End the Nuclear Industry in Saskatchewan, Canada

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    n/a
  • Send To:
    All Members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
  • Sponsored By:
    (Regina) Citizens for a Nuclear-Free Society
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Saskatchewans policies are holding back decentralized energy production and still emphasize an economy based on exporting polluting and toxic non-renewables such as oil and uranium. We are not only known as the main world region for exporting radioactivity (uranium), but for having Canadas highest per capita greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. Saskatchewan has an important choice to make in the near future. Will we expand the costly and dangerous nuclear fuel system with a uranium refinery and perhaps a nuclear waste dump? Will we support nuclear power for the Alberta tar sands? This will do nothing to avert global warming, though some big business would make huge profits. But it will rob capital and labour from truly making the urgent conversion to a sustainable, renewable energy system. And, it will condemn future generations to accumulating radioactive wastes while failing to help make the necessary transition needed to avert catastrophic climate change. We ask that on the basis of the following facts, Saskatchewan abandon plans for nuclear expansion, and phase out its existing nuclear program:

Nuclear Energy is not Green
The Canadian Nuclear Association falsely claims that nuclear is clean, and produces no GHGs. This is not true: From mining to milling to enrichment, from reactor construction to decommissioning and spent fuel transportation and storage, nuclear uses vast amounts of fossil fuels. Saskatchewan uranium exported to its biggest customer - the U.S. - is enriched by two dirty coal plants. The expansion of nuclear would require mining more and more of the lower grade ore, which would require even more fossil fuels.

Nuclear Radiation is Forever
There is no safe level of radiation, which the nuclear industry spreads in our environment in the form of uranium tailings to reactor wastes. Plutonium remains toxic for 800 generations, which is five times the period it took humans to populate the planet after our ancestors left northern Africa some 50,000 years ago. And not one spent fuel rod has yet been permanently disposed of anywhere in the world. In addition, any expansion of nuclear power increases the chances of a catastrophic nuclear accident.

Saskatchewan Uranium Used in Weaponry
And while nuclear is not a magic bullet for global warming, it is used in very toxic bullets. We now know that all of the depleted uranium (DU) left from the enrichment of uranium exported from Saskatchewan to the U.S. is available to the U.S. military for weapons use. Depleted uranium (DU) left from enrichment of Saskatchewan uranium is raw material for the U.S. to make DU bullets, which have been used in several war zones since 1991, and are already responsible for rising birth deformations and childhood cancers in Iraq. Saskatchewans uranium mining industry, the government and other supporters are therefore directly complicit in what is being called a low level nuclear war. Saskatchewans exports breach the intent, if not the text of international law and future generations of victims will surely find us guilty as charged.

Nuclear Energy is Non-Renewable
Uranium is a NON-renewable resource, and will run out fairly quickly. So we may as well make the full transition to sustainable energy right now, without creating toxic wastes for our childrens children to have to suffer. To reduce GHGs to avert cataclysmic climate change we need to quickly shift to no-or- low-carbon energy sources, which means all the renewables: wind, solar, tidal, etc. Even without a level playing field in the energy market, wind and co-generation are already least-cost options to coal. If we stop nuclear from robbing scarce capital from making the conversion to renewables, the other renewable sources will quickly become both practical and economic. Thats the right thing to do!

Nuclear Energy is Non-Economical
The nuclear industry is not cheap. Several studies (e.g. New Scientist) have found that the true costs of nuclear are underestimated by a factor of 3. If the huge subsidies going to nuclear (75 billion dollars so far in Canada) were removed, the cost of electricity from nuclear plants would rise 300\%.

The Nuclear Job Myth
Being extremely capital-intensive, nuclear, including its front-end uranium mining, produces very little employment per amount invested. (Each job in uranium mining involves $750,000 or more of capital.) Uranium mining has delivered a pittance of the royalties originally promised to the province and one-half of the jobs promised to northern Indigenous people. And it is making the North an unsustainable region (a Nuclear Sacrificial Area). Meanwhile, study after study has confirmed that a renewable energy sector produces many more jobs: wind, like solar, produces 5 times the employment per amount invested.


1419 Signatures

  • Ruth B
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 3374 Rae Street, Regina, SK. S4S 1S4
  • Jo-Anne D
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 650 Hochelaga St. W., Moose Jaw, SK, S6H 2H4
  • Kateri P
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 2121 Herman Ave Saskatoon S7M 0N1
  • Howard B
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • Box I5 2 RR4 Sasaktoon Sk S7K 3J7
  • Chelsey D
    • Comments
    • Its ridiculous. We don't need one.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S9H 0X8
  • Jessica M
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • T9V 1S1
  • Julianne R
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 810 Main St, Saskatoon, S7H 0K3
  • Shirley L
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • B0W2R0, Highway N1. N.S.
  • Joanne C
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • P.O. Box 15 R.R. 1 Preeceville,SK.
  • Philip W
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • Tokyo Japan 162-0065
  • Julie M
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 578 George Street, Fredericton, NB E3B 1K1
  • Petra D
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • Zahradnicka 14, 811 07 Bratislava, Slovak Republic, EU
  • leers
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • H8T 1P9
  • Amanda K
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • T8A 3K7
  • Angelina P. G
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 16 Marymount, La Vista, Q.C., Philippines
  • Sandra F
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S7N 0L1
  • Phil B
    • Comments
    • The Petition says it all.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • Box 235, Preeceville, SK. S0A 3B0
  • Angie
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 4216 castle rd regina sk. s4s 4w1
  • kendra k
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4T3E4
  • Shelly M
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4S 3S7
  • Agnes D
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S0G 2H0
  • Danica L
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S0M 1M0
  • Nathan F
    • Comments
    • Let this not be our legacy for future generations
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4S 1W8
  • angelica b
    • Comments
    • Peace has never and never will appear at the other end of a bomb, nuclear or otherwise, Stoop the bombing!
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • s4p 1p6
  • Glenna O
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4R 3E7
  • James V. P
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S7L 0L4
  • Gail P
    • Comments
    • Short term gain at the expense of futures generations is immoral. Let's work toward a sustainable future.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4P 1B9
  • Morianna F
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4P 2B5
  • Shannon C
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 5934 Ratner cr. Regina, Sk. s4x 2z4
  • Bernadette L. W
    • Comments
    • The NDP went down partly because of their bad handling of this issue. Let's hope there's been some learning there.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4T 3A1
  • Dr Mark B
    • Comments
    • Nuclear power is a distraction from the urgent task of fully making the transition from fossil fuels to renewables within a generation. Saskatchewan could and should be giving a lead in making this transition. I am deeply ashamed both that uranium from this province has caused such misery and death in DU weapons and that, at 71.3 tonnes carbon equivalent per capita (c.f. 7.8 tonnes per capita in Sweden), we are leading the world in our contribution to climate change. As a professional energy consultant I am committed to do what I can professionally and personally to rectify this sad situation.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S0K 0N0
  • Brenda N
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 2168 Princess Street Regina SK S4T 3Z6
  • Robin O
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4T 3X3
  • Rhonda R
    • Comments
    • Dene people in Northern Saskatchewan have long known of the presence and the dangers of the uranium deep within their land. They have legends telling about a poisonous snake who laid highly toxic eggs that should never be unearthed. Traditional wisdom deserves respect!
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 144 Marsh Crescent, Regina SK S4S 5J7
  • Shelley C
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • Saskatoon, Sk., S7H 0N5
  • Shelley C
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • Saskatoon, Sk., S7H 0N5
  • L. Raye H
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 3720 Qu'Appelle Drive, Regina, SK S4X 0C8
  • Robin S
    • Comments
    • As a young woman born and raised in Saskatchewan I like to think that I can make my home in Saskatchewan for all my days. Unfortunately, if the nuclear industry goes ahead, I will have to think of alternate homes for myself and loved ones. Please think of our future generations when making these decisions that affect our land and health!!!!!
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 1128 Ave. B N.; Saskatoon, SK; S7L 1G1
  • Grace J
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4S 5L7
  • linda c
    • Comments
    • The hazards will be in Saskatchewan, the benefits in Alberta, and the profits in US.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • #408,11103-84 Ave Edmonton ,AB
  • Linda M
    • Comments
    • Words cannot express how strongly I support this petition. If people could get the FULL story on uranium mining, nuclear reactors and all their problems, not many would be in favour. Government and industry are doing a great job of propagandizing. There should be a FULL and FAIR disclosure of information on this very serious, almost-forever industry.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 2114 Morgan Avenue, Saskatoon, SK S7J 2E1
  • Richard K
    • Comments
    • ... for my great-great-great grandchildren... think to the future.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 95 Deergrove Crescent, Regina, SK S4S 5M2
  • Erica G
    • Comments
    • Let's start focusing on what will help future generations, not what will hurt them.
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S4T 4N5
  • Debra B
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • Lebret SK S0G 2Y0
  • Susan S
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • S0J 0K0
  • Stefania F
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 308 Avenue J North, Saskatoon, SK S7L2K2
  • Yens P
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 3116 College Avenue, S4T1V7
  • Paule H
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 15 Olson Place
  • shannon s
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 5040 11th ave s4t 1g4
  • deb h
    • Address, Postal or Zip Code
    • 202 - 111th. st w.