Well, there are myriad quotes on this, and, of course, you, Mr. Chair, and this committee would have been seized of a number of issues over the course of the past two decades with respect to medical isotope production and what occurred or didn't occur at that facility over the course of those two decades.
I'm sure the member knows that the state of the science, technology, and policy positions both of nuclear organizations around the world and of countries is to move away from highly enriched uranium as the source for medical isotopes. That's why Canada has responded in earnest, focused on isotope technology acceleration programs, not just a more nimble but ultimately a safer way of producing medical isotopes for important health diagnostic capacities and the opportunities they present for domestic and international markets.
I can say that bilaterally, just with the United States alone, and with other countries' positions as well, they support alternative ways to produce medical isotopes. That said, Mr. Chair, this government is very cognizant of the importance of medical isotopes to diagnostic capacity here in Canada and abroad, has invested in acceleration programs, and appreciates the ongoing—however, markedly reduced—contribution of the NRU to those specific kinds of isotopes. But we'll continue to protect them as a source as new alternatives are nearly ripe for full-time production.