Submitted by Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County
Here is some news about the three legal challenges to the radioactive waste dump at Chalk River Laboratories. Above: sunset on the Kitchi Sibi October 4, 2024 (Photo submitted)
1) The Kebaowek First Nation application for judicial review of the CNSC licensing decision was heard by Justice Julie Blackhawk in a two-day hearing July 10 and 11 in Ottawa. The case revolves around the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s failure to secure Algonquin First Nations’ free, prior and informed consent for disposal of hazardous waste in their territory as mandated by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The lead lawyer for Kebaowek, Robert Janes KC, was brilliant in arguing the case. He has represented First Nations many times in the Supreme Court. Justice Blackhawk’s decision is pending and may take several more months.
Please consider making a donation to help cover the legal costs for this very important and potentially precedent-setting case. You can contribute to Kebaowek FN’s GoFundMe here. Please also consider attending the benefit fundraiser Riversong 2 at First United Church in Ottawa on November 22. All proceeds will go to support the Kebaowek FN legal challenge. Tickets available here.
2) Coming up very soon on November 19 and 20 in Ottawa is the hearing in Federal Court of the application by Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area, Ralliement contre la pollution radioactive, and the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility for review of the CNSC decision to license the NSDF. The three groups are challenging the decision on a number of grounds including excessive radiation doses and failure to adequately describe or control what would be put in the dump. The case will be heard by Justice Whyte Nowak. The hearing will be broadcast via Zoom. In order to watch you need to register; instructions for registering are here. There is some limited seating for the public in the courtroom; send me an email if you are interested in attending in person.
3) Kebaowek FN, Concerned Citizens, the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility and Sierra Club Canada Foundation are challenging the decision by Environment and Climate Change Canada to issue a permit to destroy species at risk and their habitats during construction of the dump. The hearing is scheduled for February 6 and 7th 2025. The factum was filed on September 27, and is appended to the end of this post.
As ever, we are grateful to our Algonquin brothers and sisters for their strong stand against irresponsible nuclear waste projects in their unceded homeland. The Aboriginal Peoples’ Television network just completed an excellent 24-minute documentary on Algonquin opposition to the NSDF called Time Immemorial. You can watch it in English or French. Please also check out the excellent Kebaowek FN Stop Nuclear Waste website.
Thank you everyone for your ongoing interest and support.
Best wishes,
Lynn Jones, Ottawa Valley
Resources
Ten things Canadians need to know about the giant radioactive waste mound coming to the Ottawa River, Feb 4, 2024
Geoscientist raises concerns about storage of radioactive waste in the Ottawa Valley due to earthquake risk April 15, 2024
