U.S & Europe tell Canada to stop using highly enriched Uranium

[stopstaaron]

U.S and Europe.. are acting pretty stupidly right now. I can't believe these leaders are telling Canada to stop using enriched Uranium when Canada uses them to make medical isotopes for medical purposes.. all because of the possibility a bad guy gets their hands on some

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/26/obama-north-korea.html

Canada may be the subject of some controversy at the nuclear security summit, which opens today in Seoul, South Korea.

The U.S. and several European countries are calling on countries such as Canada to phase out the use of highly enriched uranium, which Canada uses to make medical isotopes for medical diagnoses. Canada is the largest producer of medical isotopes.

"Highly enriched uranium can be used to make bombs, and the U.S. is calling on Canada and others to move toward using a lower grade," the CBC's Laurie Graham reports from the conference.

For Canada, "the cost of converting to get into a lower grade would be very expensive. Canada had promised in 2010 to start phasing out using it at the last summit. It's been sharply criticized for not moving fast enough, and no doubt that criticism will continue."

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said at the conference that while the country applauds the goal of reducing the use of highly enriched uranium, it has a responsibility to humanity to provide isotopes used to diagnose diseases such as cancer.

[bush_cheney2004]

Wait a minute...it was my understanding that Canada actually imports enriched uranium from the US, particularly in the case of Chalk River isotope production. IIRC, Canada does not have the facilities for weapons grade uranium enrichment. Canada has long been a proponent of the low grade uranium fuel cycle specifically to address weapons proliferation risks (i.e. CANDU reactors).

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/12/27/pol-canada-shipping-bomb-grade-uranium.html

[DogOnPorch]

Canada does not have the facilities for weapons grade uranium enrichment.

Right next to ICBM row in the Township region of Quebec.

[stopstaaron]

Wait a minute...it was my understanding that Canada actually imports enriched uranium from the US, particularly in the case of Chalk River isotope production. IIRC, Canada does not have the facilities for weapons grade uranium enrichment. Canada has long been a proponent of the low grade uranium fuel cycle specifically to address weapons proliferation risks (i.e. CANDU reactors).

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/12/27/pol-canada-shipping-bomb-grade-uranium.html

You probably should notify the U.S of that

[bush_cheney2004]

You probably should notify the U.S of that

I'm sure the US already knows. This is pure theatre.

[Topaz]

Harper was asked the same question and he didn't have an answer but here's his thoughts on other topics. http://www.canada.com/Stephen+Harper+commits+367M+nuclear+security/6364903/story.html

Edited March 27, 2012 by Topaz