To the editor,
There has been a lot of ongoing debate in local papers as to whether or not the NWMO’s proposed DGR for South Bruce meets “internationally accepted standards” or whether or not there are existing DGRs in operation where such standards apply. But really does it even matter?
Are any of these DGRs operating within 30 kilometres of the Great Lakes? Putting at risk, no matter how miniscule the NWMO says it is, the drinking water of some 35 million people?
In establishing these other DGRs, was the industrialization that comes with the nuclear waste process imposed on a small rural community such as ours?
And what of those communities that became hosts to these DGRs? Were they fully informed of the impacts of such a complex including social and economic? Did it change the character, culture or economy of those host communities? But above all did they get a vote in the matter?
It is often said that “all politics is local” and the location of this DGR in South Bruce is local politics, not international. The risks are local, and to be fair, so would be the benefits. And as such, the decision to accept those risks are ours, and ours alone by way of a binding vote that will only be available to this community in a referendum as part of next year’s municipal election.
Or to put it simply: our risks … our choice!
David Wood
Mildmay
