Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Before I ask the minister a couple of my questions on the Auditor General's reports, I should put it on the record here that the entirety of Parliament took this measure to get this reactor going. A senior member of the NDP, at the end of the debate, said this was one of Parliament's finest hours. And I agree with him. There are members from other opposition parties that are on the record saying they supported this legislation, Bill C-38. I think we need to remember that it wasn't you who made this decision; we made this, the people who are questioning you today.
The other thing is I couldn't let my colleague's comment about fabricating health concerns go by. Considering the letters from the Canadian Medical Association, the various doctors with backgrounds in nuclear medicine and cancer specialties, considering the concerns they put on the public record to the CNSC and to the entirety of the country, I don't think those gentlemen were fabricating health concerns. They are professional medical people with many years of training. I don't think we, as committee members, should criticize their judgment or their character in anything that we do. I think this was very clearly a major health concern.
The question I have to your critics would be what would they have done in your shoes? I think they need to answer that.
Now, Mr. Minister, I'd like to go back a little bit to the Auditor General's reports of 2002 and 2007. My understanding is that in 2002 the natural resources minister at that time did not meet with the Auditor General to discuss her report. You did in 2007.
Was your practice unique? Why did you think it was important? Do you have any idea why previous ministers refused to meet with the Auditor General concerning her reports?