Don't poison our watershed with radioactive waste.

I am concerned that this repository has the potential to turn northwestern Ontario into a sacrifice zone so that those in the south can benefit from the production of nuclear energy. Why is the waste from these reactors not stored near those who benefit from its production?

Some of these watersheds have already been contaminated with mercury poisoning. 13 First Nations have already stated their opposition to this project very clearly, some based on past horrific experiences with industrial water poisoning. It is not fair to poison those who did not ask for nuclear power and are calling for our people to respect mother earth and live in a good way. Nuclear power is not living in a good way.

As someone who lives downstream in Manitoba, I am also concerned about the effects of radioactive poisoning in our watershed. This is a millenia years long experiment with ample opportunity for water to find and exit this radioactive tomb, taking its radioactive components with it and contaminating our waters. We need water to live, now and in the future. I know of very few human constructions that have functionally survived for the millenia needed for the radioactivity to dissipate. How will this one be different?

Poisoning could come from storage problems, or the possibility of radioactive releases in the movement from transportation to storage. This project is billed as "dump it and forget it" despite also noting that years of monitoring are required. I am concerned for future generations. I am concerned that simply burying nuclear waste is not a serious answer, and that it will poison our world for thousands of years.

According to my understanding, 5 truckloads of deadly nuclear waste will travel to the site every day for approx. 40 years from Southern Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick over one of the most dangerous highway routes in Canada. I have driven these roads, and my brother, who was a trucker, has also expressed concern over these highways.

Unbelievably, waste transportation is not considered a part of this project! Once the waste arrives at the site it needs to be “repackaged” for burial, creating daily opportunities for accidents and radioactive releases to air and water.

This project requires a full and thorough impact assessment, from all ordinary Canadians affected.

I call on decision makers not to sacrifice northwestern Ontario and downstream in Manitoba for an expensive, slow, and short-sighted method of power generation.