SMRs and Indigenous conversations . . . . .

[Oscar]

Small modular nuclear reactors denounced by Ontario chiefs, but part of Indigenous conversations country-wide

[ https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/202 ... -wide.html ]

February 11, 2021

***PLEASE SEE BACKGROUND NOTES from Dr. Gordon Edwards below . . . )

Chiefs of Ontario last week almost passed a resolution demanding that the governments of Canada and Ontario abandon the small modular nuclear reactors (SMR) program and put more money into First Nations energy initiatives.

Almost, because despite heading in that direction to approve a resolution that chiefs strengthened to direct Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald to work with the governments to end the SMR program, chiefs fell short of quorum before they could vote. All resolutions were heard as part of the last agenda item on the second and final day of the Special Chiefs Assembly held Feb. 3 and Feb. 4.

The resolution was put on the floor by chiefs Duncan Michano (Biigtigong Nishnaabeg) and Wilfred King (Gull Bay).

Michano said the province’s push for SMR technology is to support Ontario Power Generation, one of the largest power producers in North America. In December 2019, Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed a memorandum of understanding with the premiers of Saskatchewan and Manitoba “to work collaboratively in support of the development and deployment” of small modular reactors, which includes nuclear waste management.

“We have to resist any type of nuclear processes. Just because they’re small doesn’t mean they don’t create nuclear waste,” said Michano. “They still do. They still create radioactive waste and there’s an issue getting rid of it. So what are we going to do? Have nuclear radioactive waste on all those small communities? We need to get them to abandon that and we need to get the federal government to stop supporting the nuclear industry.”

“This is just in the planning stage,” he added, “and that’s where we want to stop it.”

Calling the industry “ugly, ugly”, King pointed out the emphasis had to be made that SMRs were not to go into any community on First Nations’ traditional land.

“Even if (nuclear waste) is buried in the Canadian Shield there’s no guarantee this won’t leak into our water systems,” said King. . . . .


MORE . . . .

[Oscar]

Background: Dr. Gordon Edwards http://www.ccnr.og February 12, 2021

The Chiefs of Ontario and the Assembly of First Nations passed resolutions opposing Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMNRs) more than two years ago: see
[ http://www.ccnr.org/COO_resolution_SMRs_2018.pdf ] (RESOLUTION 56/18) and
[ http://www.ccnr.org/AFN_resolution_SMRs_2018.pdf ] (RESOLUTION 62/2018)

At a recent meeting of the Chiefs of Ontario two resolutions – one on radioactive waste and the other opposing SMNRs – were presented. The radioactive waste resolution, which was passed, called for an end to nuclear reactors altogether, as that is the only way of minimizing the production of new wastes to add to the existing radioactive legacy of the nuclear age.

By the time the second resolution was ready to be voted on – the one opposing SMNRs – there wasn’t the necessary quorum to hold the vote. That resolution will come back again.

Gordon Edwards, President
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
http://www.ccnr.org