Opposing small module reactors to protect the water
By Kelly Anne Smith
NIPISSING FIRST NATION— Speaking on the leadership panel of the 5th annual Anishinabek Nation Lands and Resources and Economic Development Forum: Kina-Gego-Naabadosin— Everything is Connected, Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Glen Hare is emphatic. Dangerous radioactive waste should not be transported on highways or through First Nation lands.
Northern Superior Regional Deputy Grand Council Chief Edward Wawia, from Red Rock Indian Band, reiterated that we have problems with the nuclear industry.
“The government wants to push small nuclear reactors on some of the remote First Nations.”
Civil society groups are warning about the risks to public safety and that the development of small modular reactors (SMR) is too slow to address the climate crisis.
Not one SMR has been built. The models being considered could take over 10 years to develop and are expensive. SMRs would be up to ten times the costs of renewable energy. And they are not small. SMRs will be as big as six or so high schools. Canada is stuck on what to do with nuclear byproducts that are deadly for a long time. For example, I-129 has a half-life of 15.7 million years.
Grand Council Chief Hare explained he gave a presentation on the burial of radioactive garbage in Rolphton.
“They cannot do this— transporting this poisonous waste up and down our roads,” he said. “Politically, I was by myself. I stood in front of, had to be, 15 lawyers plus a couple of politicians. I found it was a waste of my time. I felt I was ganged-up on by them. They had all the legal beagles that we don’t have. We don’t enjoy that kind of help.”
Grand Council Chief Hare then read the letter.
“Ottawa City Council table motion opposing Chalk River Nuclear Waste Facility. Grand Chief Hare and Chief Phillips, the Ottawa Chapter of the Council of Canadians, campaigning against the plans for this massive radioactive waste dump at Chalk River and reactor too in Rolphton. This will be debated in Ottawa in the House [of Commons] on Feb 24th.”
Grand Council Hare says he is encouraged by the debate.
“The bottom line— and that’s of everything— that’s the water.”
Hare also talked of his appreciation for the awareness campaign on SMRs.
“We have to give our Anishinaabe citizens tremendous credit for really pushing, yet for facing a lot of backlash.”
Regional Deputy Grand Council Chief Wawia is worried.
“I don’t know how they don’t understand. The First Nations have been saying for years—years— that we are totally against the nuclear industry. Some new resolutions have been put forward to stop the nuclear industry from expanding and yet they’re trying to push this on. The biggest problems in the nuclear industry are the small nuclear reactors, the transportation and storage of waste. It’s been a very big concern to First Nations for a long time.”
Brennain Lloyd, the coordinator of Northwatch, endorses the Chiefs’ concerns while the “theoretical new reactors are being promoted.”
Lloyd has said that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Small Module Reactor design reviews are taking place behind closed doors, allowing private sector companies to sell their unproven reactor designs to regulatory staff without any public scrutiny.
She makes a comparison between the need for clean water on Neskantaga First Nation and SMRs.
“The week that Neskantaga First Nation was evacuated because their water system had failed, again, Terrestrial Energy was given $20 million towards the design of their SMNR (Small Modular Nuclear Reactor) concept.”
Neskantaga First Nation’s water system was priced at $16 million.
Lloyd suggested that the Minister of Natural Resources, Seamus O’Regan be asked: “What assurances are you and the Liberal government giving to Indigenous peoples that no new nuclear facilities, including new reactors, will be developed without the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous peoples prior to the beginning of development? So before an environmental assessment or any permitting processes begin?”
Minister O’Regan had not yet responded to the question by publication time.
In 2017, the Anishinabek Nation and the Iroquois Caucus of the Assembly of First Nations made a joint declaration against the transportation and abandonment of radioactive waste. The Assembly of First Nations also passed resolutions demanding that the government stop supporting and funding the program.
On Feb. 3, Chiefs of Ontario brought a resolution forward calling for the governments of Canada and Ontario to shelve the SMR program to spend needed funds on other means of energy for First Nations.