Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Natural Resources said that on December 3 he knew of an impending medical isotope shortage. He claimed that the lives of cancer patients were at risk and that Parliament was put in a literal do or die situation.
We now know that other isotope suppliers acted quickly to mitigate the shortage of radioisotopes. Belgium heard about it near the end of November and increased its supply to offset any potential threat to human life.
Why did it take until mid-December for the minister to even ask if the world's isotope producers could help? Was this a manufactured crisis?