Evidence of meeting #19 for Natural Resources in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was contract.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
We have limited time. I just want to get to the facts here.
You got two bidders to the last round and they were both all American.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
No. That is not correct. The successful bidder had a Canadian company, Kinectrics Incorporated. That's a Canadian—
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
Was it a requirement to have a Canadian component in order to bid—a Canadian-owned company?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
It was not a requirement to have a Canadian component in order to bid.
Conservative
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
It was a requirement that the consortium, the joint venture that was pulled together, be incorporated in Canada.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
They had a satellite office. They had to have incorporation in Canada, but they could be owned by other companies or other countries. This is where we get in trouble with the Competition Bureau, because the Canadian-owned company was bought out by another company, which was part of the winning bid. Now we have an all-American takeover of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories.
When it was revealed that it was going to be all American companies, were you concerned?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
I was not concerned, no.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
This came about in the middle of the American tariff war with our country. We've heard concerns that the reason the Competition Bureau is looking at this is that the medical isotopes that all Canadians rely on, the isotopes that are produced at Chalk River, will be managed by an all-American group that competes for that business. Is that correct?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
It is not a correct—
Conservative
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
It's not an accurate representation.
Let me take a step back. The GOCO was established more than 10 years ago—
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
But it's this one, this GOCO. We're not disagreeing that this is the right model. What we have real deep concerns about is that we're letting a foreign country manage our medical isotopes. The Competition Bureau has concerns because this is a monopoly that will cause the Americans to control our medical isotopes in Canada.
That's what I'm concerned about, and I would hope that people at Atomic Energy of Canada are concerned, because of the current climate with America and some of the rhetoric we hear out of the government about “elbows up” and having to defend our sovereignty. Meanwhile, we are selling out our Canadian nuclear labs to an all-American corporation.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
The isotope aspect of the business was analyzed in detail by the Competition Bureau. Approximately one or two weeks ago, the Competition Bureau issued a no-action letter, indicating that it had no intent to take further action at this time.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
It's posted on the Competition Bureau website. That is correct.
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
This is why we were trying to have this study kick off months ago—blocked by the Liberals in this committee, who were being directed to for some reason—to get the information on the contract and to understand why this is risking our medical isotopes in Canada supply—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Terry Duguid
Wait one moment, Mr. Tochor. I'll save your time.
What's your point of order, Mr. McKinnon?
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Tochor is misrepresenting. They were not blocked at all, in any way, shape or form.
Liberal
Conservative
Corey Tochor Conservative Saskatoon—University, SK
On that point of order, we tabled the notice of motion saying that we wanted the documents, including the contract, for Canadians to see with their own eyes why we're selling out our nuclear secrets to American companies that will be able to be under the thumb of whoever's in the White House.
Liberal
John-Paul Danko Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON
I have a point of order. It's a misrepresentation—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Terry Duguid
Hang on, folks. Order.
That was not a point of order. That was debate.
Conservative