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The firing of the head of the Nuclear Safety Commission Linda Keen has sparked international attention. Keen was only doing the job expected of safety authorities the world over—safeguarding the public and workers at nuclear plants from the well-established dangers of nuclear power.
The natural resources minister, Gary Lunn, who ultimately fired Keen, claims that as part of its mandate to safeguard the health and safety of the population, the safety commission has a duty to protect the supply of medical isotopes. Lunn suggested he would write that into the job description of Keen’s successor.
This conflict of interest has both the Canadian public and the international community concerned. Either your priority is to ensure people are protected from radiation, or you are responsible for what the reactor produces. A watchdog cannot do both.
Clearly we need to know whose role it is to co-ordinate global medical isotope production. In the meantime, AECL has finally connected the pumps of the NRU reactor to the seismically qualified Emergency Power System (EPS). Better late than never.
Ottawa got early warning on isotopes, firm says
Shawn McCarthy, The Globe and Mail – Friday, February 08, 2008
AECL slow to earthquake-proof reactor, official admits
Juliet O’Neill, The Ottawa Citizen – Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Canada ignored global efforts to ensure isotope supply: medical journal
The Canadian Press – Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Keen defends decision to shut reactor in name of safety
Juliet O’Neill, The Ottawa Citizen – Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Arms length regulators: Fine, but how long is an arm?
Preston Manning, The Globe and Mail – Monday, January 28, 2008
Don’t mess with nuclear safety
Editorial: New Scientist Print Edition – Saturday, January 26, 2008
Chalk River: The scandal behind the scandal
Tom Spears, Times Colonist – Sunday, January 20, 2008
Chalk River crisis sired by AECL
Peter Calamai, The Toronto Star – Saturday, January 19, 2008
PM defends firing of nuclear watchdog
Les Whittington & Bruce Campion-Smith, The Toronto Star – Friday, January 18, 2008
Gary Lunn’s nuclear meltdown
The Ottawa Citizen Editorial – Thursday, January 17, 2008
Documents show history of problems
Jessica Leeder, The Globe and Mail – Thursday, January 17, 2008
Colleagues stand by fired nuclear watchdog
Norma Greenaway, Canwest News Service – Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Nuclear safety watchdog head fired for ‘lack of leadership’: minister
CBC News – Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Head of nuclear watchdog fired
Brian Laghi & Gloria Galloway, The Globe and Mail – Wednesday, January 16, 2008