Mr. Speaker, several months ago I asked a question on behalf of the thousands of workers and their families employed at Chalk River Laboratories in the upper Ottawa Valley, and on behalf of the thousands of other Canadians who are employed in the nuclear sector.
I asked the Minister of Natural Resources to talk about Canada's world-class nuclear industry and the tremendous opportunity that awaits Canada in the new build nuclear power market. Specifically, my question focussed on small modular reactors, SMRs. I acknowledge that after I prompted the federal government with my question, the minister announced the government's Canadian small modular reactor plan.
I want to assure the Minister of Natural Resources that he has my continuing support when it comes to good jobs in the nuclear sector. The nuclear industry is a big employer in my constituency and has been since the dawn of the nuclear age.
Not only does the Minister of Natural Resources have my full support for Canada to get into the game and join the other advanced western nations, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, which are investing in next-generation builds, but he also has my full support to fund a replacement for the National Research Universal reactor, or NRU. That piece of critical infrastructure was recently decommissioned after almost 60 years of faithful service. Canada should be investing in national infrastructure, like a modern version with NRU capabilities.
Canadians are suffering today from the short-sighted policy decision made in the 1970s by the Liberal government of the day to cripple medical research by reducing patent protection. Decisions today affect the generations of the future. We do not want to make the same policy mistake with nuclear.
Canada will be a poorer country if we have to wait for the benefits of nuclear research done in other countries in the same way Canadians have had to wait for medicines manufactured in other countries due to our limited domestic capacity to produce safe Canadian vaccines in Canada using Canadian know-how.
Whether we like it or not, energy will be the currency of the future. I recognize, as do many Canadians who respect the science, that the only way Canada can make a real contribution to a clean environment is through the use of dependable, greenhouse gas-free nuclear energy to generate the electricity that lights our streets, heats our homes and powers industry.
Unlike the members for Ottawa Centre and Ottawa South, who are opposed to real action against pollution by opposing SMRs, I agree with the founder of the environmental group Greenpeace, Dr. Patrick Moore. Dr. Patrick Moore has written another book recently called Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom, which I recommend all MPs read.
I agree with James Hansen, the NASA scientist who is held in high esteem by environmentalists, when he states that based on science and facts, the world cannot tackle threats to the environment without nuclear energy in the mix. I urge members to trust the science and the facts.
I am pleased to quote Deep River mayor, Suzanne D'Eon. Deep River, in the Ottawa Valley, is a willing community to host a demonstration of small module reactor. Mayor D'Eon said:
As both a mayor and concerned global citizen, I believe there is a need for more urgency by the federal government and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in the development and safe deployment of SMRs [and] vSMRs in Canada and I wholeheartedly endorse the Statement of Principles for the SMR Action Plan.
The town of Deep River is keenly interested to do more to encourage and facilitate the accelerated development and roll-out of SMRs locally, throughout Canada, and globally. We are passionate about becoming the first host community of a vSMR in Canada and to be ambassadors and a real-life demonstration example for small or remote northern communities who may not yet have a comfort level with nuclear.
The town's interest and motivation in vSMRs comes both from our history as Canada's first nuclear community and our vision for the future.