Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 16th, 2008

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So now that we know the background of these two individuals, you agree that they are not independent, or at least can be seen as not being independent?

[Gary Lunn, Conservative, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

No, I would disagree with that. Because one person belongs to a party or not, I don't think.... I mean, there are people who belong to other parties; it doesn't make them not independent. These--

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Isn't that what you accused Ms. Keen of being--a partisan Liberal?

[Gary Lunn, Conservative, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Please let me finish.

Mr. Chair, these two independent experts confirmed—I want to stress that, “confirmed”—what the experts at AECL and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission testified before Parliament.

I think it's important to note--

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Didn't you accuse Ms. Keen of being a Liberal partisan?

[Gary Lunn, Conservative, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

--that there is no dispute in the evidence.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Alghabra, your time for questioning is finished. Allow the minister to answer.

[Gary Lunn, Conservative, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

There is no dispute from any of the agencies that in fact the reactor could resume operations and operate safer than ever before. And that was the advice we received from these independent experts.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you very much, Mr. Minister.

Mr. Proulx, a short questioning period.

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be very brief.

Minister, I would like you to confirm some information I obtained from the AECL.

Is it true that it was to your advantage to get rid of Ms. Keen, who continued to insist on doing her work properly, a fact which was causing delays and problems with regard to the privatization of AECL?

[Gary Lunn, Conservative, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

No, this decision was based solely on the actions that surrounded the shortage of isotopes, and the information made before us, and in our belief that she was unable to fulfill her duties or executive responsibilities as the president and CEO of the commission throughout this incident.

Again, we didn't make that decision until after we had, in the entire fullness of time, an opportunity to review her submission that she had made back to me. Only then was the decision made.

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Minister, for accommodating this committee on such short notice. It's very much appreciated and shows your commitment to taking your job very responsibly.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

A point of order--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

And thank you, Deputy Minister, for your help here today as well.

You can go ahead and leave the table. We may have other business.

[Gary Lunn, Conservative, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I would like to thank all the committee members for taking the time to come here before the committee. I appreciate the opportunity to put all the facts and records on the table.

Again, I want to thank all the committee members for returning to Ottawa on the break time, when they're supposed to be out there with their constituents.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to seeing you in the House when it resumes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you very much, Mr. Minister.

Mr. Alghabra, on a point of order.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

I just want to remind the committee that we've agreed that after we hear our witnesses, we will decide on what other witnesses we're going to need, and that we might be inviting the minister back again, as we've said.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Absolutely. He has made himself readily available, and the committee certainly can decide to make that request.

There may be no need to suspend. Is there any other business that the committee wants to deal with right now?

What do we do with the meeting this afternoon? We have to decide that.

Ms. Bell.

[Catherine Bell, NDP, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I had a couple more questions for the minister that I didn't get to ask. One of them was on her capacity in coming to see us as president of the Nuclear Safety Commission. It is now my understanding that she will not be here at one o'clock. Of course she won't be here at any time as president, because she is no longer in that role. Will we now have to reissue the invitation to Ms. Keen in the capacity she is in on the board?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

The clerk made it clear that the invitation is for her. That invitation stands, and the committee can decide how to deal with it from here.

Mr. Alghabra.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I suggest, since we already plan to be here at one o'clock, that the committee meet at one and discuss future business.

[An hon. member]

Could we make it 1:30?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Or we could make it 1:30.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

You've heard the request.

Mr. Anderson.