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Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. is laying off about 50 employees at its Chalk River facility in eastern Ontario, the union that represents government scientists says.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada called the layoffs announced Monday at AECL’s research and technology division “poorly timed.”

The union said that the layoffs, including a dozen people it represents, compromise the future of Canada’s nuclear industry.

It also said the go will have serious consequences for the availability of medical isotopes.

The reactor at Chalk River is a combination research tool and medical isotope production facility.

Before it was shut down for repair about a year ago, it was producing a major part of the world supply of isotopes, used in medical diagnostic tests.

“AECL’s only reactor has been down for over a year,” said Gary Corbett, the union’s president. “World medical isotope availability is in doubt. Research needs are not being met.

“When you consider all of this, how is it a excellent time to reduce staff?” questioned Corbett. “Any cost savings achieved through these layoffs will be dwarfed by the revenues lost as a consequence of the reactor remaining offline.”

The union represents about 57,000 professionals across Canada’s public sector, including 750 professional engineers and scientists at AECL.

Nationals prospect Stephen Strasburg will make his final start at AAA for Syracuse on Thursday at Buffalo. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Stephen Strasburg is finally ready.

The Washington Nationals said after Monday’s 14-4 win over Houston that their prized pitching prospect will make his major league debut against Pittsburgh on June 8 at Nationals Park.

The 21-year-ancient right-hander is first scheduled to start for AAA Syracuse at Buffalo on Thursday. General manager Mike Rizzo told MLB.com that Strasburg would throw six innings, or 95 pitches.

Rizzo told the website that he, pitching co-ordinator Spin Williams and pitching coach Steve McCatty mapped out a specific plot for Strasburg at spring training.

“We believe he is ready to go,” Rizzo said. “We like that Stephen could bounce back from tough outings.”

Strasburg, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, is 3-1 with a 1.27 earned-run average in five AAA starts. In 10 minor league starts, including five with AA Harrisburg, Strasburg is 6-2 with a 1.43 ERA, with 60 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings.

The two-time all-American from San Diego State star allowed three runs and six hits in five-plus innings against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday night.

Strasburg signed a record four-year, $15.1-million US contract with the Nationals after he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft.

Sarah Ferguson was caught on video earlier this month offering an undercover reporter access to her former husband, Prince Andrew, in exchange for money. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Sarah Ferguson says she had been drinking and was “not in my right place” when she was caught on video offering to sell access to her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, to an undercover reporter posing as a businessman for £500,000 ($769,000 Cdn).

The Duchess of York made the comments to U.S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey in an interview that will air Tuesday.

The interview was taped Friday in Los Angeles, and excerpts were released Monday by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.

Ferguson told Winfrey that she’d seen snippets of the video in airports but had not “faced the devil in the face” by watching it in its entirety.

But she said she could tell she’d been drinking and was “in the gutter at that moment.”

Ferguson has apologized for her lapse of judgment and has said she has financial problems.

The sting was orchestrated by the British tabloid News of the World.