Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 24th, 2009

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Well, a government that took an action like that in relation to nuclear energy.... It was very clear in its views on that, but it hasn't given any clarification, in my view, on where it's going. We had the minister saying here that a report that was done in August in terms of where AECL should be going hasn't been given to her to read yet.

[Hugh MacDiarmid]

Sir, I simply can't comment on that because I'm not privy to that information. I simply respond to, if you will, the signals I get through the chain of command that is in operation. And my signal today is that the Government of Canada has committed to the budgetary support to allow us to continue development of our ACR-1000 reactor. We believe that is an essential ingredient in our ability to put in a serious bid for the Ontario nuclear--

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

And have you been asked to advise the minister on where AECL should go and how they should deal with AECL in terms of these questions?

[Hugh MacDiarmid]

No, I have not been asked to give formal advice to the minister on that matter.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Okay.

You've talked a bit about the kind of funding that you've gotten this year. Back in 2007-08, you were receiving $103 million, and then over this current fiscal year and the next one you'll have close to a billion dollars. On page 180 of the budget, it says the minister is reviewing AECL's structure, and this review will consider options that include private sector participation in the commercial operations of the corporation. Is it your view that the government, by waiting to announce whether we'll sell or keep AECL, has created uncertainty that's actually working against the corporation? That's particularly in relation to bids like Ontario's, but there are certainly well more than a hundred projects being looked at and being bid on around the world. What does it do to AECL in relation to all of that?

[Hugh MacDiarmid]

Frankly, I think the most important thing to occur here, by far, is for the right decision to be made, whatever that may be. I can tell you that I am perfectly comfortable continuing to operate and lead the enterprise in its current structure, and I see no impediments whatsoever to being able to continue to build our global franchise.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chairman, if I have time left--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thirty seconds.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

--I'll hand it over to my colleague, Mr. Tonks.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

One very short question, Mr. Tonks.

He has more time later.

[Alan Tonks, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I'm not sure where to start.

I appreciate that there are still representatives here from CNSC. There is now a framework that has been agreed to with respect to the kinds of incidents that occurred. From your perspective, what is in that joint communication that was different from any reporting procedure that you had before?

[Hugh MacDiarmid]

We undertook in the report that was tabled in Parliament to voluntarily adopt a different, and you could say lower, threshold of reporting in the sense that we believe we were fully in compliance with the reporting obligations and expectations that were in place at the time of the December incident. But the level of interest that's been shown since that point in time has clearly indicated that we should rethink that, so we are working together to come up with a different protocol.

I wouldn't say that we have absolutely dotted the i's and crossed the t's yet. But there's a commitment, and we've registered the sincere desire to respond to the transparency wishes of Canadians.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you.

Mr. Tonks.

[Alan Tonks, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, you'll recall that at the last meeting, from our hearings that we had with respect to the last bill, we had a protocol that had been developed.

Would it be in order for me, simply on behalf of the committee, to request that when that protocol has been enunciated between CNSC and Atomic Energy of Canada it be made available to the committee?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Certainly.

[A voice]

The MOU.

[Alan Tonks, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Yes, the memorandum of understanding.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Okay.

You've heard the request, Mr. MacDiarmid?

[Hugh MacDiarmid]

Yes, sir.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you. We will look for that.

[Alan Tonks, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Now we'll go to the Bloc Québécois and Madame Brunelle, for up to seven minutes.

[Paule Brunelle, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Good afternoon, gentlemen. Thank you for coming.

Mr. MacDiarmid, I hope that I am pronouncing your name correctly.

[Hugh MacDiarmid]

You are pronouncing it very well.

[Paule Brunelle, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Earlier, you heard my conversation with the representative from the CNSC about ensuring a steady supply of medical isotopes, which is a matter that concerns me. Here is what you said in your presentation:

The majority of the incremental $351 million that is being requested for the upcoming fiscal year applies to the program to upgrade our Chalk River laboratories—including improvements to the reliability of isotopes supply.

How will you go about this? You had to stop developing the MAPLE reactors. Now, how will you ensure a sufficient supply of medical isotopes for the public?