I mean Steve Harper is a smart and clever guy - we all know that because that is what we are constantly being told. But now we have to ask is he mimicking Steve Martin and being a wild and crazy guy? Could it be that Harper has morphed into Homer Simpson?
I agree that the plant has to be reopened so the isotopes can be developed. We are risking lives in real time without them. Politically deciding to reopening reactor before it is declared safe by our independent regulator is the lesser of two evils. It is a calculated risk but not one where the PM can unequivocally say there will be no accident. That is beyond misleading. It is personal arrogance morphing into delusions of omnipotence methinks.
This all-party “emergency” over-ride of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, our national nuclear energy watchdog, drives me to conclude that there is too much politics and not enough Peace Order and Good Government going on in Ottawa. And that didn’t just start 2 years ago when Harper “happenstanced” into power. This has apparently been going on for some time including under the old Liberal regime.
How come this old plant had not been upgraded earlier? Why did it take so long? Why was there not an alternative plan for isotope production during the Chalk River shutdown? Why is this 50 year old antiquated nuclear plant virtually the only global source of medical isotopes? How does this comedy of errors happen and who is to blame for it continuing?
My answer is that it is the pettiness of personality politics and the prominence of partisan bickering. That is the default culture of all political parties these days. While it is fodder for mainstream and new media, such gamesmanship allows the media to think they/we are absolved of a duty to inform and educate about what is really going on in government.
Frankly I think Canadians are past being weary of this stupidity and are now just disgusted with these antics. While our governors are trying to score cheap political points at each others expense they are seriously neglecting their real job of governing. There are serious issues facing this country and the globe and they are not easily resolved.
So Hey Ottawa, cut the cleverness and cant. Smarten up, focus and do your damn job!
I agree that the plant has to be reopened so the isotopes can be developed. We are risking lives in real time without them. Politically deciding to reopening reactor before it is declared safe by our independent regulator is the lesser of two evils. It is a calculated risk but not one where the PM can unequivocally say there will be no accident. That is beyond misleading. It is personal arrogance morphing into delusions of omnipotence methinks.
This all-party “emergency” over-ride of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, our national nuclear energy watchdog, drives me to conclude that there is too much politics and not enough Peace Order and Good Government going on in Ottawa. And that didn’t just start 2 years ago when Harper “happenstanced” into power. This has apparently been going on for some time including under the old Liberal regime.
How come this old plant had not been upgraded earlier? Why did it take so long? Why was there not an alternative plan for isotope production during the Chalk River shutdown? Why is this 50 year old antiquated nuclear plant virtually the only global source of medical isotopes? How does this comedy of errors happen and who is to blame for it continuing?
My answer is that it is the pettiness of personality politics and the prominence of partisan bickering. That is the default culture of all political parties these days. While it is fodder for mainstream and new media, such gamesmanship allows the media to think they/we are absolved of a duty to inform and educate about what is really going on in government.
Frankly I think Canadians are past being weary of this stupidity and are now just disgusted with these antics. While our governors are trying to score cheap political points at each others expense they are seriously neglecting their real job of governing. There are serious issues facing this country and the globe and they are not easily resolved.
So Hey Ottawa, cut the cleverness and cant. Smarten up, focus and do your damn job!
As someone who has spent some time downstream of Chalk River on the fault line that is the Ottawa River, I have to admit a degree of concern over the politicization of the regulation of nuclear facilities.
ReplyDeleteThere is a reason why nuclear facilities like this one are regulated by an independent body.
That reason is because an accident is potentially catastrophic and will contaminate a large geographic area.
I have no doubt that the government is doing this for the right reason - life saving isotopes and all - despite the PM's descent into the basest of partisan politics.
I'm just not sure that trumping the regulator is the right decision.
And the reactor was still running (and will again) because the modern replacement reactor is:
A) over budget
B) running late