USSU Voices Concern over Comments by Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff about Isotope-Producing Reactor

(September 17, 2009) The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union (USSU) Executive today raised concerns over recent remarks made by federal Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff, in which he indicated commitment towards funding McMaster University for the production of medical isotopes.

Mr. Ignatieff’s comments came while an Expert Review Panel within Natural Resources Canada was reviewing proposals from interested organizations and institutions for solutions towards producing Molybedum-99/Technetium-99m, the isotopes currently in short supply world wide following the shut down of a reactor in Chalk River, Ontario.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive, USSU President Warren Kirkland said he was troubled by Mr. Ignatieff’s comments and the potential they have to politicize what is supposed to be a non-partisan review process by the Review Panel.

“The Executive is mainly concerned over the apparent political involvement by Mr. Ignatieff in a Natural Resources Canada Review Panel decision.

After the closure of the Chalk River isotope-producing reactor, a panel of individuals was established by the Federal Government to evaluate proposals in a fair and transparent manner against specific criteria,” said Kirkland. “The Executive is troubled by Mr. Ignatieff’s commitment towards funding the McMaster University bid if elected Prime Minister.”

Mr. Kirkland said the issue is particularly important to the Executive since the University of Saskatchewan submitted a proposal on August 4th to produce the needed isotopes.

“The U of S bid has several notable advantages over McMaster’s, including a tremendous track record of research success as well as significant scientific investments, most prominently the Canadian Light Source (CLS).

“There are also many potential synergies between the CLS, College of Medicine, Intervac, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physics and the proposed Canadian Neutron Source,” said Kirkland who added that there is already an established model for having research reactors near synchrotron facilities.

“There are already a number of research reactors in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and Sweden that are strategically co-located close to their synchrotrons.”

Kirkland said that the U of S bid is further strengthened by potential long-term medical benefits that would result from an isotope-producing reactor.

“The U of S has consistently demonstrated success in synchrotron science, and the application of that science to the medical field. The addition of the proposed isotope production facility would significantly add to the potential research that would be conducted at the facility.

“The U of S’ commitment towards neutron sciences must also be viewed as a significant advantage. Of the twenty-one proposals submitted to the Review Panel, the Saskatchewan bid was one of a few with a focus of utilizing the potential of a reactor for both medial and research-based purposes,” said Kirkland.

Mr. Kirkland said that the Executive has formally outlined its concerns by sending a letter to both Mr. Ignatieff and Prime Minister Stephan Harper indicating the USSU’s hopes that any possible recommendations made by Review Panel will be based on merit instead of politics.

“We encourage Mr. Ignatieff and everyone in government to follow the established process. In light of that, the University of Saskatchewan bid is one that should not be overlooked, and the USSU Executive supports their bid and the solutions it could bring to the world.”