To the editor,
You’re driving down the street, and you see a beautiful blue sports car. You think to yourself, “That is a really nice car, that person is so lucky!” Does that mean you will run out and buy a car just like that for yourself? Not necessarily. Maybe you aren’t fond of the colour blue, you don’t like the amount of gas a sports car burns, or the insurance rates. Thinking it’s a beautiful car does not mean you want one in your garage. And even if you are interested in owning one, you definitely won’t commit to the car until you’ve researched its gas consumption, associated insurance rates and available colour options.
Let’s swap “car” for “deep geological repository” (DGR). Most of us have heard of DGRs by this point. Many people believe in their safety. A lot of residents believe DGRs are required for a multitude of reasons, all of which will not fit inside this single letter. Do these beliefs of safety and necessity mean they 100 per cent want to see a DGR constructed in South Bruce? Absolutely not! There are many residents that have a lot of questions that remain to be answered before they decide whether or not we want a DGR built in our community, and those answers will take time.
I am proud to say that I am pro-DGR. I have waded through the research, both for and against, available at this time. I have also researched the authors of said research to determine their backgrounds. I have a solid understanding of the nuclear industry as a nuclear worker. I understand the requirements set out by the nuclear regulator, and I am proud of Canada’s outstanding nuclear safety record. I believe DGRs can be safe if implemented correctly. I believe they are necessary to close the fuel cycle until a time comes when we are able to safely reuse or neutralize the fuel.
All this in mind, let’s be clear: I am in no way prepared to say I am willing to host the DGR in South Bruce. You can be pro-DGR and still not be sure if this project is a good fit for our community. There is a significant difference between these two positions. I’m also undecided if a blue sports car would be welcome in my garage.
Sheila Whytock
Teeswater
