Evidence of meeting #24 for Natural Resources in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was nru.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
I am reluctant to specify officials in one department versus another, but it seems sensible that Health Canada would be closest to the marketplace.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
It is the Government of Canada.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Maybe there are some coordination issues.
AECL was sued by MDS Nordion?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
That's correct.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Then the lawsuit is finished? They were successful in their lawsuit?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
No, that's not correct.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
We're going to be vigorously defending it on behalf of the taxpayers in Canada.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
I would imagine. I hope that vigorous defence doesn't cost too much
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
So you should be rooting for us.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Yes.
This $47-million isotope supply fund, is that to go out and buy isotopes?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
No. I should actually let Bill respond to that, because it is indeed a program that is to prepare us for the re-licensing and for the improved reliability of the NRU. Could I ask him to make a couple of comments?
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
It's to help the licensing process out, essentially, is that right?
Senior Vice-President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Licensing and other improvements to make the facility more reliable going into the future.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
So it's not a pot of money that the government has set aside to say let's go buy some isotopes in case Chalk River goes down? There is no such pot of money?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
I'm not aware of one.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
That might be a Health Canada purview as well.
I'm trying to also understand, and Canadians might get confused by this.... The Minister of Natural Resources is both the regulator and promoter of the nuclear industry. Is that correct?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is the regulator of the nuclear industry.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
I believe they are accountable to the Minister of Natural Resources.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Okay. So the Minister of Natural Resources is the promoter, the sponsor, the cheerleader of the nuclear industry. The regulator reports to that minister always publicly, or sometimes publicly?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Frankly, sir, I don't feel that it's appropriate for me to comment on ministerial assignments.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Sure, we'll do that in the second round.
Do we have an upper limit of how long this thing is going to be shut down? Do we have an outside figure that says if it goes past nine months...? For your average factory, if you turn the lights off for more than seven months, it gets real expensive, and I'm talking about just making widgets, never mind nuclear. Is there an upper limit where after a certain point it gets really dodgy to start her up again?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
I must say that I think it would be very unwise for us to quote an upper limit, because you'll read about it in the newspaper tomorrow morning. I don't believe it would be responsible.