Nuclear accident a world-wide wake-up call says Hughes
NDP MP Carol Hughes, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing
The combined tragedies that hit Japan last week are horrible enough to begin with. The sheer destruction of the earthquake and its tsunami swept away lives, communities and changed Japan in mere moments. The events that unfolded in the aftermath, at two separate nuclear facilities, have the entire world watching in horror as the situation descends into worst-case scenarios.
The twin tragedies seem beyond compare, a full week later we are uncertain when the situation will stabilize. For the people living near the Fukushima nuclear facility, their lives will never be the same. What was spared by the earthquake and tsunami, the reactors will claim as the area immediately surrounding the facility will be uninhabitable. Gone in an instant and they didn’t have time to prepare. Just leave.
For Canadians, there is much to learn from the series of events that has left Japan reeling. One is the good work that can be done by preparing for the inevitable. The other is a lesson in the way that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) stifled the information it gave the government.
The government was telling its citizens and the world that events were less dangerous than they really were based on information they trusted from the company. The Japanese Prime Minister actually burst into TEPCO’s boardroom in a rage over it. That TEPCO withheld information in the time of crisis should be a wake-up call to what can be expected of companies when their interests come up against public safety.
We can learn from Japan about preparation and response as well. Earthquake preparedness is constantly taught to children in school and practiced in drills. Buildings engineered to withstand quakes saved countless lives – especially in Tokyo, which was rattled but survived largely intact.
The response of the Japanese population is inspiring – every nearby community is giving all they can to help the homeless and displaced. People are extremely upset with their government about the nuclear disaster, but are maintaining order at the same time.
We are earthquake prone in Canada. There was a 4.3 earthquake in Hawkesbury on Monday. It’s located in Eastern Ontario just 80 kms west of Montreal, one of our earthquake prone cities. A big seismic event is anticipated for the Vancouver area. News stories last week suggested that city is not as prepared as it should be for the eventuality.
The government has the biggest role to play here. This is where red tape is important and saves lives. Regulations, curriculum, public broadcasting, emergency planning and protocols, all are government responsibilities. They cost money and can’t be contracted out if we are to have true public safety.
Closer to home, we have 20 nuclear reactors in Ontario – 28 if you count the research reactors at Chalk River facility. On Lake Huron, there are reactors on the Bruce Peninsula and on the Michigan side as well. In fact, every Great Lake but Superior has nuclear power being generated on their shores.
In the wake of an everything-that-can-go-wrong-did-go-wrong tragedy, shipping spent nuclear generators overseas by way of the Great Lakes should seem more dangerous. The Great Lakes are too vulnerable and precious to gamble on.
