To the editor,
Jan. 24 marks an anniversary; maybe not an anniversary to celebrate, but an anniversary nonetheless. This is the day in 2020 that Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) employee Mahrez Ben Belfadhel and South Bruce landowner Darren Ireland made it known that 1,500 acres of farmland purchased or optioned, making it possible to select the Municipality of South Bruce as a possible site for a deep geological repository (DGR) to bury radioactive nuclear waste from all across Canada.
Former South Bruce Mayor Robert Buckle stated there is a lot of public support. Note: Mr. Belfadhel is no longer with the NWMO, landowner Darren Ireland, by all noticeable appearances is doing well, and Buckle is no longer in office. So what have residents of South Bruce gained by this announcement?
The municipality has obtained a lot of funding money from the NWMO, which many call bribery tactics. The municipality has created a Nuclear Exploration Project Team, who are municipal employees paid by money funded by the NWMO through the Multi-Year Funding Agreement. The fire department obtained an updated fire truck, the landfills have obtained a compactor, and numerous organizations and schools have received significant funding amounts, all through the NWMO’s Near-Term Investment Fund. The list goes on and on. Is all this to make one feel accepting of the project?
Then there are all the studies being done. How many have read the completed studies and have thought about the impact this project would have on the community? The Community Liaison Committee, funded by the NWMO, has been reappointed, with two additional members, to continue to bring all the information you need to know. A decision was made to keep the meetings virtual. How many residents “sign in” monthly to listen to these meetings? Mayor Mark Goetz claims it would be too crowded in the council chamber with the 12 CLC members to hold open meetings. But CAO Leanne Martin states that they could set up in a larger facility. Makes you think the CLC does not want to face the general public. Remember pre-COVID meetings? And what about the requests for nuclear information from experts who do not have the same views as the NWMO? They have been asked for.
The year 2023 has begun. What will it hold in regards to this project? The final decision for a site has been put off until 2024. It seems that South Bruce has not learned enough and more information is needed. Or is it because the NWMO is concerned that South Bruce and surrounding communities are not “willing” enough to accept the project? So more money needs to be put into South Bruce and surrounding communities.
Remember the NWMO’s only goal is to bury radioactive nuclear waste, which remains dangerous for thousands of years. They think this will make for a better community. South Bruce and surrounding community residents are expected to read all the reports and learn all the details so an “informed” decision can be made. People, you have two years to read up and follow this, so get studying. Or your communities may not be in the same rural area you think they are.
S.A. McDonald
Culross/Teeswater
Editor’s note: The South Bruce Community Liaison Committee is a committee of council comprised of volunteers who are not compensated for their time. Administrative and educational costs incurred by the CLC are paid for through the Multi-Year Funding Agreement between the NWMO and the Municipality of South Bruce.
Also, attendance figures for CLC meetings are published in the meeting minutes following the meeting.
