As previewed yesterday, the government has sold AECL’s Candu-reactor business to SNC-Lavalin for some $15 million and the promise of future royalties. While the pundit class bitches and moans about the giant money pit that AECL has become, I feel it necessary to draw your attention to this particular piece from the April issue of The Walrus, which looks at the history of Canada’s medical isotope industry, AECL and when the one part of it that was making money was sold off by the government. Look at the unholy mess that resulted: AECL became a money pit and the MAPLE reactors became a colossal missed opportunity (and inevitably caused this government’s decision to abandon the medical isotope industry, not to mention the massive lawsuit that is being filed by the company we sold our isotope industry to). Now, we have the virtual fire sale of AECL and, potentially, our country’s entire nuclear industry. As we didn’t learn from our past mistakes, we are now repeating them.
The TSX-LSE merger is off. How long will it be before Peter Julian and the NDP declare victory and take credit for it?
The government has announced that it will be sponsoring clinical trials for MS “liberation therapy.” This makes many people happy and scores a victory for the opposition (especially Liberal Kirsty Duncan, who has been championing this for over a year).
Apparently, due to “budget cuts,” our embassy in Washington will dramatically scale back this year’s Canada Day festivities, which will shut out many DC-based Canadian expats. Yeah, I’m sure these optics are endearing us to those observing from abroad. But hey, Canada’s Back™ everyone!
After the drama that we just went through over the Canada Post strike, here’s a chilling look at privatized postal service in Europe and how it really is not a good model to emulate.
Michael Ignatieff has reappeared. In The Globe and Mail, he talks about how Canada is becoming a nation of expatriates, which will soon lead to a culture shift that would render meaningless any attack on people who have a history that is similar to his. But considering the victory of the parochial in the last election, he is, perhaps, more optimistic than I.
With the benefit of some time and distance, Susan Delacourt has a few more reflections on the recent election.
The Canadian Heraldic Authority has created two new Royal flags for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, which is kinda cool. Both are based on the Queen’s personal flag for use in Canada.
And Carolyn Bennett relays Pride greetings from Bob Rae (who promises to march on Sunday).
Why you can trust Xtra
