The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix reports, “Premier Brad Wall says…it is highly unlikely the (provincial) government would allow a (nuclear waste) facility to be built (in Saskatchewan). Wall made the comments Thursday after a (Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan) petition with more than 4,500 signatures opposing a nuclear waste facility was presented in the provincial legislature (by NDP MLA Pat Atkinson). …(Wall’s government) has said in the past negative public opinion has ruled out a nuclear waste facility.”
“The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is eyeing Saskatchewan as a potential site for underground storage of nuclear waste, although a decision is likely a decade away. Three northern communities have expressed interest as a possible host.” The Toronto Star reported in late-February that, “The NWMO says seven communities across the country have formally expressed interest in hosting the underground repository: Creighton, English River First Nation and Pinehouse in Saskatchewan, and Ear Falls, Ignace, Schreiber and Hornepayne in Ontario.”
The Star-Phoenix adds, “The petition by the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan calls for a halt to any further expansion of the nuclear industry in Saskatchewan and legislation banning interim or permanent storage of nuclear waste.” Council of Canadians Prairies organizer Scott Harris has highlighted that, “Council of Canadians chapters are part of the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan. As part of their effort to keep nuclear waste out of Saskatchewan, chapters and the coalition organized speaking events this past winter with nuclear expert Dr. Jim Harding in Wynard, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, La Ronge and Sakatoon.
The Council of Canadians rejects nuclear power because it poses an unacceptable risk to people and the environment. Council of Canadians staff and chapters are currently campaigning against the proposed shipments of nuclear waste from the Bruce Power nuclear plant on the Great Lakes, the disposal of nuclear waste in Saskatchewan as noted above, and the building of two new nuclear reactors on the north shore of Lake Ontario east of Toronto. Chairperson Maude Barlow recently signed an international statement advocating that the “human community…should phase out, abolish and replace (nuclear) technologies with alternatives that do not threaten present and future generations. This applies to nuclear weapons as well as to nuclear power reactors.”
The Star-Phoenix report is at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/nuclear+waste+storage+facility+Sask+Wall/4620567/story.html?cid=megadrop_story.