MEDIA RELEASE
June 20, 2024
Ottawa – The two groups that collected signatures on a petition calling on the Federal Government to require the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to demonstrate that it has the consent of communities impacted by its proposed nuclear fuel waste burial project prior to selecting the site are reacting to the government response with frustration and disappointment. We the Nuclear Free North and Protect Our Waterways – No Nuclear Waste announced today that they will launch a paper petition for signature collection over the summer to deliver a clear message to the federal government: immediately direct the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to stop the siting process for its proposed deep geological repository for highly radioactive nuclear fuel waste.
On May 9th, a petition with over 3,000 signatures was presented to the House of Commons, calling on the Government of Canada to “require the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to demonstrate that it has the consent of residents and communities, including First Nations and Treaty Organizations, along the transportation route and in the region of and downstream of the candidate repository site(s) before selecting a site.” The Government response, tabled on June 19th by Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Jonathan Wilkinson, does not address the petition’s request that the Government provide oversight of a controversial nuclear waste transportation and burial project.
“The petition was a specific call to the Federal Government to direct the NWMO to demonstrate that it had the consent of the impacted communities – including those downstream and along the transportation route – prior to selecting a site. The Government response completely fails to speak to this central and pressing issue,” commented Brennain Lloyd, a volunteer with We the Nuclear Free North who created the online petition on the Federal Government’s web site.
“The single mention of site selection in their response is to make the unsupported claim that the NWMO has been carrying out a “rigorous site selection” process. The response fails to address in any way the failures of the NWMO’s site selection process, including its very divisive nature, its use of large amounts of money to persuade communities to stay in the process, and the exclusion of the nearby, downstream and transportation route communities which will be impacted as much or more by the project than Ignace, the NWMO’s proxy “host” community”.
The petition gained the signatures of 3,327 Canadians who joined the call on the Federal Government to require the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to demonstrate that it has the consent of residents and communities, including First Nations and Treaty Organizations, along the transportation route and in the region of and downstream of the candidate repository site(s) before selecting a site.
“The Government response ignores – again – what Canadians are calling on them to do. Instead they return a collection of their tired promotional statements, sounding more like an ad agency for the nuclear industry than a responsible government,” commented Bill Noll, Vice-President of Protect Our Waterways – No Nuclear Waste, a citizens group in South Bruce that opposes the NWMO project.
The NWMO has been engaged in a site search since 2010, and in 2020 short-listed to focus on two municipalities as potential "host communities": the municipality of South Bruce in Southwestern Ontario, and the Township of Ignace in Northwestern Ontario. The Township of Ignace is 43 km east of the NWMO's candidate site between Ignace and Dryden, and in a different watershed - factors which critics say disqualify Ignace from acting as a "host" community.
The Township of Ignace is using an online poll and interviews by a consultant to gauge the “willingness” of its residents. The consultant’s report on results will be reviewed by an “Ad-Hoc Willingness Committee” appointed by the Township Council in February, and the Committee’s report is expected to be brought to the Ignace Council in June or July. However, it is unclear whether the actual poll results will be included in the report to Council. The Municipality of South Bruce has released a draft hosting agreement and has committed to a referendum on October 28th, but states that if voter turnout is less than 50%, then Council will make the decision on whether residents of South Bruce are “willing.”.
The online petition was posted on a site operated by the Government of Canada and was open for signatures from citizens and residents of Canada until May 3rd. Signatures were then reviewed and certified by a Clerk of the House of Commons on May 6th, and on May 9th the petition was tabled by M.P. Anthony Rota. The Federal Government had 45 days to respond. The response was received on June 19th.
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Contact:
Brennain Lloyd, Northwatch and We the Nuclear Free North
Bill Noll, Protect Our Waterways – No Nuclear Waste