'Secret' Documents on Canada's Nuclear Industry Left at CTV

Government documents marked "secret" were accidentally left behind at CTV's Ottawa news bureau last week.

The documents were about Canada's nuclear industry and concerned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL). AECL's Chalk River nuclear reactor produces approximately one third of the world's supply of medical isotopes. The company also holds multiple Candu reactors across the globe; last week, natural resources minister Lisa Raitt announced interest in selling part of AECL's Candu division.

Also revealed was the fact that the refurbishing of two Bruce reactors are on average about a year behind schedule. In addition, the documents noted cost overruns related to both Bruce and Candu reactors, as well as $72 million to "maintain the option of isotope production", a figure omitted in the public 2009 budget.

There was no inquiry from Raitt's office about the lost documents, until the leak was reported a week later. While Raitt will retain her position, she has accepted the resignation of the staff member who left the documents behind.

This leak coincides with the accidental publishing of a confidential list of US nuclear sites in Washington, DC.