Natural Resources committee  It is a puzzle to me. I recall—this is going back 10 or 12-odd years now—there used to be the...wasn't it called the Advisory Committee on Radiological Protection, and the medical people were in on that particular committee? That was a very useful group of academics across the country and other people with an interest in that subject, who helped provide advice, anyway, to the Atomic Energy Control Board on such matters.

Natural Resources committee  Again, it's a part of governance that one could think about in the future, as to how we might improve this.

Natural Resources committee  It is a suggestion, perhaps, that one could work it through that type of process. It's workable. Among the suggestions I've made, it's another one that could work.

Natural Resources committee  The CNSC policy document, for the record, is P-242. It's only a short document of about four or five pages. It was written by the CNSC upon discussions during the amendments to the Atomic Energy Control Regulations. The desire here was to ensure that you make decisions about safety in light of the fact that it is not just in isolation but in a broader consideration of the kinds of costs that it could impose upon either the licensee or society in general.

Natural Resources committee  The CNSC could have readily determined the licence condition that was invoked to shut the reactor down and its consequences, and it could have thoroughly weighed the risk of continued operation, that risk being so small that—

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  That was the gist of my comments. The point I make about regulatory policy P-242 is that it appears they have not—

Natural Resources committee  Something along these lines, but they chose not to do that.

Natural Resources committee  So do I, and I shake my head--

Natural Resources committee  I would like to confirm that, yes, I was involved. When I was working with the utilities at that time, I was the chair of the group, and I was fully aware of all the amendments to the then Atomic Energy Control Regulations and the changes that were made...that ultimately became the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Natural Resources committee  That is correct.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you for the question. If such an amendment were to be put in law, this would subject the decision of the commission to this determination or tests. Therefore they would have to make a determination, whether it's staff or with assistance from the licensee, on the costs and the benefits.

Natural Resources committee  If I may be helpful, one could take the particularly narrow view of what safety comprises, but what is this safety all about? At the end of the day, it is to ensure that the lives of people will not be jeopardized in one form or the other. It is to try to protect the public from untoward events.

Natural Resources committee  The seventh suggestion?

Natural Resources committee  The seventh suggestion was to improve the effectiveness and predictability of the nuclear safety and licensing process. In my view, this is a critical need if Canada is to create the right conditions for the development of nuclear technology in helping to meet the challenges of climate change and contribute to reducing greenhouse gases across the economy.