Despite investing millions of taxpayers’ dollars to develop world-leading nuclear technology, the Conservative government is putting the CANDU reactor division up for sale before returns have been realized, Liberal Natural Resources Critic Geoff Regan said today.

“Canada has 60 years of leadership in this field, but the Harper government is hollowing out our nuclear industry by selling it at fire-sale prices, likely at a loss for the Canadian people,” said Mr. Regan.  “By abandoning nuclear power, nuclear isotopes and any future nuclear research reactor, Stephen Harper is abandoning decades of Canadian leadership and intellectual property. This plan is the death knell for Canada’s nuclear science sector.”

World demand for nuclear power is projected to increase by 40 percent over the next two decades. The demand for nuclear isotopes and nuclear medicine is expected to double by 2020. At a time when world demand in nuclear technology is increasing, a Liberal government would strengthen, not abandon Canada’s leadership in nuclear science.

“Now is the time to fix AECL, not abandon it,” said Mr. Regan. “Rather than sell AECL for bargain basement prices, we should be fixing it for a better return.”

Earlier this year, the Conservative government indicated that under their leadership, Canada would be getting out of the medical isotope business and offered no commitment to replace the Chalk River reactor.  Government reports now show that the Chalk River reactor likely won’t be back online until the end of March, more than seven months later than their initial estimates.

“Despite the unprecedented loss in global supply of isotopes caused by this shutdown, the government still has no plan for Canada’s future role in nuclear medicine and technology, and has let down Canada because of it,” stated Mr. Regan.