Gary Lunn

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, January 28th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the facts remain that on this case the former president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission had a number of options available to her through the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. She was issued a cabinet directive. She ignored all those unnecessarily and was willing to put the lives of thousands of Canadians in jeopardy. That was unacceptable to the government.

We brought a bill before Parliament ultimately and every member of Parliament from every party supported it because it was the right thing to do. Parliament overruled the former president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

[Natural Resources, December 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. We are not lifting any restrictions with respect to tanker traffic, full stop.

I want to talk about what this government has succeeded in doing. We are the first government to take action to stop the City of Victoria from pumping raw sewage into the ocean.

Our Minister of Transport has banned the discharge of untreated sewage from marine vessels in marine waters.

The Minister of the Environment took immediate action in cleaning up Stanley Park.

This government contributed to protecting the Great Bear Rainforest off the coast of British Columbia.

This government has done more for B.C. waters, more for the marine environment than any other government ever.

[Natural Resources, December 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the member has her facts quite mixed up and quite wrong.

In fact, we do upgrade our oil and gas sector here and it is shipped primarily to the United States. It contributes enormously to our economy and our way of life.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, December 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as I have stated previously, we were very concerned. We went to great lengths to resume the production of medical isotopes. I approached my deputy minister and I advised her that we would like to have independent experts. The deputy minister provided those names.

We were happy that they went through extraordinary efforts last night to attend this Parliament to answer questions from all parties. We should be thanking all the people who came here, not laughing at them.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, December 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, our government has launched a review of AECL. We will look forward to the information coming back from experts. We want the very best information available and only then will we make a decision. However, the member can rest assured that we will make a decision in the best interests of the country.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, December 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has already stated, and the members can count on it, there will be a full accountability by all people involved in this.

I remind the member that we have also launched a review of AECL. We did that some weeks ago. Again, we will look at the results of that. We will get all the advice, all the correct information before us and then we will take concrete action.

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, December 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before in this House, our first and foremost priority was the resumption of the production of medical isotopes and the first steps were taken last night. Immediately upon learning of the situation, we took extraordinary measures.

As the Prime Minister has just stated, we will ensure on this side of the House that there is full accountability for all the players involved in this.

[An Act to permit the resumption and continuation of the operation of the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River, December 11th, 2007]

moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.

[An Act to permit the resumption and continuation of the operation of the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River, December 11th, 2007]

moved that Bill C-38, as amended, be concurred in at the report stage.

[An Act to permit the resumption and continuation of the operation of the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River, December 11th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, it is in fact the contrary. In all of our conversations with AECL, it has expressed nothing but trying to work in a cooperative approach. Everyone has been focused on solutions.

I will state for the record that it is exactly the opposite to what the member is suggesting.

If I may while I have the floor, I would seek unanimous consent to propose an amendment moved by myself, seconded by the member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore, on which I believe the other parties have had consultations. This would provide greater certainty. I move:

For greater certainty, nothing in this act derogates from the authority of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in respect of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, except for the specific licence conditions mentioned in subclause 1(1).