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2 The Canadian Statesman, BoWmanville. May 30, 1979 Section Two r Editorial Comment Nobody Said it Would be Easy A week has gone by since the federal election that ousted the Liberals and Pierre Trudeau from power and shifted the country's problems onto the shoulders of young Joe Clark and his Progressive Conservatives. The joys and sorrows of winning or losing are fading as the readjustment process takes over. It's happened before and no doubt will happen again. Job security doesn't exist in politics. It was a hard-fought campaign that must have drained strength and energy from everyone involved, but had to be especially tiring for the three major leaders. Trudeau and Broadbent now only have to get over the fact that they didn't do as well as expected, Trudeau being cast out as head of government after il years in office, Broadbent being denied the 30 to 35 seats he expected. That disappointment will be tough to take, but at least both of them will be able to get a bit of rest. On the other hand, Joe Clark, while definitely buoyed up by his party's victory, now has to plunge into learning about the complexities of government, with no opportunity to take a few days off to relax. He has a tough job ahead of him in the next few weeks. First, he has to choose his cabinet from a long list of elected members, many of whom will be certain they should win one of Observation on Some people will tell you that nuclear power is a deadly menace that will send us all to early graves unless its expansion is halted soon. On the other side of the coin, there are some who will say that it is the energy of the future. Most of us caught in the middle, between these opposing views, do not know whether to listen to the "optimists" or the "pessimists." But, there's very little doubt in our minds that the pessimists who warn of nuclear dangers have gained ground in the last few short months. First we had the famous Three Mile Island nuclear accident in the U.S. and immediately following the event, there were allegations that even Canadian nuclear reactors are not as safe as they ought to be. The debate over the safety of Canadian nuclear plants continues in newspapers, radio, TV and magazines to this day. In addition, we shouldn't forget The China Syndrome -- a spine- tingling movie about the danger of the nuclear industry. It's true that the film was just a work of fiction but it no doubt planted some anxious thoughts in the minds of movie- goers. All of this brings us to the upcoming anti-nuclear demonstration which will be held at the Darlington Generating Station site this weekend. The protest is part of the ongoing nuclear debate and on the eve of the Darlington demonstration it seems fitting that we should offer a few observations on nuclear power. It seems strange to us that there were 273 persons killed at the tragic airplane crash in Chicago last week yet you can almost guarantee that there will be no anti-airplane demonstrations as a result of this incident. It is possible that close to 1,000 persons will die on Ontario roads this year in automobile accidents. But you cannot expect any anti- automobile rallies as a result. The unique thing about the nuclear protest lies in the fact that it has aroused the concern of so many persons even though scarcely one life has been lost in a nuclear accident anywhere in the world. The big worry about nuclear power is not based on what has happened but what might happen. the choice portfolios. He can't please them all because he has to be governed not only by what he knows of their ability, but also by geography, so every province is represented. What makes it even tougher is the fact that only two PC members were elected from Quebec. While this transitional period is underway, the affairs of government will be carried out by the civil servants, with no new policies in prospect to cure any of the country's ills. Hopefully, no major crisis will arise in the meantime, such as an extreme gasoline shortage or any international complications that will require immediate action. Mr. Clark, his wife and family also have to move in to their new home after the Trudeaus pack their furniture and move out. Such a move would normally keep a family busy for days, but Mr. Clark will have so many other things on his mind that he won't have time to be involved in such minor matters. We would expect that when Joe Clark surfaces and makes his next appearance on television, after what he s going through, that viewers will wonder what happened to make him look so much older than in pre- election appearances. Being the head of any government these days, is no soft touch. Nuclear Energy And a number of articulate, concerned and intelligent people are devoting time to stopping construction of nuclear projects. Théy argue that nuclear power represents an unique risk to many generations on a worldwide scale. The key to the arguments of anti- nuclear people seems to be that nuclear power is a risk that is over and above the hazards mankind should be required to face in everyday living. Most nuclear opponents seem to fear that nuclear energy is something that will be as dangerous to us in the 20th and 21st century as the bubonic plaque was to our forefathers many centuries ago. To the anti-nue16ár people, opposing atomic power is something a little more important than debating a local zoning by-law or parking regulation. While there is room for concern over nuclear energy, we do not believe that all the evidence has been heard. Certainly the industry is "on trial" but it is too early to hear a verdict from the jury. As a newspaper, we feel that it is our duty to present all of the views on the nuclear debate to the best of our ability. It is our hope that in the ensuing discussions, arguments and debates, the matter can be thrashed out in the public forum. Our responsibility is neither to print a steady diet of scare stories about mushroom clouds and radiation or to sing the praises of nuclear energy. As nuclear development becomes an important issue in our society, it is our duty to zero in on the facts. After all, as next door neighbors to a $4 billion nuclear development, we have more than a passing interest in the atomic energy debate. Corner for Poets A Little Prayer Perhaps you're unhappy The path is uphill Or one you love is ill God knows about your care, Talk with Him in a little prayer. Maybe you're just plain tired, You find it hard to b e inspired, Sit down and relax And forget about Income Tax, God knows about your care, Talk with Him in a little prayer. Marion Taylor Ford. A Real Test for Somebody's Detergent The Cure for Ebullience There are a lot of depressed people in the world, for one reason or another: illness, mental or physical; poverty; insecurity; unrequited love; hemorrhoids - you name it. It's difficult for me to understand depression since I have a natural tranquility, and sometimes even a spot of ebullience. This is either from genes or good luck, and I'm not bragging about it. Sometimes, when I feel a bit of ebullience coming on, which is almost every day, I have to take something for it, just as the depressed person has to take an elevator pill to get out of the gloom. If I come down in the morning feeling fairly ebullient, I take a small downer to get me down with the normal level of misanthropy. I pick up the morning paper. This depresses me sufficiently that I can get through the day without driving my colleagues and students silly with sheer cheerfullness. If my ebullience starts to build up during the day, after several brilliant lessons, the solving of some teachers' frantic problems, and the crafty evasion of the latest edict from the administration, I have to take something to cool me down when I get home from work. So I An Open Letter to "Sam at Queen's Park" Dear Mr. Cureatz: I would like to respond to your column of May 23rd in 'The Canadian Statesman', page 6. Although you have given it the title "Nuclear Safety", you proceed to discuss the economics of nuclear power and the dangers related to other forms of energy e.g. coal and oil. I resent your insinuation that many constituents make judgements by "gut feelings" rather than careful consideration of the subject. Recent experience in door-to- door petitioning re: Darling- ton Nuclear Station has re- vealed that many people wish to have more information, both pro and con - on nuclear energy. If they refuse to get involved in the debate it is because they "don't know enough" - a cerebral, rather than "gut" judgement. Your narrow viewpoint of our energy options disturbs me. Future supplies are limited only by our ability to adapt and live with instead of against, our natural environment. An examination pick up the evening paper. This depresses me sufficiently that I can go to bed without chuckling myself awake at the folly of mankind. If the evening paper doesn't cool me out enough, I listen to the late news and go to the sack with the dense gloom that ensures sleep, the only escape from it. There's nothing to quiet your jolliness like some of these items. "Board To Fire 214 Teachers," when your only daughter, with three degrees and two children, is in her first year of teaching, and bound to be one of the casualties. Or this one: "Cancer Dooms Miners." "Lung cancer deaths among hard-rock miners are almost double those of men in other jobs." I knew this 35 years ago. So did the mines. So did the government. So what has been done in the interval? How about, "Food Costs May Soar." That's about as startling as reading, in November, "Winter May Come". They have already soared out of sight. The headline should have read "Rocket" instead of "Soar." There's nothing to take the extra ebullience out of a fellow like news stories that tell us Canada's nuclear plants are not all that safe, or that the country is 60 zillion or something dollars in debt, or that your property of our lifestyles, leading to wiser use of our resources, is needed. A few examples: - You say our hydraulic capabilities are exhausted. What of the dozen or so small hydro dams now closed which once provided local jobs and power for their communities? (See Select Committee Report, June 1976). - The oil crisis is an area where Canada has a clear advantage if we manage our supplies wisely. - Much is made of the polluting effects of burning coal, especially by nuclear proponents. New technologies in this area offer us the ability to not only burn coal cleaner, but make our supplies go further. For example, use of low sulphur coal and a recent discovery that a mix of coal and limestone dramatically decreases air pollution. As to supply, uranium may not last any longer than coal, unless we go to reprocessing spent fuel from nuclear plants in breeder reactors, thus greatly increasing the risks from nuclear power. Health hazards exist to miners of uranium, as well as coal. I You are right, Mr. Cureatz, building nuclear plants is expensive, especially when technical blunders cause such added expenses as the $35 million plus to replace boliers at Pickering whic have never seen service. Could you please tel me what you consider "inexpensive" as operating costs? Tell me how much it will cost to decommission nuclear reactors after their 20- 30 year lifespan. I know this sum has not been included in the now $5 billion cost of building Darlington.c Now then, about renewable energy sources. You say they have yet to be perfected. Well, in my estimation, so has nuclear power. This is evidenced by the accident at Three Mile Island, the fuel bundle jam at Bruce, the' bungling with Babcock and Wilcox bailers at Pickering, etc., etc. Waste disposal methods have not been perfected for either mine tailings or spent nuclear fuel. I believe the only money spent on nuclear energy over the next decade should go towards perfecting waste management methods. Research and taxes are going up 10 per cent this year. No, I don't know what I'd do without the media. I'd probably spring out of bed in the morning, singing gaily, "Here hath been dawning Another new day. Think! Wilt thou let it Slip useless away?" I'd probably come chortling downstairs and cook up a big breakfast of bacon and eggs and real coffee instead of my usual tea and peanut-butter and jam sandwich. My wife doesn't eat anything. And leave her a dirty big mess in the kitchen to clean up. Then I'd sail off to school, so happy with life that I'd be gawking around at the wonders of nature and probably run over somebody's beloved dog. And when I'd got to school, buzzing with ebullience, the kids would likely cheer lustily, instead of rolling their eyes and groaning when I announced we were going to learn some goody ole grammar. That cheer would disturb the rest of the school for the whole day, and I'd be on the carpet for upsetting the learning system. In the teachers' staff room, I'd be a menace. If I shouted at the shuffleboard, "Jolly good shot", or "Well done, sir," instead of the usual "Don't miss. Don't choke. Don't be development funding should all go to the soft technologies e.g. solar andbiomass. I hope your participation in the Select Committee on Hydro Affairs is a learning experience, Mr. Cureatz, since you believe the nuclear debate is just beginning. In fact, it has been going on for several years, but should intensify as critics keep pressing for more freedom of information. Also, as more knowledgeable people leave the nuclear industry, the two sides become more evenly matched in technical expertise. I agree with you sir, that it is not difficult to accept the World Council of Churches statement re "Pandora's Box." It is also easy to agree with Albert Einstein when he stated "Splitting the atom has changed everything save man's mode of thinking, thus we drift toward unparalleled catastrophe." Can't we re-evaluate our mode of thinking and stop drifting, Mr. Cureatz? Yours to a non-nuclear future Mrs. D. Boden light", I'd be a moral leper. If a teacher came up to me, sobbing on my breast about some real or imaginery problem, and I burbled away cheerfully, instead of putting on my phony, grave expression of concern, she'd probably think I'd gone senile overnight. And if I came home and walked in the door and didn't issue my usual sigh-groan, "Holy Cheese, what a day!", my wife would know I had. This is when I must pick up that evening paper. If I didn't, who knows what wild extravagance my ebullience might lead me into: having somebody in, going out for dinner, attending a move, making love? There's no end to the iniquities into which good cheer and jolliness can lead one. Personally, I think people caught singing or whistling to themselves on the street should be locked up. They're liable to start a dangerous trend in this country. Therefore, as a non-depressant, I couldn't do without the media. They are the only thing that protect me from messing up my life and those of everyone I know by being happy. I make a deep obeisance to them, with my back turned. That sound you might hear is the breaking of wind. I may be vulgar but I'm happy. To the Editor: Whatever happened to the saying share and share alike. I was given the impression this meant in all things. Somehow, our Heads of Offices for the town of Bowmanville seem to have forgotten and continue to take all they can get without consideration for anyone. I am speaking of our main street and the down town area. Why is it when Merchants are the brunt of the construction work to beautify our town, the Town collects revenue from parking meters, sending customers out of town and raging to the merchants. I was particularily watching Thursday as Stedmans had their Grand Opening, and the number of tickets handed out. This was a happy occasion, as every Merchant has suffered from the fires that took place and we all are happy to see them back in business. Why can't this town share the bruntwhile construction is taking place to enhance our down town core? The merchants didn't want meters in the first place and if it wasn't ror the business people on main street the Town wouldn't be collecting a dime. The streets are a disgrace, mud, dust and all the rest that construction makes. We are not complaining about this, as the work has been needed for a long time and will certainly beautify our town. We feel the town is letting us down during construction. We keep our stores attractive, clean and tidy, as customers are our business. Yet you send them out of town to shop. The parking has never been suffi- cient and there is much less now that our streets are torn up. We think the town should bag the meters until our main street and the side streets are finished Other small towns like ours have the co-operation of officials at Christmas and sidewalk sales, we have to fight for everything. It's high time the merchants and customers of Bowman- ville had a break. Let's be fair! Louise Lyle 1