Good afternoon.
Mr. Chair and members , I would like to thank you for inviting me to appear before your committee today.
My name is Linda Keen. I am appearing as a private citizen today.
I would like to give a little bit of background, for those people who haven't met me and who aren't aware of my background. I am a scientist by training, and I've been a manager and leader of science organizations for about 30 years. I came to join the federal government in 1986 from western Canada, and I rose through the federal system to become senior assistant deputy minister. From January 2001 to January 2008, I was the president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission here in Ottawa.
As you are probably aware, in January 2008 I was fired by the cabinet of the Government of Canada, and since that time I have done a number of things, but I am working for the private sector in enterprise risk management, which may be a subject of interest today in a number of areas.
I was very proud of the work that I did at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. I think it's an organization where there's some wonderful and talented staff. I am concerned about the developments. Some people took great joy in my losing my court case, which made it clear that I served at pleasure for the government. But I think citizens and parliamentarians should actually be very concerned about this.
What this means is that the head of the regulator of nuclear materials and substances in Canada now serves at pleasure and is a political appointee. The lawyer who was there for the government, from the Tories, a senior lawyer, said it was absolutely clear that there was no misconduct on my part. He made it clear also that this was, in the words he used, “a politically precarious position” and that no reasons had to be given for firing the president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. I think these implications for the future of Canada's regulator should be of concern to parliamentarians.
My other great concern, of course, today is for the future of radioisotopes and for all those patients—but more than patients, more than people involved in nuclear medicine, it's the whole cadre of people who work in hospitals who have been trying to increase their efficiency and effectiveness over the years and now are faced with even more problems than they had before, in terms of not just radioisotopes but telling cancer patients and other patients that there are interruptions of that kind. I know of what I speak, and I think waiting for that diagnosis is one of the hardest points of your life. I think this has to be looked at as a personal issue for patients in Canada and around the world.
I also feel that one of the areas that doesn't get discussed very much in this is the role of the NRU as really an incredible institution of research in Canada. Certainly it's discussed that this reactor produces more than radioisotopes, but it also is the home of research for many scientists in Canada and around the world. Its loss will certainly be felt as well for those people who have, as I and other people here today have, had an opportunity to study there and look at work from that area.
Those are just my opening remarks, Mr. Chairman. I'll be more than pleased to answer any questions later on that touch on my expertise or experience with the NRU reactor, principally during those seven years as president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Thank you very much.