 131, that is associated with the Chalk River facility. It has further assured me that it is not related to the incident at Chalk River.

I would expect that the member would listen to this and understand this instead of fearmongering.

[Natural Resources, February 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the clear fact of the matter is that this government is a world leader in renewable energy. Over 70% of our electricity comes from non-emitting resources. As well, we are moving toward 2020, when over 90% of our electricity will be emissions free. This government is moving forward on this file. We are a world leader and we are the ones moving us to a cleaner greener future.

[Natural Resources, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for all the hard work he does in his riding on this issue.

Our government acted early in January 2007 with a $1.5 billion investment in renewable energy. Thanks to this early action, projects like the one mentioned today are coming online across Canada.

As there are still significant funds remaining in the program, I look forward to approving similar projects in the coming months.

Furthermore, we built on this early action with a $2.5 billion clean energy fund and a $1 billion green infrastructure fund in our economic plan.

This government is delivering on a clean, green future for Canada.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as I just indicated, the health and safety of Canadians has always been our number one priority. As I have indicated many times in the House already, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has assured me that at no time was the public or the environment at risk and that there is no radioactive material leaking into the Ottawa River. These are very important facts. The health and safety of Canadians has always been our number one priority and will continue to be so.