Lisa Raitt

[Medical Isotopes, May 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in December 2008, the government set out a five point plan in a statement to deal with contingencies associated with a shortage of medical isotopes. We followed up on all of those and, in fact, have put all those into place.

In terms of the use of the medical isotopes, I will answer the question of the member for Winnipeg North with a quote from Dr. Thomas Perry, a past B.C. NDP provincial cabinet minister and a professor at the University of British Columbia. who said, “I've been struggling to think of a nuclear medicine procedure that cannot be achieved by another medium, another technique”.

There are other ways to deal with it and we are--

[Medical Isotopes, May 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in December we released a statement indicating our five point plan to deal with contingencies in case of an unexpected medical isotope shortage. We have put those five steps into play, and I highlighted those previously.

As well, I think it is important to point out that in 13 years five Liberal cabinet ministers had been privy to the information regarding this reactor and the five cabinet ministers did nothing.

[Medical Isotopes, May 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his concern on the issue. Indeed, it is serious.

AECL informed us last week that it would not be restarting the national research universal reactor. As a result, we do have a shortage in medical isotopes at the moment.

The government is working in two ways.

First, we are seeking to ensure global supply. This is a global issue. We are working with our counterparts in four other countries in order to increase global supply.

Second, we are working to manage the shortage that we currently have. The Minister of Health is reaching out to the provinces and the territories. She is speaking with them about triage, prioritization and alternate methods.

[The Environment, May 13th, 2009]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Contrary to what the Liberals like to think on the other side of the House, the reality is the greatest threat to Canada's ability to be clean and green in the future is the fact that for 10 years they did nothing.

[The Environment, May 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, although those are very pretty words, the reality is that the greatest threat--

[The Environment, May 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is a bit rich to hear from that side of the House that we are being judged on a piece of paper that the Liberals signed knowing fully that they could not deal with that and adhere to it. They had no plan to implement it nor execute it. They had no ability to fulfill the Kyoto protocol.

We have put together a plan that focuses on mitigating the use of fossil fuels with renewable energy in which we have put approximately $7 billion since 2007, and focuses on fuel efficiency.

[Government Accountability, May 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar for her interest in accountability for Canadians.

The contribution agreements of the Auditor General's spring report were signed under the previous Liberal government. It was this government that actively recovered taxpayers' money for work that was not done. As this House knows, in 2006 this government set out to improve accountability, transparency and value for taxpayers' dollars. I am happy to see that the Auditor General has recognized our efforts today.

[The Environment, May 12th, 2009]

Actually, Mr. Speaker, this government has been working very hard on having a clean, green energy plan. We have had one in place for a while. We have a whole suite of eco-energy programs, from renewable heat to power from hydro, to all kinds of measures that are available to the public and to companies in order to ensure that we have green technology and that we are indeed protecting the environment.

However, with respect to carbon capture and storage, it is the technology that is world-renowned. It is known around the world as being our best bet in terms of dealing with mitigation of fossil fuels. In fact, the G8 has agreed that it is the best way--

[AbitibiBowater, May 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we conducted extensive consultations prior to the economic action plan being released in January of this year.

In fact, our approach has been very clear and has been very effective. We are supporting the industry through making access to credit more available to them. We are supporting the industry through marketing and through innovation.

Unfortunately, when we do have incidents as in Grand Falls where a mill closes, the government is there to ensure that both the community and the workers are supported through a $1 billion community adjustment fund and through EI reforms for the workers.

[Forestry Industry, May 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I definitely think it is important to understand the facts associated with this subsidy. In reality what is happening is that a tax subsidy that is there in order to encourage the use of clean energy in the United States is being utilized. It is taking away from the green energy and actually utilizing fossil fuel in order to gain this tax subsidy. That is something we find unacceptable. We have written the secretary about this, in the United States.

We are looking at our options here in order to deal with the domestic forestry industry. Indeed, we are in contact with the industry, and we are working with it on options.