The federal government took the first steps Thursday to getting out of the nuclear power business while, at the same time, committing itself to holding onto its nuclear research facility at Chalk River, Ont., the home of the rusting reactor -- now in shutdown mode -- that is the source of nearly half of the world's medical isotopes.

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., a Crown corporation that had its origins in the Cold War 60 years ago, will be split into two business units.

The research unit, which includes the Chalk River Laboratory, will remain under the control of the government, albeit with new management that will come from the private sector.

But AECL's commercial business, which designs and sells the powerful Candu nuclear reactors that are used to generate electricity, is up for grabs to the highest bidder and the government has placed no restrictions on the kinds of proposals it will entertain.

That means there are no guarantees that Canadian jobs or technology would be protected if, as the government hopes, a new foreign partner steps up to buy a chunk of AECL. The government believes that the only hope for the survival of the Candu business is to find a major foreign partner with some hefty financial muscle and promising sales prospects in global markets.

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If Canada wants to fulfil Prime Minister Stephen Harper's oft-stated goal of becoming an energy superpower, his government and some provinces must do a better job reducing regulatory and financial uncertainty for global oil and gas investors, a trio of industry representatives said Tuesday. "Quite frankly, as a result of federal and provincial policy decisions . . . investors have lost some confidence in Canada," said Don Herring, president of the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors,   more »

He notes that the U.S. has been driven to seek alternative supplies of stuff you can fill up the car with because the country is so heavily dependent on foreign suppliers like "turbulent Canada and militant Mexico". He doesn't really back up the statement, but it's odd and a little alarming to see that Will, who represents a certain conservative orthodoxy in the Washington, assumes that things north of the border are "turbulent."

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Natural Resources Minister to the head of Canada's nuclear safety watchdog: "...these events cast doubt on whether you possess the fundamental good judgement required ... [There is] .. a lack of confidence by all parties in your judgement."   more »

In December, Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn sent a letter to nuclear safety regulator chief Linda Keen saying, essentially, tell me why we shouldn't fire you. Today, Keen fires back with a blistering response accusing Lunn of interfering with the "administration of justice."   more »

For more than 20 years the Government of Canada has supported the development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies with a total contribution of approximately $300 million...   more »

The Calgary Herald’ s Lisa Schmidt today reports that 2007 was a big year for oilsands producers and that 2008 and beyond will be even busier. Canadian oil production rose nearly eight per cent...   more »

This argument is the starting point for Jason Mark in a long piece in The Utne Reader which looks at the tension within the green movement over the role of nuclear energy in an era when climate change is the greatest threat to the planet: The argument over nuclear power reveals a long-standing tension in the environmental movement between those who say there are technical fixes to the greenhouse gas challenge and others who believe that we need a wholesale restructuring of society if we are to avoid global meltdown.... And so we find 'greenies' like Stewart Brand, he's the guy behind the Whole Earth Catalog, a After decades of decline, the nuclear industry is on the upswing, cheered along, oddly enough, by green activists who once fought the industry but now say that nukes are better than coal given the global threat of climate change.

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As Canadian politicians, including Environment Minister John Baird and Liberal Stephane Dion, make their to key climate change meetings in Bali, Indonesia next week, a new report (PDF, 765 kb) from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) tracks renewable energy use:

Renewable energy is increasingly being used as a mainstream ...   more »

Canada’s decision to join the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) is controversial in some circles. The NDP and Greens reject the organization and the Liberals say this decision has not yet been subjected to proper Parliamentary scrutiny.

“It's beyond me how this government continues to believe it has any environmental credentials. It's failing ...   more »