Getting It Wrong and Compounding The Error

Like this is any real surprise. Now Minister "Isotope Shortages Are Sexy" Raitt is using the argument that the MAPLE reactors would never have solved the isotope crisis.

Well ... yes and no. Without understanding the operational issues fully, that's a pretty hard thing to claim. Could the MAPLE reactors have been made to operate safely? Quite likely, but it would be a matter of time and money.

However, Ms. Raitt, and her short-sighted boss Stephen Harper, have utterly missed the point here. It isn't whether the MAPLE reactors were shelved at all. The issue is that the Conservatives shelved them, announced the permanent shutdown of the existing NRU reactor and left both Canada AND the world without any future plan for providing medical use isotope products.

Yes, there are a handful of other reactors around that produce these isotopes, but all of them are in varying stages of distress, and Canada's NRU reactor is by far the major player in that game.

The failure to even put in motion the steps to build another instance of the workhorse NRU reactor design that has worked remarkably well for a very long time is simply another example of this government's short-sightedness. They can't even understand that leaving the world with no path forward is irresponsible and seriously damaging to Canada's reputation. Nor do they seem to understand the benefit to Canadians that replacing the NRU reactor would have.

Here's Why Raitt Should Resign

Okay, compared to some in Harper's caucus, Ms. Raitt seems quite moderate in her views. That's no doubt why the PMO is scrambling so hard to back her up right now - with an election possible at any moment - especially if Harper does something to upset the Bloc or NDP, her presence is needed to tone down the outright insanity and viciousness of some of Harper's key henchmen.

It's a simple enough rationalization of Harper's motives in defending her.

However, it's not about what she said but rather the fact that she's sloppy about things that we should be taking issue with.

Canada's cabinet ministers are privy to some of the most important information in the country. Like Mr. Bernier, Ms. Raitt has shown us that she doesn't appreciate the importance of that information, or the consequences for Canada if certain documents and conversations turn up in the public sphere where they can be misused.

The fact that the discipline in her office was lax enough that an aide was able to leave confidential documents at a media site, and that same aide never recovered a tape recorder and recording from another media site is a sad condemnation not just of her aide, but also of Ms. Raitt's judgment. Clearly, she has not thought enough of the issues of governance to understand that when you are in a ministerial post - even a junior portfolio, you run a tight ship. Otherwise, sooner or later, something will slip up and the wrong information will be leaked.

Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt called the medical isotopes crisis a "sexy" problem and wanted credit for fixing it, according to an audio recording made public by the Halifax Chronicle-Herald after a court battle to suppress its contents.

She also expressed doubts about the abilities of her colleague, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, to handle "hot" issues, the paper reported.

Her comments themselves merely confirm what most would suspect of Harper's cabinet - namely that they are ego-centric, and looking to twist anything they can lay their hands on into their personal gain.

I won't say I'm surprised by this. However, when combined with such obviously sloppy management within her department, Ms. Raitt is hardly someone that has the skills and judgment necessary to run a ministry within Canada's government.