One of the things mentioned in your special examination report is that you look at human management and governance. I have noticed that there is a lot of turnover in the senior management positions at EACL, and that this was a real problem. I noticed that on November 1, in the middle of the crisis, the CEO, Mr. Robert Van Adel, left his position. He had held it for a few years. In fact, his mandate was renewed on February 5, 2005. Mr. Ken Petrunik replaced him on an acting basis, and, Mr. MacDiarmid was finally appointed on December 14.
I would remind people watching this on television that a CEO at AECL earns over $300,000 a year.
What do you think about the quality of governance and human resources management at AECL during the crisis? I think it was so lacking that the head people at the corporation may not have done their job properly, and consequently not make some important, crucial decisions regarding the number of days. I think that if there had been stronger and better leadership, rather than unstable government, decisions would have been made more quickly, and this would have avoided the shortage of medical isotopes.
What comments would you make about governance at AECL during the crisis?