MISSISSAUGA – BUSINESS – The Society of Professional Engineers and Associates (SPEA) representing employees at SNC-Lavalin Nuclear division believes that the company’s pursuit of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) is in the best interest of its members, the company and the country.
“The former SNC-Lavalin executives that were involved in past scandals still need to be appropriately charged and will be subject to the Canadian judicial system. SNC-Lavalin wants the wrongdoers (all no longer with the company) to be prosecuted and not the company and its innocent employees. SPEA condemns their actions and has always supported SNC-Lavalin to operate in a fully transparent manner and adhere to the highest ethical standards. As employees of SNC-Lavalin, we may suffer as well as pensioners and shareholders as a result of the actions by a few former employees and agents who put their personal interests ahead of the company,” said Mark Chudak, President of SPEA.
Chudak went on to say, “The former employees who broke the law should be charged according to Canadian laws. SNC-Lavalin has taken appropriate steps to prevent this type of behaviour from happening again and have signalled that they are prepared to enter into an agreement with the government that will include a substantial fine and other possible sanctions.”
“SNC-Lavalin did nothing wrong in seeking a DPA from the government, in our opinion,” Chudak said. “They recognized the gravity of the situation and the potential impact it could have on the close to 9,000 jobs in Canada including 1200 in the nuclear unit. They believe, as we do, that SNC-Lavalin is a Canadian success story that can provide good jobs and boost our economy for many more years.”
“It is important to point out that SNC-Lavalin Nuclear has performed a lot of international nuclear work in the past thanks to the support of the current government which is essential to winning these kinds of jobs,” according to Chudak. “We are concerned that this current situation will make it more difficult for SNC-Lavalin to engage the government in these international opportunities that create jobs in Canada and promote our brand internationally.”
SNC-Lavalin is a strong Canadian brand with a great reputation, and is currently involved in multi-billion dollar refurbishments in Canada and is actively pursuing the construction of new reactors in the UK and in China, which requires strong government support. These contracts will provide job security for researchers, engineers and staff for the foreseeable future.
The supply chain for SNC’s CANDU reactor technology employs over 40,000 people in over 200 companies that contribute more than $6 billion to the Canadian economy including more than $1.5 billion in exports. In addition, the industry employs more than 12,000 highly skilled people, many with advanced degrees. Furthermore, it has a strong track record in safety and providing important research and medical products that help improve the lives of Canadians.
