Hamilton Spectator
2 June 2009
Dr. Michael Ivanco, Mississauga, vice-president, Society of Professional Engineers and Associates

Re: 'AECL reactor business to be spun off' (Letters, May 29)

It may be time for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to be restructured, but selling off majority control of the company is not the way to go.

Canada risks losing thousands of jobs; we could lose the technology as well.

The Society of Professional Engineers and Associates takes pride in the fact that the CANDU reactor is one of the few home-grown technologies that is 100 per cent Canadian and that AECL is a major international player in the nuclear business. No one has completed more reactor projects overseas in the last 15 years than we have, never mind on time and on budget as ours have been.

A nuclear renaissance is here and growing. The amount of potential business around the world is immense. Restructuring will allow the company to focus more of its efforts on promoting CANDU technology. AECL will benefit from private sector involvement through investment and personnel who will help bring greater clarity and focus to AECL's efforts to secure a larger portion of this business. And, of course, a restructure, opposed to a sale, will ensure AECL continues its international leadership role in nuclear research and technology.

Parliament needs to do the right thing for all Canadians and maintain majority interest in AECL.