First of all, let me just say, Mr. Chair, with respect to the comments on interference, in fact I do not contend that I interfered. This issue was so serious, we contacted both the AECL and the CNSC, and communicated with them at all times looking for solutions.
In my discussions with the CNSC on December 8, what I did in fact was to ask the president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission if she could put this matter on an urgent basis before the commission. Obviously it's up to the commission to make that decision, but obviously there was a serious issue. Lives were at stake. At that point, as we led up to December 8, we were only losing diagnostic procedures, but it was clear that we would soon be losing urgent medical procedures that would ultimately cost lives.
Again, my position is that I only asked for the commission to hear the matter and if they could do that on an urgent basis.