Ottawa, Ontario… Cheryl Gallant MP, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, welcomed the release of the Government of Canada Response to the Report of the Expert Review Panel on Medical Isotope Production. “As the Member of Parliament who represents the 2700 employees working at the Chalk River Laboratories, I am encouraged by the fact that our Government has the courage to resolve one of the many problems left over by the old government, the future of nuclear medicine in Canada,” remarked MP Gallant.

“The expert panel recognized that a new, multi-purpose research reactor, particularly one designed after the very successful NRU design currently in use at Chalk River, represented the most reliable, certain method to produce medical isotopes,” stated Cheryl Gallant, MP. “That supports my position, and the one put forth by a working group of Chalk River employees, the CREATE committee. 

“At the same time, the Expert Panel, and the Federal Government in response to the Expert Panel’s observations, recognized that a new, multi-purpose research reactor would have a capability that far exceeds only manufacturing medical isotopes,” said MP Gallant. “As a consequence, it was not in the mandate of the expert panel to review this option, nor for the government to respond.”

“A new, multi-purpose research reactor would serve many missions, including neutron scattering, nuclear research and development as well as advanced materials testing for industry. Recognizing the substantial financial investment required, the next step is to develop a fully costed business case, which has been recommended by the CREATE committee, and which I support.”

“The decision by the old Chretien government to announce, and then withdraw funding 12 years ago for a new research reactor, has resulted in the problems of today. That mistake was compounded by the decision to pour tens of millions of taxpayers’ dollars into an unproven, single purpose reactor design and an agreement with a private company that cost taxpayers’ dollars for every isotope produced by the NRU. Those policy decisions of the liberal party have stained the reputation of the entire nuclear industry, and the women and men employed in that industry in Canada. At Chalk River, they are working hard to get the 52 year old NRU back up and running and all the opposition in Ottawa is prepared to do is criticize.”

“If only the liberal party had been truthful with Canadians, there would be no health crisis for cancer patients who rely on medical isotopes for life-saving procedures today,” concluded Cheryl Gallant, MP.