NUCLEAR POWER (3)

We know now, beyond any shadow of any doubt, that the waste product from the world’s  nuclear industries is one of the most important challenges facing us and our children.

I am cautiously optimistic that Canadians will find better ways of dealing with our high level nuclear waste.

However, in order to do that, Canadian authorities – both provincial and federal have one heckuva a lot of work to do.

Instead of just burying our high level nuclear waste in a granite hole in the Canadian Shield- that’s the current plan- Canada needs a more comprehensive strategy. Our leadership in both government and industry can take the opportunity to join hands and build an international coalition to deal with all the issues including education and advanced research. We can assist the world in making it safer to produce electricity using nuclear energy. It should be a Canadian-led initiative under the auspices of the United Nations. I repeat here, what I have said many times before…the safest place for nuclear waste is on-site in secure storage facilities. We need to figure out how to do that on a permanent basis. Only education and research will provide the answers we need.

But let’s face it, the really hard reality is that electricity-producing nuclear plants are the least of our worries. What is of greater consequence is the past and indeed, present production of nuclear weapons and their worldwide proliferation by The United States, Russia, Britain, France, China, Israel and now Pakistan and India. North Korea and Iran are bit players on this stage.   

Until now, the rich countries, plus India and Pakistan have gotten away with the equivalent of planetary murder. It’s imperative that the political leaders of the world get together and begin a genuine global nuclear awareness and disarmament process.

Canada can lead in this effort and help set the agenda. The Canadian Prime Minister could, if he wished to show some decency, speak out clearly, exposing the cavalier attitudes of irresponsible nuclear nations.

We have learned how to exploit the "God-given" atom for peaceful benefits…electricity and medical and other applications that save lives and enhance our quality of life.

But we have also permitted this "God-given" knowledge to be used for satanic purposes.  We have sold our technology to others, who have built bombs. And what have they done with the deadly leftovers? And did we care? DO we care?

•    Fact: thousands of tons of the waste from nuclear weapons production have been dumped into the world’s oceans.
•    Fact: tons of nuclear weapons waste are stored in insecure containers…accidents have happened and many have gone unreported.

Our political leaders have for decades, turned a blind eye to this madness. Instead of stepping up to the plate and speaking out, they have ignored the truly terrible dangers of nuclear weaponization. All of them, including our present Prime Minister Stephen Harper, have ignored the threat and instead, have taken the road of silence. Pierre Trudeau made a feeble effort to reprimand India but Indira Ghandi laughed in his face.

But we have a chance still, to lead an international campaign against weapons of mass destruction; we can expose and condemn those who build and maintain them. But do the people we elect have the courage? So far, they have not shown it. The so-called “Cold War” may be over…but the dangers persist.

Nearly two decades after the Berlin Wall came down the United States and Russia together still have nearly 25,000 nuclear weapons — including 6,000 long-range missiles deployed and ready to launch. By 2012, the two sides are supposed to cut their number of deployed weapons to around 2,000. But under the Moscow Treaty, there are no restrictions on how many weapons they can keep in reserve. The American Presidents never wanted a binding agreement…an attitude that does little to inspire public confidence or enhance public security.

So it may be fashionable to be skeptical of nuclear power, but those who oversee Canada’s nuclear power programmes so fare- have showed themselves to be responsible and accountable. That statement is especially true in light of the insane policies of the nuclear-weapons-nations and their leaders.

There is no doubt that we must come to grips with the rational and efficient treatment/disposal of nuclear waste produced by power plants and medical applications. But at the same time we have a duty to take a strong stand in condemning the weapons-makers.

Caring about one is pointless without caring about the other.