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PEMBROKE — Three representatives of Indigenous communities voiced strong objections Thursday at the last session hearings by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on a proposed 10-year extension to Canadian Nuclear Laboratories operating licence.
The Aboriginal representatives said they never wanted nuclear activities on their territories in the first place, nor were they ever consulted about it.
Patrick Wedaseh Madahbee, Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation, told the CNSC panel the nation does not support the extension, saying there has been no meaningful consultation, and they cannot accept the risks associated with the storage and transportation of radioactive waste.
“In terms of licensing operations at CNL, radioactive waste would need to be transported throughout Anishinabek Territory, which we oppose,” he said.
“Further, we reject the storage of radioactive waste near water bodies. Given the CNL site proximity to the Ottawa River, this licence must not be granted.”
Candace Neveau, an Anishinaabe woman and mother, complained there was no Indigenous representation on the panel, nor was there any effort to consult with the people in their own language.
“You have a responsibility to include our voices. This is our home, and I see you here to poison it.” she said. “If this licence is granted, it goes against truth and reconciliation.”
Tim Yearington is an Elder and a Kitchizibi Algonquin descendant, whose traditional territory is the very lands now occupied by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories at Chalk River and the town of Deep River.
He shared a teaching with the panel, and pointed out the most sacred Kitchizibi Algonquin medicine site is Oiseau Rock on the Ottawa River, known to the people as Pinesi-Asin or Thunderbird Rock. It is directly across the Ottawa River from the Chalk River Lab site.
Yearington said the Indigenous people are more than willing to sit down and consult with CNL and all parties involved, but no one is knocking on their door.
He urged the panel to make the right decision, “not just letting our brains take over, but our hearts and spirits.”
Another presenter, Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, addressed the hearing via spearkerphone, and urged the CNSC to reject CNL’s application for a 10-year licence. Instead, he urged it to grant one- or two-year extensions, on condition CNL comes up with a plan to clean up the Chalk River site.
“Force the (CNL) consortium to present a detailed plan to clean up the site, complete with complete and detailed inventory of all waste that is there,” he said.
“What we need is to hold the feet of the licencee to the fire, and force a complete site remediation.”
But Kurt Kehler, vice-president of decommissioning and waste management at CNL, said they are doing just that. He said 46 out of the 120 or so legacy structures have already been demolished, and a substantial amount of work and planning is going on to deal with the legacy wastes on site.
Michael Ivanco, of the Society of Professional Engineers and Associates, supported the license extension, saying the work and knowledge from Chalk River Labs is necessary to keep the Candu reactor fleet in operation.
He said listening to the presentations made him realize people have a misconception of radiation. He said natural radiation is everywhere, and is the source of radon gas, where most human contact is made.
Lynn Jones, of the Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County, said that if the CNSC grants the 10-year licence, it will be proof the regulator is in league with CNL and the industry as a whole.
“A lot of intervenors worked many hours to get ready for the hearings,” Jones said. “Please don’t disappoint them.”
There’s no timeline for the CNSC to hand down its decision on whether or not to grant the operating licence, but it will need to be done before March 31 when the current license expires.
SUhler@postmedia.com
查看原文...
The Aboriginal representatives said they never wanted nuclear activities on their territories in the first place, nor were they ever consulted about it.
Patrick Wedaseh Madahbee, Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation, told the CNSC panel the nation does not support the extension, saying there has been no meaningful consultation, and they cannot accept the risks associated with the storage and transportation of radioactive waste.
“In terms of licensing operations at CNL, radioactive waste would need to be transported throughout Anishinabek Territory, which we oppose,” he said.
“Further, we reject the storage of radioactive waste near water bodies. Given the CNL site proximity to the Ottawa River, this licence must not be granted.”
Candace Neveau, an Anishinaabe woman and mother, complained there was no Indigenous representation on the panel, nor was there any effort to consult with the people in their own language.
“You have a responsibility to include our voices. This is our home, and I see you here to poison it.” she said. “If this licence is granted, it goes against truth and reconciliation.”
Tim Yearington is an Elder and a Kitchizibi Algonquin descendant, whose traditional territory is the very lands now occupied by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories at Chalk River and the town of Deep River.
He shared a teaching with the panel, and pointed out the most sacred Kitchizibi Algonquin medicine site is Oiseau Rock on the Ottawa River, known to the people as Pinesi-Asin or Thunderbird Rock. It is directly across the Ottawa River from the Chalk River Lab site.
Yearington said the Indigenous people are more than willing to sit down and consult with CNL and all parties involved, but no one is knocking on their door.
He urged the panel to make the right decision, “not just letting our brains take over, but our hearts and spirits.”
Another presenter, Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, addressed the hearing via spearkerphone, and urged the CNSC to reject CNL’s application for a 10-year licence. Instead, he urged it to grant one- or two-year extensions, on condition CNL comes up with a plan to clean up the Chalk River site.
“Force the (CNL) consortium to present a detailed plan to clean up the site, complete with complete and detailed inventory of all waste that is there,” he said.
“What we need is to hold the feet of the licencee to the fire, and force a complete site remediation.”
But Kurt Kehler, vice-president of decommissioning and waste management at CNL, said they are doing just that. He said 46 out of the 120 or so legacy structures have already been demolished, and a substantial amount of work and planning is going on to deal with the legacy wastes on site.
Michael Ivanco, of the Society of Professional Engineers and Associates, supported the license extension, saying the work and knowledge from Chalk River Labs is necessary to keep the Candu reactor fleet in operation.
He said listening to the presentations made him realize people have a misconception of radiation. He said natural radiation is everywhere, and is the source of radon gas, where most human contact is made.
Lynn Jones, of the Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County, said that if the CNSC grants the 10-year licence, it will be proof the regulator is in league with CNL and the industry as a whole.
“A lot of intervenors worked many hours to get ready for the hearings,” Jones said. “Please don’t disappoint them.”
There’s no timeline for the CNSC to hand down its decision on whether or not to grant the operating licence, but it will need to be done before March 31 when the current license expires.
SUhler@postmedia.com
查看原文...
