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RE: [cdn-nucl-l] Re: " Government poised to fire nuclear watchdog "
Thanks for the very informative post Gary !
While I agree with your "IMHO", it seems to me that the CNSC boss is NOT a
"nuclear scientist" or a "heath physicist" or even MD, so it may well be
that she - like some other folks - thinks that *any* amount of radiation is
(excessively) dangerous, and therefore considers even the stoppage of use of
medical radioisotopes as a benefit - or at least not a great detriment, when
weighed against the diagnostic benefits it affords to MDs & patients.
I don't have any proof of this, and you may well be right that its simply a
matter of "the CNSC clearly shirked its responsibility to the users of
medical isotopes."
But another way of looking at it is that they saw the control of facility
operators as far more important than any responsibility to the users of
medical isotopes (perhaps based on consideration of an assumed
high-consequence, low-probability seismic event at CRL).
That's what we get for appointing what is basically a lay person, in charge
of a highly technical portfolio, IMHO.
Significantly, the persons who advised the Harper gov't in its decision to
override the CNSC were NOT lay persons in any sense of the word.
If the CNSC head received similarly competent advice but failed to heed it,
well then dismissal seems appropriate, on grounds of poor judgment or
outright bias.
Jaro
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----Original Message-----
From: cdn-nucl-l-admin@mailman1.cis.McMaster.CA
[mailto:cdn-nucl-l-admin@mailman1.cis.McMaster.CA]On Behalf Of Gary
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 6:52 PM
To: cdn-nucl-l@mailman1.cis.McMaster.CA
Subject: [cdn-nucl-l] Re: " Government poised to fire nuclear watchdog "
I'm going to disagree with most of the posters on this topic.
First, on the Nuclear Safety and Control Act.
For those who haven't read it:
The "Purpose" of the Act (section 3) is "to provide for the limitation, to a
reasonable level and in a manner that is consistent with Canada's
international obligations, of the risks to national security, the health and
safety of persons and the environment that are associated with the
development, production and use of nuclear energy and the production,
possession and use of nuclear substances" .
The objects of the Commission (Section 9,(a)) are to regulate the
development, production and use of nuclear energy and the production,
possession and use of nuclear substances, prescribed equipment and
prescribed information in order to (i) prevent unreasonable risk, to the
environment and to the health and safety of persons, associated with that
development, production, possession or use" .
IMHO, in this matter, the CNSC clearly shirked its responsibility to the
users of medical isotopes. It chose to the ignore real and imminent danger
to their health and safety caused by a CNSC-imposed interruption in the
supply of medical isotopes, in order to enforce, what, the installation of a
second back-up, back-up power supply. There was NOTHING "reasonable" about
CNSC's position WHATSOEVER.
Further, it is nonsense to say that Cabinet has no place in telling the CNSC
to get its act together and take its duties seriously. Section 19 provides
for the "Governor in Council" (effectively the Cabinet; officially the
Governor General, acting on advice of the Cabinet) to do exactly that:
19.(1) The Governor in Council may, by order, issue to the Commission
directives of general application on broad policy matters with respect to
the objects of the Commission.
19.2(2) An order made under this section is binding on the Commission.
Aw, that's a long enough post. Maybe I'll continue the rant later.
-Gary
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