CNSC Response to Stansfield Op-Ed published in the Chronicle Herald on January 8, 2011

We read Ron Stansfield's op-ed "Tritium exports to the US: Foreign Policy Misstep" in the January 8th Chronicle Herald with interest and agree with many of the points he makes therein. 

Readers can be assured that before the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) grants an export licence to OPG for tritium to be shipped to the United States, an appropriate diplomatic instrument would be required between Canada and the US. This would include peaceful, non-explosive use assurances from the US on the transferred material, along with appropriate verification/reporting procedures. Any such agreement would be complementary to the existing bilateral Canada-United States Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA) and consistent with the requirements of Canada's nuclear non-proliferation policy.

As noted by Mr. Stansfield, the transfer of nuclear and nuclear-related materials between countries is subject to extensive controls defined by the laws of the land. The CNSC’s role is to ensure those laws are followed and it’s a responsibility we take very seriously.

Michael Binder
President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission