Saugeen Ojibway Nation says it will issue a moratorium on the nuclear intensification of its traditional territory if substantial progress isn’t made to address legacy issues.
SON says the moratorium would include the continued importation and storage of nuclear wastes.
They’ve set a deadline of six months.
A statement from both SON Chiefs issued Wednesday says “We will enforce this moratorium by all legal and political means necessary until a just and satisfactory resolution is in place.”
They add, “Accordingly the Nuclear Advisory Committee has been directed to pursue the resolution of legacy issues through agreements with Ontario Power Generation (OPG), The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), other private nuclear industry operators as well as the federal and provincial governments and to report back to Joint Council on progress made by May 2025.”
The statement reads, “For many decades our land has been exploited for the production of nuclear energy and storage of radioactive waste. This occurred without consultation or SON consent. Today,our territory holds the vast majority of of Canada’s nuclear waste and hosts one of the largest nuclear facilities in the world. Even now, following the announcement by NWMO that it will seek to build a deep geological repository (DGR) for used fuel in the north, SON is expected to continue to host the used fuel for another 60 years without our consent and without redress while the DGR undergoes the assessment process licensing and permitting processes and construction.
It is unacceptable that we continue to face inaction from OPG and other members of the nuclear industry and government in addressing these injustices for the SON people. Their repeated failure to uphold commitments is an ongoing affront to SON’s rights. Our joint chiefs and council have taken a strong stance: We will not allow the exploitation of Anishinaabekiing without a fair and just resolution.”
OPG says in a response to SON’s statement, “OPG respects the rights and interests of Indigenous Nations across the province. We will continue our discussions with Saugeen Ojibway Nation and look forward to the collaboration, partnership and learning opportunities these conversations will provide.”
Bruce Power Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President James Scongack addressed the statement during questions following his annual update to Grey County Council Thursday.
Scongack said, “At the end of the day, the Saugeen Ojibway Nation have been absolutely consistent. What they do want to see… the resolution of legacy issues related to the Bruce site going back to the 1960s, going back to the establishment of the Western Waste Management facility, and that facility which is operated by OPG will continue to receive waste.”
He continued, “I don’t want to speak on behalf of the NWMO or OPG I’ll leave that to them, but I think the SON have been consistent on this and what we’re focused on in our relationship with the SON is firstly, always recognizing we’re operating on their traditional territory, a commitment through the base operations set potential new nuclear side, through the base operations like our isotope partnership, how we create win-win partnerships where we can provide the SON more economic and other opportunity in what we’re doing on the site, how do we continue to open dialogue about their concerns on what we’re doing today and what we’re doing in the future.
He added, “We would encourage the organizations that SON is mentioning in the letter— we think it’s a good ting to go and sit down and work in the spirit of reconciliation make progress son those items, so I think it’s a very consistent letter with the position that SON has taken in the past and wherever we can play a role, what our role is, we’re committed to doing that. Just like our work that we’ve talked about here in Grey County on the SON traditional territory as a rights holder, we want to do everything we can to earn their support. That’s the goal.”
Scongack said, “I think the Chiefs have laid that position out clearly many times and we have to keep focused on making progress.”
