Natural Resources Committee on June 2nd, 2009

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

Thank you very much for the question.

Being from the area, you've always brought to my attention the importance of Chalk River and the importance of the workers at the Chalk River facility. It's a driving force, really, in our decision-making regarding restructuring.

Essentially, in restructuring we would see that both sides of AECL would be better bolstered by being able to focus on their individual areas. In one case, the AECL commercial or reactor side would be focusing on their area. On the other side, Chalk River would be focusing on the research, the technology, and the science side of it.

It is truly desired that when we undertake restructuring, both sides will be positioned to flourish. It would be not only AECL in terms of selling more reactors, but also Chalk River in terms of taking advantage of that entrepreneurial and innovative spirit there. We would see them truly dedicating themselves to research of different types, research not just associated with AECL and not just associated with the ACR-1000, but with all kinds of other things as well. It's no secret to the committee--and you've heard it from other witnesses too--that there is interest in utilizing nuclear technology for a better, more efficient means of extracting oil from the oil sands. That could be an area in which Chalk River could play a role in terms of research.

We fundamentally believe that by separating the two, we will allow both equally to flourish. I believe as well that the merits of the research done at Chalk River will drive an attraction to invest in Chalk River, allow the research to speak for itself, and attract attention, innovation, and investment. I think it would be positive for jobs by not only helping with what we currently have, but also by growing that area so that we have the potential for more jobs in the area.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you, Ms. Gallant.

We go now to the second round. Each member will have two minutes, so it will be basically one question with a short answer.

Mr. Bains, could you start off for the official opposition?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you, Minister, for coming out.

One key issue that has been brought to our attention is the cost to the health care system. As we learned today, GE Healthcare notified customers today of a price increase. We know the alternative procedures also put a fair amount of burden on the health care system.

Has there been any costing done to indicate how much this will impact the provincial and territorial governments? If so, does the federal government have a plan to work with its counterparts provincially to help alleviate some of the financial burdens they're facing with these increases in isotopes and with the alternative procedures that are being suggested in order to deal with the crisis?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

We'll definitely take that up with the Minister of Health. She is the one on the forefront in dealing with the provinces and the territories on implementing the contingency plans, and we will ask her. We will point out to her the situation and seek her determination as to whether there's an increase in the costs associated with the province.

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

When you find that, can you submit it to the committee as well, with the cost scheme or whatever the impact will be at the provincial level?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

Absolutely, we will provide the information.

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

The second question I had, Minister, is, did you see this shutdown of Chalk River coming? Did you anticipate it in your position a while ago?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

The reality of the situation is that AECL is the operator of the NRU, and they have the best information regarding the NRU. This government relies on AECL to operate it in the best way it can. My role is to make sure that if there is an unplanned outage, we communicate with the medical community and ensure as well that all appropriate measures are being taken under the supervision of CNSC for the health and safety of Canadians.

As to my being in touch with AECL concerning the operating of the National Research Universal reactor, the answer is no. But I do rely, as we should, upon the professionals at AECL who operate that facility, in giving us the best information. And they did not give me the information that they had expected this shutdown. This is an unexpected, unplanned shutdown of the NRU.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you, Mr. Bains.

Now we go to the government side, to Mr. Shory for two minutes.

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Thank you. I'll take one minute, because I'll be sharing my time with Mr.... Where did he go?

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

If you don't mind, go ahead.

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

That's fine. I can take all of the two minutes.

Minister, thank you very much for being here this afternoon. I know as a fact that this issue of medical isotopes is your top priority and that you have been working very hard to deal with this serious issue. Thank you for that.

You have been in contact with your counterparts on this issue, and earlier we heard that it's not that the world has run out of medical isotopes; that there is still up to 60% of global supply available. I'm sure, with the early information sharing with doctors and the medical industry, doctors must have prioritized their preferences in using medical isotopes. My question is, have you received any response from your counterparts indicating that they will help fill the gap in isotope supply while the NRU reactor is down?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

Thank you very much for your question.

I think what I'll indicate is the actual context of my discussions on the ministerial level with our isotope-producing counterparts.

What I have done is stress with them the importance of the supply side and the demand side of the issue. As I have indicated, we've had two international calls on the matter. This morning I participated in the first discussion of the high-level group for which Canada is the chair and is driving the agenda.

This also underlines that both major producers and consumers have recognized the need to work internationally on action across a whole range of issues. One of the issues is coordinating reactor schedules to see whether there is increased capacity at reactors. We've done that, and the countries have reported back that they can increase, can ramp up.

The second aspect, though, is equally important. That is to make sure that the medical practitioners and the medical community have timely, cogent information, so that they're able to manage the supply they do have, so that we avoid as best we can the situation that Canadians are in the dark and are worried and wondering whether they're going to have a diagnostic procedure done. Right now, the information gap is unfortunately too wide, and this international effort is about bridging that gap and having more information in the hands of the medical practitioners, so that they can communicate to the Canadian public what diagnostic procedures are available and when.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Shory.

Now we go to Monsieur Malo, for two minutes.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Minister, in your presentation, you said that the reactor is old. One of Mr. Dupont's slides that he showed us earlier also clearly indicated that the reactor was old. Last December, you presented a five-point plan. When we know perfectly well that the reactor is old and all the reactors in the world are old, is it not the responsibility of the world's largest supplier to make sure that the likely shutdown of an old reactor will not result in a shortage? Would you not agree that doctors and their patients are facing a shortage because of sloppiness on the part of the government?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

No, I disagree that they're faced with shortages in that sense. I believe that in terms of Canada's responsibility in the world, we absolutely stepped up to the plate in the fall of this year when we produced more isotopes for the world. We recognized all too well the fragility of the global supply last year, and we're the ones who started the process of putting countries together internationally to address the matter.

In fact, Canada has shown leadership on the matter, plain and simple: we chair the committee and we've led the effort in making sure that the reactor operators speak with one another about making sure that we've produced schedules of maintenance that make sense with each other across the board.

The other aspect to remember is that we do have more reactors coming online. Australia is ramping up in order to produce medical isotopes. France is currently building. There are other proposals out there in the world as well. The reality is that the world has been planning for the turnover of medical isotopes as a result of recognizing that reactors are aging. Unfortunately, at this point we do have a shortage of medical isotopes, and we're dealing with it in the best way we possibly can, both in terms of dealing with the medical community on shortage of supply and in terms of looking to our other member states who produce medical isotopes in asking them to increase their amounts, as we did with ours in the fall.

The point is that they've said yes. They are going to be increasing capacity as they are able to, and that is a sign of leadership: when Canada asked, they have responded. That's a result of the work we've been doing since December of last year.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Merci, Monsieur Malo.

We'll go now to Mr. Anderson for the last part of the questioning.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This may be more of a statement than a question, because I think we've seen today that it's easy for the opposition to activate their best hindsight and try to put words in people's mouths while talking about events they certainly did not predict and casting blame in connection with those events.

I want to quickly go over the things that we've been told today.

The government has been active over the last couple of years in opening lines of communication between the various parties, including AECL, the CNSC, the federal government, and industry. They've made arrangements in this situation for alternative supplies of isotopes. They've also made arrangements for alternative options for diagnostics.

The five-point plan is complete and thorough. I'll go over it again: getting the NRU operating as quickly and as safely as possible; trying to mitigate the short-term supply; working with other isotope producers to coordinate supply; exploring alternatives to moly-99; and encouraging alternative production sources that have been part of the Health Canada working group that was put in place to review the outage of two years ago.

There has been international participation through the international workshop on the security of supply of medical radioisotopes and the establishment of another international high-level group, which we will chair. We're moving ahead on Bill C-20 to encourage and enable investment, and the--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

We have a point of order from Mr. Cullen.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Yes, it's just a small thing, and I hate to interrupt my friend.

You've pointed out before that when we have our presence graced with ministers of the crown, it's an opportune time for MPs of all sides to actually ask questions of pertinence to the issue, rather than give statements by members, which we have time for in the House--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Cullen, you know it's up to members to decide how they're going to use their time. I think my comment was on allowing the minister time to answer, should you actually ask a question.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I wasn't referring to your point earlier today, Chair. You've made this point to us many times. It just seems like such valuable time when the minister is here. If my colleague wants to make statements, he has all sorts of time--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

It is valuable time, and that's why we'll allow Mr. Anderson the rest of his two minutes.

Mr. Anderson.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I understand Mr. Cullen's frustration with this process, because he has found the government has far more things in place than he would ever have suspected or known before today.

Again I'll just mention that we're moving ahead with Bill C-20, which is important, and obviously with the AECL restructuring initiative.

I would like to thank the minister for being so willing to show up here today, for giving direction to this issue, and for providing strong leadership across this country so that Canadians can be confident we're moving ahead in a safe way with this issue.