SCC Survey - Uranium Facility

[Oscar]

Municipal Survey Shows Massive Support for Uranium Facility in Saskatchewan

http://www.saskchamber.com/documents/83 ... _Sask..pdf

Release Date: August 4, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ralph Boychuk, President, 306 961 8531
1630 Chateau Tower, 1920 Broad St.Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3V2 Phone: (306) 352 2671

In a recent survey to Saskatchewan’s municipal levels of government, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce received an overwhelmingly positive response to the question “would your community be receptive to an added value uranium facility in your area, such as a refinery or upgrader?” From the responses received, over 95% were highly in favour of such a facility, recognizing the enormous boost such an operation would have for their local economy and for the province as a whole.

The survey, sent out to all First Nations, Tribal Councils, and all levels of municipal governments, from cities to resort villages, asked respondents if their community would be receptive to a uranium facility in their area, and then we asked to provide general comments. Of the handful that replied ‘no’ or ‘not sure’ most were from resort villages that would not have the land resources to accommodate such a facility. Not a single respondent rejected the idea on philosophical grounds.

“This has significance from a historical perspective, “noted Saskatchewan Chamber President Ralph Boychuk. “In the early 1980s, the town of Warman and the province as a whole lost out on a uranium refinery that ultimately went to Blind River, Ontario. Today I am proud to report that the town of Warman is very much in favour of such a facility in their area.
“What we see from these survey results is that Saskatchewan residents see the possibility of this coming to our province again, and this time we want to be on board for an enormous potential investment opportunity such as this”.

Saskatchewan is far from alone in this shift in mindset. The global attitude to nuclear energy generation is changing. The nuclear industry is becoming increasingly popular among the global community because it produces no greenhouse gas emissions. And of the alternatives, only nuclear power can provide a steady, reliable supply of power at low cost.

While there are already over 400 operating nuclear power plants in the world, there are another 90plus plants currently in their planning stages, with 15 in China alone. Demand at these plants is outstripping world ready supply, and Saskatchewan people stand to gain. The employment opportunities in mining, refining, and research and development, alone are tremendous.

A global shortage of uranium production, coupled with projections of demand escalating due to a global shift toward nuclear energy, means a big boost to mining and, therefore, refining capacity will be needed over the next 10 years.

Demand for a steady supply of new refined uranium will be reliable in the years to come, and we have the opportunity to satisfy that demand. When the next refining facility is needed in Canada, it could be located in Saskatchewan, where the province could offer a natural advantage in transportation and land costs. The process of refining uranium ore into fuel is currently handled at a plant in Blind River, Ontario.

“It is readily apparent that Saskatchewan residents, based on this data, are not prepared to stand on the sidelines again.

This is an opportunity that comes along so irregularly that it behooves us to move quickly”, Boychuk added.

[Oscar]

Published in the Northeast SUN, Melfort & Nipawin, SK
- August 18, 2006

To the Editor:

…the next nuclear bomb

The August 4th Press Release from the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce (SCC) declaring the “overwhelming positive response” to their recent survey for a uranium facility begs closer inspection.

It states that, “the survey, sent out to all First Nations, Tribal Councils, and all levels of municipal governments, from cities to resort villages…”, asked the question: “would your community be receptive to an added value uranium facility in your area, such as a refinery or upgrader?” It further states, that “from the responses received, over 95% were highly in favour of such a facility…”

There are 297 rural municipalities, 468 urban municipalities, 74 First Nations, and 10 Tribal Councils - - 850 governing bodies - - in the province.

It seems that some cannot recall even seeing the survey!

Also, it seems that there were only about 65 responses (62 or 95% positives) received. Thus, 62 communities out of a possible 850 indicated that they are in favour of such a facility - - - 7.3% - - - NOT the 95% that the press release leads one to believe represents the entire province!

Tragically, the timing of this so-called survey, with its misleading results, is especially poignant. August 6th marked the 61st anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki – bombs which, as products of the Manhattan Project, used uranium from northern Canada.

Will the Saskatchewan government, building its case on results from similar surveys, cave in to the industry’s pressure to claw even more of this lethal material out of the ground?

Will the next nuclear bombs use Saskatchewan uranium?

Just asking…

Elaine Hughes
Archerwill, SK

[Oscar]

Chamber misleads on uranium issue

Sandra Finley, Special to The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, August 24, 2006

Following is the viewpoint of the writer, a resident of Saskatoon.
I am concerned about the manipulation of information in our society generally. When I heard that a Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce survey showed "massive support" for more uranium development, I did my own little survey.

The chamber surveyed all the bodies of local governance, which makes a census. Its press release says: "The survey, sent out to all First Nations, tribal councils, and all levels of municipal governments, from cities to resort villages ..."

There are 849 bodies of local governance in Saskatchewan. This is made up of 468 urban municipalities (Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association membership), 297 rural municipalities (Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities membership), 74 First Nations; and 10 tribal councils.

More information about the survey was requested from the chamber. Its response: "The chamber's survey on uranium opportunities was circulated on behalf of the chamber by SUMA to 368 RMs, towns, villages, and cities with known e-mail addresses. We also sent the survey out to all 84 First Nations and tribal councils and requested the FSIN to follow-up on this, again on our behalf." (The information does not say how the survey got from SUMA to SARM.)

The chamber's response goes on to say it received responses from 66 communities -- 66 responses out of 849 local governance units in the province makes a response rate of 7.8 per cent. On that basis the chamber issued a press release on Aug. 4, saying: "Municipal survey shows massive support for uranium facility in Saskatchewan."

It elaborates by saying, "From the responses received, over 95 per cent were highly in favour of such a facility."

As I said, I did my own little survey. The third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Prince Albert, according to its city clerk, did not receive a survey from the chamber.

But I focused on RMs. I asked some RMs if they had received the survey and if so, what was their response? There were 17 replies. One had responded to the chamber survey in favour of further uranium development. Ten did not receive the survey and six did not reply to it.

I conclude that the chamber press release is inflated -- a lot. It is manipulated information. Maybe the ""survey" is only a gimmick.

Why would I pay any attention to information put out by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce?

Worse than the credibility factor, the chamber undermines the value of information. Civilizations decline when the knowledge base is corrupted.
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2006

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(Sources:
http://www.suma.org/modules.php?name=Se ... e&artid=25
http://www.quantumlynx.com/sarm/Members/members.htm
http://www.fsin.com/downloads/First_Nat ... resses.pdf)

[Oscar]

Chamber not telling all about uranium refinery

Published in the Star-Phoenix August 18, 2006

In its promotion of a uranium conversion refinery, the chamber of commerce speaks only of dollars, more jobs, more business and neglects to mention the dark side of the nuclear industry.

The citizens of Port Hope, Ont., recently rejected an expansion of the refinery there. They are concerned about health issues and environmental pollution. A medical specialist is testing a number of residents to see how much uranium they have absorbed into their bodies.

A conversion facility in Malv, France, had large decantation ponds of chemical liquids in holding ponds. Last January a heavy downpour of rain broke over the dikes and flooded a large section of the countryside. We dont need chemicals draining into the North Saskatchewan River or the water table around North Battleford or Prince Albert.

Chamber spokesman Ralph Boychuck recently said that he hopes his children and grandchildre would be safe and secure in the future. However, each year Saskatchewan exports 4,000 tonnes of yellowcake to the U.S.; President George Bush has rejected the Non-Proliferation Treaty; eight factories are manufacturing depleted uranium ammunition and bombs; and America has sold this ammunition to 80 countries.

Seven hours after the "Shock and Awe" bombing of Iraq, scientists in Britain discovered radioactive particles in wind currents caught in their special filters from 3,800 kilometres away. Boychuck needs to learn more about radiation--with more and more of it being released into the atmosphere, for his kids and mine.
Bill Adamson
Saskatoon

Published in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, August 18, 2006, page A11