Abandoning production of isotopes is a tragedy
As published in The Nanaimo Daily News
VICTORIA – Why on earth would Prime Minister Stephen Harper choose to take Canada out of the business of producing nuclear isotopes for medical use?
This decision is a veritable repeat of the Avro Arrow fiasco when Canada terminated this project thereby giving up our lead in aeronautical engineering. The loss of jobs, knowledge, and capabilities in this area eliminated Canada from being a world leader in a burgeoning industry.
The same situation is recurring right now due to the abysmal decision Harper made last week.
Canada has been the leading producer of medical isotopes for decades. This is an area of excellence for us that provides life-saving products used in nuclear medicine.
The National Academy of Sciences in the U.S. said last week that the only real solution to deal with the worldwide crisis in access to isotopes is to get Canada’s Maple 1 and 2 nuclear reactors working. Rather than doing this, Harper has chosen to throw up his hands and evict the field, leaving us without a domestic supply of isotopes and abandoning a field that provides high paying jobs.
This is not leadership, this is a national tragedy.
Rather than walking away we should expand our capabilities so that Canada remains the lead producer of these life-saving products. If we don’t, the extraordinary Canadian scientists who work in nuclear medicine will leave the country for other nations that will surely fill the void and become the new leaders in this industry. Why would we allow this to happen?
Dr. Keith Martin,
MP Esquimalt – Juan de Fuca
Health Promotion Critic for the Liberal Party of Canada
One Response to “Abandoning production of isotopes is a tragedy”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
2009-06-18
This action is unacceptable . . . or shall I word it “inaction?”
Domestically, he is striking another blow to our health care system, as well as turning away an economic opportunity.
Furthermore, in my view, the more substantial consideration here is the lack of leadership that Mr. Harper is once again expressing. He seems too willing to abandon a fundamental Canadian tradition: that of humbly taking our place in the Global Community by contributing to the well being of all, and participating to the fullest extent possible.
He attacks Mr. Ignatieff for having lived outside of Canada, yet seems oblivious to how turning away from isotope production (along with his abandonment of the Kyoto Accord) undermines our international reputation. I believe that the World Community now has reason to doubt the strength of what has been an historical commitment to “walking the High Road.” How un-Canadian is Mr. Harper?
tm