MP Gallant Stands Behind Chalk River Workers The Opposition should have learned during the H1N1 flu season, there are no votes fearmongering the public

March 22, 2010

Ottawa, Ontario… Cheryl Gallant MP, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, reacted with disappointment to the latest efforts by the Opposition in Ottawa to fearmonger among cancer patients by issuing mis-leading press statements to the public.

“Attacking the efforts of the women and men who are working hard to repair the 52 year-old NRU multi-purpose research Reactor is dishonest. It is dishonest to claim that the Conservative government has committed no funds to resolving the medical isotope shortage,” stated Cheryl Gallant, MP. “Our government has committed tens of millions to resolving the isotope crisis, unlike the old government that underfunded AECL for years.”

“If Opposition leader Michael Ignatieff had spent some time in Canada, he would know that years of underfunding by his party of AECL created the problems of today with medical isotopes. Selectively quoting from comments and unedited Committee minutes under false headlines is what Canadians have come to expect from a Toronto-based party whose leader is just in politics for himself when he even bothers to show up in Parliament.”

“I share the concern the NRU replacement is over a decade late, however, it’s not helpful to try and incite panic about a medical isotope shortage the way the Opposition did over the H1N1 flu virus last fall,” said MP Gallant.

“While the Expert Review Panel on Medical Isotope Production did recommend replacing the 52 year-old National Research Universal (NRU) research reactor as the best way to ensure security of supply of medical isotopes, unlike the failed MAPLES program supported by the old government which was nothing but a money pit, a new, multi-purpose research reactor is capable of many different functions, some of which are waiting to be discovered, to create the knowledge and the jobs of tomorrow,” concluded Cheryl Gallant, MP.

Background:
Response by Minister Christian Paradis to questions from the Opposition at the House of Commons Natural Resources Committee, March 18, 2010:
Opposition MP: There's $72 million in supplementary estimates for the ongoing repairs of the NRU at Chalk River. Is that just for 2009-10, and how much is budgeted for 2010-2011?

Hon. Christian Paradis (Minister of Natural Resources): Oui, effectivement the $72 million, it's for only 2009-10.
Opposition MP: So how much is budgeted for 2010-11 for repairs to the NRU?
  
Mr. Serge Dupont (Special Advisor on Nuclear Energy Policy to the Minister of Natural Resources , Department of Natural Resources): Sir, there is no specific allocation at this time. There's an allocation in the budget for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited that comprises funds that will be required to provide for the supply of medical isotopes. But, of course, at this time, with the project still continuing, and, as you know, continuing into 2010-11, precise estimates for the cost of the return to service are not available at this time.

Opposition MP: So in terms of allocating that amount for other things, it's pretty hard to specify exactly how much is going where when you can't say how much is set aside for this purpose, right?  I mean, obviously, it's a challenging because we're still waiting to find out what's going to happen. How much have you budgeted to implement the recommendations of your Expert Review Panel, when do you intend to respond to the Review Panel Recommendations, and exactly how much of the 2010 budget is being set aside to lay the groundwork for a new research reactor in Chalk River?

Hon. Christian Paradis (Minister of Natural Resources): Présentement, le rapport est étudié par notre gouvernement. On sait que, tout d'abord, lorsqu'on parle d'un recteur de recherche, on ne peut pas fonder un plan d'affaires de recteur de recherche seulement sur une base de production d'isotopes. Cela doit être vu d'une façon plus large. C'est pourquoi une panoplie de questions se posent maintenant, à ce niveau. Nous reviendrons bientôt avec une réponse à ce rapport.
Hon. Christian Paradis (Minister of Natural Resources): Comme je vous disais dans mon allocution, des fonds sont spécifiquement réservés pour des sources alternatives d'isotopes. Il y a 35 millions de dollars sur deux ans, dans le budget de Ressources naturelles Canada. En plus, il y a 13 millions de dollars, au niveau de Santé Canada, pour des essais cliniques et pour une coordination avec les experts médicaux.