The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine says he and his council are neutral for now on the prospect of nuclear waste storage in neighbouring Creighton. With the process now at the stage of answering questions from the public, the mayor encourages all interested area residents to take advantage of that opportunity. 'We are not lobbying for anything, we are not lobbying against anything,' Fontaine said at last week's council meeting. 'We think that educated people can make their own decisions, ask their own questions and make sure that they're happy. That's what the process is all about.' In 2035, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization plans to open an underground repository somewhere in Canada to store the nation's spent, though still radioactive, nuclear fuel rods. Creighton remains interested in the project but has not yet applied to be a host community. The NWMO has said sufficient opposition from either Creighton or its neighbours would take the town of 1,500 out of the running. Pressure That may in time put pressure on Flin Flon's council to adopt a formal position, but Coun. Bill Hanson said no one has asked for that yet. But Fontaine feels that council's neutrality is its position. 'We have a position, I think that was pretty clear, is that, you know, we can see that there are some financial advantages and that kind of thing that can come from (the project),' he said, 'not necessarily to us but to our neighbouring community, and maybe (because) we'd be right next to them, it would be for us as well. 'It's not our project. I'm not going to come out against it, I don't think anybody on council is going to come out against it. And I don't know if they want to come out and start cheering for it, either. The point is, we've said that 'this is (Creighton's) baby, go ahead and do it.'' See 'People...' on pg. 6 Continued from pg. 1 Fontaine said he has personally seen nothing about the project that 'scares' him. 'But why would I come out and say, 'You all should do this'? No. Or speak for the people? I think you speak for yourself,' he said. 'So whether you're a member of Flin Flon's community, Bakers Narrows, Schist Lake, Denare Beach _ I don't care _ ask your questions now because this is a process that's ongoing, and eventually (a host community) will be chosen. Educate yourself, and if you're in favour, feel free to indicate that you are and if you're opposed, feel free to do that as well.' While the concept of nuclear waste storage is by its nature controversial, Fontaine said he has heard no 'backlash' from residents afraid of the project. Safe? 'I haven't had that from anybody, really,' he said. 'I had a few people say, 'Well, do you think it's safe?' I said, 'Well, go see the (NWMO) presentation (held last summer) and decide for yourself.'' Coun. Karen MacKinnon said she thinks council would like to know how the public feels about the issue. 'We haven't made a decision one way or the other,' she said, reiterating Fontaine's statement that now is the time for people to ask questions. Coun. Skip Martin said that if Creighton ends up being a finalist for the repository, 'that will just focus everybody's attention and then I think you'll really get reaction.' But right now, he said, the repository is so far into the future that it is seen as 'pie in the sky.' The NWMO is reaching out to area residents with an interactive advertising feature. 'Ask the NWMO', which has begun appearing in The Reminder, allows people to pose questions directly to NWMO staff. Questioners remain anonymous, and every two weeks an ad will appear to answer one or two queries. The ads are appearing in newspapers covering all 10 Canadian communities that have shown an interest in potentially hosting the repository. While the NWMO expects the repository to open in 2035, but it will be another six to nine years before a host community is chosen. Premier Brad Wall has said he does not think Saskatchewanians want radioactive waste kept in their province and that unless there is a major shift in public opinion, it is not in the cards. But that has not stopped Creighton from remaining involved, as the provincial government has not issued any formal decree on the matter.
