Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 29th, 2008

[Linda Keen]

Mr. Chair, just to clarify, on December 5 it was a phone call during office hours. There were a number of staff there. The minister started that phone call by saying, “Well, I guess AECL has dropped the ball, haven't they?” He just said, “Can you tell me something about what's going on?” That phone call itself, we felt, didn't step over the line. I did do a note to file, as I do with all phone calls with ministers and deputies.

However, on December 7 we received a letter from AECL saying that they intended to apply for an application for a one-pump solution. That letter was copied to Mr. Lunn and to the deputy. What that meant was that on December 7, we were seized with the--

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

You, as the commission.

[Linda Keen]

We were the commission, all of the five members--not me, not the staff.

In fact, when the December 8 phone call came in, it could have just been another general type of call. On a Saturday it would have been unusual. But there is absolutely no doubt in our mind that we were being told when to do it and what to do on that date. That was my impression. I have been in this chair for seven years.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you very much, Ms. Keen.

Yes, Mr. Anderson.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I have a point of clarification, please, Mr. Chair.

You said December 8 you were at home. It was a Saturday night and you were at home. The minister called you at home.

[Linda Keen]

It wasn't a Saturday.... It wasn't at home...no, let me see. It was exactly at 3:30.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

You said you were at home earlier.

[Linda Keen]

Yes, I was at home.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Your letter to the minister said the telephone call came to you and one of your officials.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Anderson--

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

It's a clarification. I just want her.... She said in the letter the telephone call came to her and her officials. Did it, in fact?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Anderson, you'll have to ask that question in your allocated time.

Is there anyone from the Bloc who wants to ask questions?

Next is Monsieur Ouellet for two minutes.

[Christian Ouellet, Bloc, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Ms. Keen, I understand you. For 17 months, the Chalk River reactor was operating in violation of the licensing conditions, even if AECL had confirmed on three occasions that it was meeting these conditions. Isn't that right?

[Linda Keen]

Yes, Mr. Chair, correct.

[Christian Ouellet, Bloc, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

We have some letters of confirmation, for example, the one from Mr. Shorter dated December 23, 2005:

“This letter confirms that License Condition 13.1 of the Chalk River Nuclear...”

is compliant.

[Linda Keen]

Exactly, Mr. Chairman.

[Christian Ouellet, Bloc, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

There are therefore conditions associated with the licence, and these conditions were not respected.

[Linda Keen]

Yes, Mr. Chair, that's correct.

[Christian Ouellet, Bloc, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I'd like to come back to health protection, Ms. Keen. The minister still claims that you were not concerned with protecting the health of Canadians. However, in your letter or notice of December 11 to both ministers, you stated that cases of non-compliance and radioactive emissions into the environment were possible.

Were you thinking, at the time, of lithium? What substance did you have in mind when you referred to radioactive emissions that could be hazardous to the public, not only to people living close to Chalk River but also to people living on the other side of the river, in Quebec?

[Linda Keen]

Mr. Chair, I apologize, I don't have that correspondence in front of me, so I wouldn't be able to give that specificity.

Clearly, since the war, Chalk River has had a responsibility for waste management. This has been a very serious responsibility for it, and it continues to look at waste management.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you very much, Mr. Ouellet.

Now we go to the government side, to Mr. Trost, for about two and a half minutes.

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I need a quick clarification of something you said to Ms. Bell. Was the CNSC involved in trying to get isotopes from overseas, contacting...anything of that accord?

[Linda Keen]

No, that wasn't our responsibility.

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

But in your December 10 letter you say:

We also have taken measures to facilitate the import of isotopes into Canada to increase the supply. In summary, the CNSC has taken actions within our mandate to assist the health sector to deal with the current situation.

[Linda Keen]

Yes, just to clarify, importation would be done by MDS Nordion. MDS Nordion is also a licensee of ours. We do license the importation.