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Proposal text
Be it resolved that the Green Party of Canada long conflicted between the horror of nuclear weapons and the need to support reliable and clean nuclear power,
• will adopt a view of nuclear power that is consistent with the best scientific knowledge and practices, and
• will advocate for the continued development of nuclear power technologies, extraction technologies, nuclear waste disposal, and alternative nuclear fuels.
Type of Proposal
Public policy that the party would represent
Objective / Benefit
The GPC has a longstanding public position of preferring renewable power generation instead of nuclear power generation. Yet not one policy currently addresses the beneficial effects of nuclear power. All policy references to nuclear are to the prevention and control of nuclear weapons.
The objective of this policy is to establish a new policy that addresses the benefits of the use of nuclear power generation in a changing environment that urgently needs reliable power generation.
- Whereas the policies of the Green Party of Canada are to be based on scientific principles, and
- Whereas we now know how to build nuclear power plants that are far safer than our current operational designs, and
- Whereas nuclear power generation can be demonstrated,
- to be the least polluting of all electricity generation technologies, in terms of CO2 production per MW of capacity,
- to have the smallest footprint in terms of station size, acres per MW of installed capacity,
- to have the lowest volume of waste production in terms of tons per MW,
- to require the least input of scarce resources in terms of tons per MW,
- to have the best safety record of all generation facilities in terms of loss of human life per MW of installed capacity, and
- Whereas we do know what to do with spent nuclear fuel to ensure safety.
This policy will complement and expand the policies of the Green Party of Canada, making them more appropriate in an intellectually honest way.
If your proposal replaces an existing policy or policies, which one does it replace?
This is new policy. All existing policy addresses various aspects of the undesirability of nuclear weapons. It does not in any way reduce the relevance of those policies.
List any supporting evidence for your proposal
1. Jack Devanney, The Two Lies that killed nuclear:
https://jackdevanney.substack.com/p/the-two-lies-that-killed-nuclear
2. Jack Devanney, Why Nuclear Power Has Been a Flop:
3. Cleo Abram, The Big Lie About Nuclear Waste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzQ3gFRj0Bc
4. Burning Nuclear waste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u44skO-nMo
5. IEA on Nuclear Power:
https://www.iea.org/energy-system/electricity/nuclear-power
6. Our World in Data, Death Toll from Chernobyl and Fukushima:
https://ourworldindata.org/what-was-the-death-toll-from-chernobyl-and-fukushima
7. Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, LNT:
https://nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/resources/health/linear-non-threshold-model/index.cfm
8. Original text of this proposal: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j5bvh4dagagllrhus59h9/GPC-Nuclear.docx?rlkey=8ozj24vcajsvofrtgtpy9pt85&st=uvmsga8g&dl=0
Does this proposal affect any particular group and what efforts have been made to consult with the group or groups?
There are many in the party and outside, who consider Nuclear Power to be so dangerous as to be categorically denied as a solution to our future power needs. This policy reverses that perception of Nuclear Power. It is likely to alienate such people in their support of the party.
There is also likely to be an adverse reaction from the Global Greens, which would need to be carefully managed, though it is to be hoped that this motion will start a greens-wide reassessment of their positions on nuclear power.
Jurisdiction: Is this proposal under federal jurisdiction?
Yes
Please indicate the language the proposal is being submitted in.
English
This proposal is being evaluated
Posted on the Continuous Motion Development Vote tab for member review prior to the all-member vote.
Amendments (3)
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Created at
24/05/2024 -
- 0
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Created at
05/07/2024 -
- 0
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Created at
10/07/2024 -
- 2
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Conversation with Richard Langley
I have read all I can find on this topic and while there seems to be a strong argument to be made to every strong objection I, personally, am not convinced that nuclear is good for Canadians, for the people or the environment. My understanding is that around 60% of Canadians are willing to consider Nuclear, which means 40% are not. It makes absolutely no sense in my opinion to move the GPC into the same camp as the big three parties where we would be chasing the same 60%. I believe that Nuclear is unaffordable and I fully expect that Ontario will see significant hikes in electricity prices as a result of its current plans to expand its nuclear generation. I sincerely hope that GPC members do not vote to support this, or any other, proposal to change our current policy on nuclear.
Richard your only substantive point is that "Nuclear is unaffordable." I take it that when and if that is demonstrated to be false you will change your view. Is that correct?
By the way, electricity prices will rise in Ontario for several reasons - The $7 billion subsidy to consumers is probably not sustainable, inflations will bite and the cost of producing Wind and solar will rise as materials get more expensive. (The cost of nuclear will rise for the same reason, by the way, but less because nuclear requires less material to build.).
Richard, I am not sure you are right that supporting nuclear power means moving into the same camp as the "the big three parties"
The NDP policy book includes "Halting nuclear expansion and upgrading the safety and security of current nuclear energy and waste management facilities.
The 2021 convention included this motion, "BE IT RESOLVED THAT the following statement be entered in the Policy Book under section 2.4 “Energy”: “Federal loans and regulations be available to any Province that wishes to construct publicly-owned CANDU reactors, in such a way that prioritizes rapid construction.”"
And this one, "BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Federal NDP oppose funding development of Small
Modular Nuclear Reactors."
Basically, the BNDP has the same policy as we in the Green Party of Canada.
Also see https://www.orilliamatters.com/canadavotes2021/heres-how-the-four-main-federal-parties-plan-to-fight-climate-crisis-4255140
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