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The Canadian equivalent of Nuclear Waste Services in the UK, the Nuclear Waste Management Organisation have been pushing hard to persuade First Nations to accept a deep nuclear dump - the First Nations are strongly resisting this 'Nuclear Colonialism' and are an inspiration to us here in the UK.
NFLA media release, 14 Aug 2024, For immediate use
NFLAs send message of solidarity to Canadian First Nations opposed to nuke dump
Following the United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (9 August), the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities have joined the Cumbrian campaign group, Lakes against Nuclear Dump (LAND) in sending a message of solidarity and support to the Canadian First Nations who have publicly declared their opposition to the development of an underground nuclear waste dump at Ignace, Ontario.
On July 15, the Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council (the “AKRC”), representing five tribal groups, published their Declaration of Opposition in which the Council states declared that the Deep Geological Repository proposed near Ignace ‘poses and unprecedented threat to the integrity, safety, and sanctity of Kabapikotawangag and its surrounding environments. It has the potential to compromise the health, welfare, and cultural heritage of our Anishinaabeg people.
‘As stewards of the lands and waters in our territory, we have not provided our free, prior, and informed consent. We have a duty to protect and safeguard Kabapikotawangag (also known as Lake of the Woods). We cannot let this type of project move forward.’
The Nuclear Waste Management Organisation was established by the Canadian nuclear industry to lead the effort to find a location for an underground nuclear waste repository. Its attempt to foist a nuclear waste dump on First Nation land near Ignace, in collaboration with provincial and local authorities, appears to contravene the legal obligations made originally by the British Government to the First Nations under Treaty 3 and the commitments made by the Canadian Government in signing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
One hundred and fifty years ago, on October 3, 1873, emissaries from Her Majesty Queen Victoria and the British Government signed Treaty 3 with First Nation leaders in which their rights were recognised to ‘land, water, resources, government and culture’ in return for their recognition of the authority of the Crown and their cooperation with colonial authorities. These rights to ‘last as long as the sun will shine and waters run. That is to say forever’. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People signed by the Canadian Government recognises the traditional ownership of the First Nations (article 26), their rights to be consulted and to participate in decision making (articles 18 and 19) and their rights to preserve their environment and shape development in their own lands (articles 29 and 32).
NWMO intends to transport nuclear waste by truck long distances along rural highways and dispose of the waste in an engineered dump in First Nations land despite article 29 specifying that ‘no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent’.
In making their declaration, the Council was cognizant that the Assembly of First Nations had recently passed a resolution calling on all First Nations to fully consider the environmental and health impacts of economic development, including in the transportation and disposal of nuclear waste, on other First Nations in their decision-making processes, and to engage with these impacted First Nations, and less than one week before, the Town Council of Ignace had officially announced its willingness to host the project. Although the Town Council had carried out a limited public consultation, no one bothered to consult the people of the First Nations prior to making the announcement.
This represents another example of ‘nuclear colonialism’, in which militaries, the nuclear industry, and their supporters in government disproportionately locate their activities in lands traditionally occupied by Indigenous People, impacting their environment, health, culture and future. At the first and last of the nuclear cycle, from the mining of uranium to the disposal of radioactive waste, the lands of Indigenous people are seen as fair game by big business, whilst their land has also been seen as ideal for nuclear weapons testing by the major powers.
The NFLAs have participated in several online meetings with campaign groups in the UK and Canada which are opposed to nuclear waste dumps in their locality. We are delighted now to be in contact with the Canadian First Nations.
Ends//. For more information, please contact NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk or by telephone on 07583 097793
Notes to Editors
July 15, 2024Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council Publishes Declaration of Opposition to NWMO Nuclear Waste Site
Sioux Narrows, Ontario – The Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council (the “AKRC”), an umbrella organization representing Wauzhusk Onigum, Ojibways of Onigaming, Northwest Angle #33, Big Grassy River, and Animakee Wa Zhing 37, have publicly voiced their opposition to the development of an underground nuclear waste storage site at Ignace, Ontario. This public declaration of opposition comes in the wake of the Town of Ignace officially signalling its willingness to host the underground nuclear waste storage site.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (the “NWMO”), is seeking to develop a deep geological repository for the long-term storage of used nuclear fuel. It is currently trying to determine a location for the repository and has narrowed it down to two locations: one on the Southern Bruce Peninsula, and one at Ignace. The NWMO has stated that the host community must be informed and willing to accept the project, and on July 10, 2024, the Town of Ignace officially agreed that it would be willing to host the project.
But the AKRC disagrees. The AKRC says that locating this nuclear storage site at Ignace poses an unacceptable level of risk to their communities: “This deep geological repository poses and unprecedented threat to the integrity, safety, and sanctity of Kabapikotawangag and its surrounding environments. It has the potential to compromise the health, welfare, and cultural heritage of our Anishinaabeg people,” said Chris Skead, Chief of Wauzhusk Onigum.
Chief Skead went on to explain that “Section 29(2) of UNDRIP requires states to take effective measures to ensure that no storage or disposal of hazardous materials takes place in our territory without our free, prior and informed consent. As stewards of the lands and waters in our territory, we have not provided our free, prior, and informed consent.”
“As Treaty 3 rights-holders, we have a duty to protect and safeguard Kabapikotawangag (also known as Lake of the Woods). We cannot let this type of project move forward,” Chief Skead continued.
“What is really concerning is that they are going to be transporting used nuclear fuel, on two lane, backroad highways, throughout our territory. Those roads are treacherous, and we regularly witness accidents – what happens if one of those accidents involves a truck transporting used nuclear fuel?” said Chief Skead.
The AKRC wants to see alternative solutions considered.: “we want to see solutions that align with our principles of environmental stewardship, respect for the land, and the well-being of future generations. And we are more than willing to work with the NWMO on what those solutions might be” explained Chief Skead.
The AKRC declaration comes in the wake of the Assembly of First Nations passing resolution #68-2024, which calls on all First Nations to fully consider the environmental and health impacts of economic development, including in the transportation and disposal of nuclear waste, on other First Nations in their decision-making processes and to engage with these impacted First Nations.
Relevant sections of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People:
Article 18 - Indigenous peoples have the right to participate in decision-making in matters which would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by themselves in accordance with their own procedures, as well as to maintain and develop their own indigenous decision-making institutions.
Article 19 - States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them
Article 26 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to the lands, territories and resources which they have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired. 2. Indigenous peoples have the right to own, use, develop and control the lands, territories and resources that they possess by reason of traditional ownership or other traditional occupation or use, as well as those which they have otherwise acquired. 3. States shall give legal recognition and protection to these lands, territories and resources. Such recognition shall be conducted with due respect to the customs, traditions and land tenure systems of the indigenous peoples concerne
Article 29 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to the conservation and protection of the environment and the productive capacity of their lands or territories and resources. States shall establish and implement assistance programmes for indigenous peoples for such conservation and protection, without discrimination. 2. States shall take effective measures to ensure that no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent.
Article 32 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their lands or territories and other resources. 2. States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources. 3. States shall provide effective mechanisms for just and fair redress for any such activities, and appropriate measures shall be taken to mitigate adverse environmental, economic, social, cultural or spiritual impact.
Article 37 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to the recgnition, observance and enforcement of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements concluded with States or their successors and to have States honour and respect such treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements.
The message sent by Lakes against Nuclear Dump (LAND):
Lakes Against Nuclear Dump have sent a message of solidarity and thanks to the Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council, Tribal Council in Ontario and Manitoba for their inspirational stand in opposing Canada's geological dumping of nuclear waste plans.
A wholehearted Thank You from Cumbria UK for your strong stand against the nuclear waste dumping plans in Ontario. Your principled stand gives us inspiration here in Cumbria where nuclear waste dumping plans have been successfully opposed many times but the rules keep being rewritten and now the plan is back with a vengeance with the wider region (not that large in Canadian terms with Cumbria being around 100 miles from end to end) being excluded from having any say while those immediately in the vicinity of the plans are being showered with “poisoned sweets” £millions of public money. Money cannot bring back polluted land and sea and your stand gives us renewed hope, thank you!
With all best wishes from
Marianne Birkby
on behalf of Lakes Against Nuclear Dump (a Radiation Free Lakeland campaign - we have almost 1000 members in our facebook group)
Cumbria, UK.
The message sent by the Secretary of the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities:
Chief Darlene Camegan,
Northwest Angle #33
Chief Jeff Copenace,
Ojibways of Onigaming
Chief Lynn Indian,
Big Grassy River
Chief Linda McVicar,
Animekee Wa Zhing #37
Chief Chris Skead,
Wauzhusk Onigum
The Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council
By email to cskead@wonation.ca
Dear Honoured Chiefs,
I wish to convey to you the compliments, solidarity and support of the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities for your principled Declaration of Opposition to plans by the Nuclear Waste Management Organisation to truck nuclear waste thousands of miles before disposal in a Deep Geological Repository near Ignace, Ontario. This transportation and disposal will occur in First Nations land, for which you have an irrevocable, historic and spiritual affinity.
In the UK, the Nuclear Waste Services division of the taxpayer-funded Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is charged with finding a site for a Geological Disposal Facility in either West Cumbria or in Lincolnshire, England. Local people and some local politicians are opposed to these plans and the NFLAs offer them our advice and support.
We have an internationalist outlook and are keen to reach out to activists in other nations who are opposed to similar plans. This has included establishing an informal online group to meet campaign groups opposed to plans for a DGR in either Ignace or South Bruce.
The NFLAs are delighted now to finally be in contact with you.
We are opposed to the transportation of nuclear waste or the deep disposal of waste, rather we support the Proximity Principle with the active management of waste in bespoke surface or near surface facilities situated at or near the operating plant, to enable retrieval and repackaging to remain possible in the event of an accident or disturbance. We also believe that the nuclear industry should meet the cost of decommissioning, decontamination, and nuclear waste management themselves rather than reaping the profits and then leaving these activities to be met from the public purse.
We believe that the placement of nuclear waste in First Nations lands constitutes both a violation of the solemn undertakings to respect the rights of the First Nation people to ‘land, water, resources, government and culture’ first given by representatives of Her Majesty Queen Victoria and the British Government to the First Nations as part of Treaty 3, signed 3 October 1873, and furthermore are contrary to the obligations taken on by the Canadian Government as a signatory to the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. In this Canada recognises your traditional ownership (article 26), your right to be consulted and to participate in decision making (articles 18 and 19) and your right to preserve your environment and shape development in your own lands (articles 29 and 32).
Furthermore article 29 specifies that ‘no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent’.
Although the Ignace Town Council had carried out a limited public consultation, no one bothered to consult the people of the First Nations prior to making the announcement.
This represents another example of ‘nuclear colonialism’, in which militaries, the nuclear industry, and their supporters in government disproportionately locate their activities in lands traditionally occupied by Indigenous People, impacting their environment, health, culture and future. At the first and last of the nuclear cycle, from the mining of uranium to the disposal of radioactive waste, the lands of Indigenous people are seen as fair game by big business, whilst their land has also been seen as ideal for nuclear weapons testing by the major powers.
Although the forces arrayed against you may appear to be formidable, it is possible for you to prevail. One proud moment from 2023 was our hearing news that the Barngarla Indigenous People in South Australia had been successful in fighting off a plan to establish a deep repository in their lands. This would have involved transporting nuclear waste almost 1,000 miles from the Lucas Heights reactor site to Kimba. Even the Federal Government’s own regulator, ARPANSA (the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency) deemed the Lucas Heights site to have capacity to store the waste for the foreseeable future.
We were joined by other British campaign groups, including LAND, in objecting to the plan both in response to a consultation and in a direct appeal to the Australian Prime Minister. After an adverse judgement by the Federal Court, on the UN International Day for the Rights of the World’s Indigenous People (9 August 2023), the Australian Government finally dropped the plan signalling victory.
As at Kimba, we are prepared to support you until you prevail in your fight. We have already written to the Ontario Premier on the matter and stand ready to help.
Yours in the spirit of international solidarity,
Richard Outram, NFLA Secretary
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