Press Release: Nuclear Myth Busting!

[Oscar]

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 15, 2008

Nuclear Myth Busting!

WYNYARD, SK – Dr. Jim Harding’s anti-nuclear presentation, Nuclear Myth Busting!, sponsored by the Quill Plains Chapter of the Council of Canadians in Wynyard, SK on December 6, attracted an enthusiastic audience representing several areas in east-central Saskatchewan.

Dr. Harding, Retired Professor and Adjunct Professor, Justice Studies, University of Regina, and author of the book, Canada’s Deadly Secret: Saskatchewan Uranium and the Global Nuclear System (Fernwood, 2007), has just returned from a book tour in Eastern Canada. Earlier in 2008, he completed a similar tour of Western Canada and, during 2009, he intends to take his presentation throughout Saskatchewan to tell people the truth about the dangers of uranium mining and nuclear power generation. Canada is the largest source of uranium on the planet, and because Saskatchewan has lots of it, it is a prime target for increased uranium mining and nuclear power plants.

Having been involved in Saskatchewan’s anti-nuclear campaign for several decades, Dr. Harding emphasized the importance of ‘getting it right’ this time around. We are at a turning point and have no time to lose. The climate is changing and, in spite of cultural, regional and generational barriers, we must find a truly safe and clean way through it. Nuclear power generation is NOT the path to follow. Nuclear power will NOT solve the climate change problem. Many European countries ‘get it’, the kids ‘get it’, Seniors ‘get it’, many First Nations ‘get it’ – only those who stand to gain financially or have hopes of re-election - don’t ‘get it’. Dr. Harding noted that this state-funded monopoly, and the governments which support it, have not yet confronted the nature of uranium; that serious consideration of the negative health impacts of all stages of uranium on all life on this planet is simply not part of their pro-nuclear agenda. He referred to this psychopathic state of mind as an “economically-based denial syndrome”. He said that expanding the nuclear fuel system in Saskatchewan would be a bad economic, energy and environmental health policy for the Saskatchewan people. We therefore would be foolish if we do not quickly redirect our attention towards sustainable strategies.

The federal government (Mr. Harper's last Throne Speech) and the Saskatchewan Party (as well as the NDP Opposition) are in favour of advancing nuclear power. With full support from Premier Wall, Cameco/Bruce Power Corp. is now working towards the construction of the $10-15 BILLION nuclear power plant somewhere along the North Saskatchewan River. The nuclear industry is one of the most heavily subsidized industries on the planet; in fact, a recent Star Phoenix article notes that the Saskatchewan Party would not be opposed to putting our tax money into this project. Dr. Harding also voiced his amazement at the members of the new Partnership to Advise Government on Nuclear Industry Development in Saskatchewan, most of whom are directly connected to the nuclear industry – plus their token ‘environmentalist’, Patrick Moore, who is well paid by his American nuclear energy clients.

Dr. Harding then explained the process of turning uranium into fuel for power plants, using enormous amounts of carbon-emitting fossil fuel at all stages: from the mining, which releases deadly (when inhaled or ingested) Gamma Rays and Radon Gas (the second global cause of lung cancer), to the milling and refining processes (with their highly-toxic tailings reservoirs) as the uranium is turned into yellow cake for transport, and finally, to the enrichment process turning it into nuclear fuel using two 1500 MW coal burners in Kentucky, USA. Twenty percent (20 %) of this fuel goes into US Light Water Reactors, while tons of the highly radioactive leftover material, (the so-called Depleted Uranium), are left behind for use in weapons of mass destruction - tanks and bullets to kill people wherever the war machines touch the earth.

Ontario’s CANDU reactors, using billions of gallons of water for cooling to make the steam to turn the turbines to produce the electricity - ‘hell of a way to boil water’ – are Canada’s main source of Tritium. The wastewater containing this deadly carcinogen (used to make highway signs and nuclear weapons) is then dumped into nearby rivers and lakes, as is the case of the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario – both sources of drinking water for thousands of people. How stupid is that!?

He also pointed out that nuclear power plants often end up costing two or three times over budget and taking several years longer than estimated. The industry never tells us how much it will cost for periodic refurbishments or for decommissioning old nuclear power plants (because of the enormous cost, they are usually moth-balled instead). We also aren’t told of the amount of carbon-emitting fuel used in the construction of the plant or about the need for a back-up power source, coal or other plants, to run simultaneously in the event of the failure of the nuclear plant.

And, even though there is no known safe method of storing spent nuclear fuel, current dumping sites are usually on land inhabited by Indigenous people, such as the Yucca Mountain project on the Western Shoshone Nation near Las Vegas, Nevada, which is grossly over budget and far behind schedule. One must note that the Precambrian Shield in northern Saskatchewan is also under consideration as a dumping site for the world’s nuclear waste. Of equal interest is this federal budget item: "Investing $300 million to support nuclear energy, including the development of the Advanced CANDU Reactor and maintaining the safe, reliable operations of the Chalk River Laboratories." http://www.budget.gc.ca/2008/glance-ape ... ef-eng.htm.

Is it possible that these reactors are being redesigned to burn nuclear waste and are targeted for Saskatchewan?

Dr. Harding concluded by stating that this is an urgent issue. All human organs and tissues are adversely affected by radiation in various degrees, with different isotopes attracted to different organs, according to their chemical make-up . . .the contamination resulting from this industry is forever. We, as do First Nations Protectors of the Earth, must look at how all things on Earth are connected – the air, soil, our food and our water - to the health of all life on this planet for BILLIONS of years. He encouraged all of us to continue building networks across the province to become the public voice in getting the truth out about the nuclear industry.

Dr. Harding also spoke at the Yorkton Library and Sacred Heart School on December 7, and at the Melville Library on December 8 where Access Cable taped his presentation. Watch for dates of future presentations across Saskatchewan.

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For further information, please contact:

Inter-Church Uranium Committee Educational Co-operative (ICUCEC) at: http://www.icucec.org/
Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan at: cleangreensask@yahoo.ca
Quill Plains Chapter, Council of Canadians: Bill Curry at (306) 554-2985 or Elaine Hughes at (306) 323-4938