Letters to the Editor

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Posted 4 months ago

Three issues concerning Port Hope cleanup

Robert Fishlock is far too modest in relating his involvement with Families Against Radiation Exposure (FARE) in his letter to the editor, "Enough gratuitous radioactive publicity", Sept. 25.

He was one of the 10 people in FARE's Strategy Committee for the first six months of its existence. This group defined everything FARE did during that period.

The reaction to the Sept. 19 Toronto Stararticle is notable for its paucity of good research and integrity. I have not been a spokesman for FARE for almost five years. Ironically, the reason I had to leave FARE was that their mandate did not allow me to speak about radioactive waste. If you're going to make accusations, get your facts straight.

None of the "studies" mentioned were ever able to find a host community for Port Hope's waste anywhere in Canada. As such, the only way the cleanup could proceed was if Port Hope played host to the waste. Port Hope wasn't the best site -- it was the only site.

The first open house after the agreement was signed informed us that Port Hope would be returned to a "pristine condition", which Mayor Rick Austin repeated throughout his years in office. At a subsequent information session, LLRW told us there was 3.5 million cubic metres of contaminated material in Port Hope. They told us the final amount would be larger as they had not finished testing the whole town.

Once Linda Thompson was elected mayor, the size of the cleanup started getting smaller. It went to two million, then one and a half million and today it stands at 1.2 million cubic metres, barely one third of the originally stated incomplete volume. Where did all the rest of it go?

For the record, I have always supported cleaning up the town but it has to be done in a prudent manner. Considering AECL was responsible for allowing the radioactive waste problem in the first place, it is not unreasonable to demand thorough accountability and a full airing of all the community's concerns. Unfortunately, that cannot happen within the parameters of a screening level environmental assessment.

My largest concern for the cleanup will answer the question: "Why do we need to entertain Torontonians with old, sensationalized news?"

The proposed method of excavation will re-suspend radioactive particulate matter in the air. As this material can travel hundreds of kilometers on the wind, Toronto is easily within the sphere of influence of this project. If you doubt the impact, peruse the Health Canada studies from 1998 and 2000 which show elevated rates of illness in the 20 years after the 1970s cleanup.

Former Mayor Rick Austin and I didn't always get along but we did agree that the cleanup should restore Port Hope to a pristine condition. That will never be achieved if only one-third of the radioactive waste is removed, only a fraction of the contaminants are tested for and the industry continues to operate nearby.

Unless these three issues are adequately resolved, the cleanup as proposed is redundant and nothing more than another layer of lipstick on Port Hope's nuclear pig.

Pat McNamara Peace River AB

HST nothing but an 'aggressive tax grab'

I can't understand why there is so little outrage, community- wise, about the proposed Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) coming into effect July 2010.

Do people not realize the 8% tax increase will be applied to items now not subject to Provincial Sales Tax (PST)? This tax will be applied to essential services, ones that we pay for every day -- heat, hydro and water. Add 8% to these services and realize the tax grab going on into perpetuity. Once instigated, it will never come off.

I, like most taxpayers thought nothing can be done to stop this new tax grab. I have however, registered my complaint about this tax with my local MPP and MP. If we all do likewise, then maybe, just maybe, our government officials will have second

thoughts. It is certainly worth the effort.

This is and should be an election issue, whether it be federal or provincial.

Dalton McGuinty promised no new taxes. We got a health levy, now the HST.

Stephen Harper is cutting a cheque to the province to assure implementation of the HST (our money, a bribe).

I would urge all of you to vigorously oppose the HST. This is nothing more than an "aggressive tax grab". Contact your MPP and MP.

D. H. Shortreed Port Hope