We must prepare for nuclear disaster
The Ontario government recently finally set out to conduct a public review of Ontario’s nuclear emergency plan after a very long delay.
With half of Ontarians living near a nuclear reactor, the population needs protection from accidents like the devastating Fukushima accident of 2013.
There are 25 reactors lining the shores of the Great Lakes in Ontario. It would simply be reckless to continue pretending that a major nuclear accident cannot happen here. All Ontarians, and indeed all Canadians, should protest the present state of woefully inadequate preparation.
It is the direct responsibility of the Ontario government to ensure citizens are protected in the event of a Fukushima-scale nuclear reactor accident.
Many countries have been forward-thinking and have either stopped or reduced their involvement with nuclear power in recent years or, at the very least, assumed proper responsibility in planning for the safety of its citizens in the event of an accident.
Last month, for example, Switzerland announced it would strengthen public safety by preparing for more severe accidents, including preparing for the possibility of large-scale evacuations in the event of a reactor accident. This includes caring for people if they are forced from their homes for long periods of time, as seen at Fukushima.
Unfortunately, the Ontario government is proposing to maintain the status quo and only prepare for minor nuclear accidents. Especially following Fukushima, and with major accidents happening about once a decade, this is no longer acceptable.
As a pediatrician who has seen first hand some of the devastating effects that important radiation accidents can have on children and adolescents, I join those who feel it is now time to insist that governments assume responsibility.
The public’s expectation is for worldclass safety planning. This is neither unrealistic nor unattainable. Dr. Carole O’Beirne, Toronto