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l 6 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, January 10,1990 Sfot Canadian statesman cn Durham Region's Great Family Journal Eslablished 136 years ago in 1854 © Also Incorporating ■ - The Bowmanville News UZX The Newcastle Independent ,rl The Orono News Second Class mail registration number 1561 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited 62 King Street West, Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 416-623-3303 Fax 416-623-6161 John M. James Editor - Publisher Richard A. James Associate Publisher Peter Parrott Associate Editor Brian Purdy Mgr. Donald Bishop Plant Mgr. Advertising Mgr. All layouts and composition of advertisements produced by the employees of James Publishing Company Limited are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Subscription Rates Six Months --$11.00 One Year--$20.00 Foreign -- $60.00 per year Although every precaution will be taken to avoid error, The Canadian Statesman accepts advertising In Its columns on the understanding that It will not be liable 1er any error In the advertisement published hereunder unless a proot ol such advertisement Is requested in writing by the advertiser and relumed to The Canadian Statesman business office duly signed by the advertiser and with such error or corrections plainly noted in writing thereon, and In that case H any error so noted Is not corrected by The Canadian Statesman its liability shall not exceed such a portion ol the entire coet ol such advertisement as the space occupied by the noted error bears to the whole space occupied by such advertisement. Editorial Comment Let's Hope We Don't Use It y Let us suppose, for a minute, that the unthinkable happened and that some kind of accident occurred at Dar- Jington. Let's further suppose that this ■accident required the evacuation of • J:he area immediately surrounding the plant - an area which includes Bow- fnanville. " n ' If that occurred, then the station's "emergency plan would be put into effect, effect, and the community would be emptied in an orderly fashion. A: Well, that's what's supposed to hap- ,-pen. But we cannot help but wonder if an orderly response to an emergency "'involving the movement of over 20,000 people is feasible. Look at it this way: The radio suddenly suddenly blares out a message that homes within 10 kilometres of Darlington must be evacuated. Quickly now. Do you remember where you put the map 'that Hydro mailed you 10 years ago "concerning the proper procedures for ■dispersing in an orderly fashion? Do you recall what you're supposed to do if you don't have access to a car at the time, of the evacuation? Can you recall what sort of things you are supposed supposed to take with you in the event of an emergency such as this one? What happens to the kids at school? The emergency plan calls for them to be evacuated by school buses, but are you likely to remember that fact in the midst of an emergency? If you live in Bowmanville, you are supposed to exit the municipality via Highway 115/35, stopping at a reception reception area at Clarke High School before proceeding further. Will you remember remember this if the time comes when you need to know what to do? And, for that matter, would a facility the size of Clarke High School be big enough to process the large crowd of citizens which would be passing through? And, while we're at it, we might wonder whether a 10 kilometre emergency emergency zone around the Darlington plant is adequate. Is there, in existence, existence, a plan to widen that area of evacuation if necessaiy? If the materials being mailed to the public concerning a response to a disaster disaster at Darlington are our only line of defence, then we haven't done enough. If the purpose of the pamphlet is to ensure that there's an emergency plan in existence somewhere, then we suppose suppose that the pamphlet has done its job. But, if the purpose of the emergency plan is to provide a workable guideline for saving lives in the event of a disaster, disaster, the plan is lacking. In a sense, the emergency plan is sort of like a household fire extinguisher. extinguisher. You hope that you never have to use it, but in an emergency, you would expect it to work. Naturally, if nothing ever happens at Darlington, it wouldn't matter whether or not the emergency plan was unworkable. If it is never needed, the practical value of the plan would be purely academic. But, it seems to us that an emergency emergency plan for Darlington should be something more than a sheet of paper. It seems to us that there is only one way to ensure that any evacuation plan for Darlington will work, That method is to use some kind of mock disaster which will train emergency personnel and give some indication as to the kind of problems that may be encountered by the emergency. The analogy is similar to a fire drill. We have fire drills to ensure that everyone everyone knows what to do if a fire should break out. Surely an evacuation plan for Darlington Darlington should be the subject of a similar similar kind of drill. Otherwise, we really aren't depending depending on an emergency plan to help us. What we're depending on is the conviction conviction that nothing will go wrong. And, while we have every reason to be 99.999 per cent certain that there will be no disaster, the emergency plan is designed to help allay that lingering lingering fear of what would happen if one did occur. Of equal importance, it should also be a workable blueprint for coping with a disaster if one did happen. Although the possibility of an evacuation evacuation of a community as the result of a nuclear plant malfunction is remote, the existence of an emergency plan acknowledges acknowledges that the potential for a disaster does exist. (Even if such a thing has never before happened in Canada.) It seems to us that if such a plan is to be anything more than a cosmetic cosmetic exercise, the plan should be workable. And the only way to develop this sort of plan is to try it out and repeat the simulated emergency on an almost annual basis. In addition, the plan should be updated and circulated to the public regularly in order to ensure that the procedures are understood as fully as is humanly possible. MPs on Silver Screen According to news reports, television's television's parliamentary channel is in for some changes. In the past, the live broadcasts from the House of Commons have been • nothing more than a visual Hansard. The television cameras were required, by regulations, to cover only the particular particular MP doing the speaking at any point in time. Viewers have oltcn wondered why there were no shots depicting reactions reactions by other MPs or such things as the desk-thumping, heckling, hoots and jeers which are part of the parliamentary parliamentary tradition. Canadian parliament is not always an interesting place. (With the possi- 1 ble exception of Question Period.) And the action depicted by the TV coverage tended to only confirm this impression. impression. , „ But the changes proposed for the rules governing parliamentary coverage coverage will make things a little more lively. lively. In the future, it is suggested that the cameras will be able to roam about the House of Commons to show reactions reactions from the members ns one of their colleagues is speaking. And if something something truly dramatic happens such to as a decision by a parliamentarian to nr cross the door and sit with another party that will lie duly recorded by the cameras. In addition, there arc plans to show the proceedings of various various parliamentary committees which arc the places where the real work gets done, according to many parliamentarians. parliamentarians. . Frankly, we re not too excited over the planned expansion of parliamentary parliamentary coverage via TV. To put it bluntly, bluntly, who will ho watching? Quickly, now. Can you recall the Letter Writers Urge University To Stop Reactor Ontario Hydro Makes Plans for Electricity in F uture Generations last time you actually viewed the parliamentary parliamentary proceedings for more than one or two minutes while turning your selector to another channel? Do you know of anyone who watches the House of Commons proceedings on TV? Can you name two people who watch the parliamentary chaanel and are not relatives of MPs, House of Commons clerks or legislative pages? No doubt there are a few political connoisseurs who enjoy the cut and thrust of parliamentary debate. But you've got to pity the poor politician who, armed with nothing more than a glib tongue and a dazzling wit must compete against blockbuster American TV movies that have been produced with multi-million-dollnr budgets. It's not exactly a fair fight. t It seems to us that if parliament is going to jazz up its cable coverage, it should go the entire distance and add a little more than reaction shots or committee coverage. What about a laugh track to underscore the jokes made by the various members? What about computer animation to help illustrate illustrate a particularly difficult issue? Or how about two or three on-air hosts to comment on the various remarks and perhaps somebody to prowl the sidelines with n microphone, getting quick comments from back-benchers? In short, the folks who want to make tlio parliamentary channel more watch nblo should Lake their cue from tho kind of coverage given to monster truck racing or NFL football. Only then would tho televised coverage coverage of parliament lie nblo to compote on an equal footing with broadcasts such as those of tho World Wrestling Federation. „ , If tlio ratings were really good, tho by Andrea Adair Ontario Hydro is planning planning to spend $10 billion in the next 25 years on energy conservation methods. As one of the components components to a proposal to spend $60 billion on meeting energy demands into the next century, the utility is expecting to reduce reduce the demand for electricity electricity by 25 per cent through conservation. Gord Sanford, Ontario Hydro's Central Region Director mentioned some methods they feel will help customers conserve. One method of saving energy could be to install more energy-efficient lighting. He mentioned installing installing 9 watt light bulbs that, while they use less energy, produce the amount of light a 60 watt bulb does. The payback period on these bulbs for businesses is two to three years, he said. Another option is for residents to use fridge thermometers that indicate indicate the optimum temperature temperature at which the refrigerator refrigerator should be running. Ontario Hydro, he said, will give the thermometers thermometers away at no charge. Shower heads that mix air with water, more efficient efficient motors in industry and more energy-efficient appliances for the home are some of the methods that could go far in reducing reducing demand. He said Hydro may have to offer some incentives incentives to encourage people to follow these methods. Mr. Sanford was taking taking part in a media briefing briefing held at Darlington Generating Station last week to discuss the recently recently announced 25 year plan for supplying Ontario Ontario with electrical energy. Public Input From public input in the eighties, Hydro learned that people wanted wanted to be involved in determining determining the manner in which electricity is produced, produced, he said. In the early eighties Ontario out n study to look at alternative alternative ways of producing energy. The public, at that time, offered their views. This was followed by tho provincial government's Select Committee report on energy. From the views of the government and the public, public, Ontario Hydro developed developed the proposed plan that is before them today. Mr. Sanford explained that there are three priorities priorities Hydro must meet in order to fulfill the energy energy demand in the future. future. He said they must reduce reduce demand, repair and maintain existing facilities facilities and increase supply. Démand Grows Hydro anticipates that by the year 2014, annual peak electricity demand could grow to 40,000 megawatts. megawatts. By 1993 they expect to be able to meet more than half of that but, because because a number of generating generating stations are expected expected to be retired in the next 25 years, the 26,200 megawatts they could meet in 1993 will be decreased decreased by close to 25 per cent. To increase supply, Ontario Hydro, is looking at hydraulic construction, purchasing power _ from Manitoba and negotiating for electricity with Quebec Quebec (an option which has thus far been unsuccessful). unsuccessful). Mr. Sanford said that this isn't enough to meet demand in the future. Ontario Hydro is considering considering building either more nuclear stations, more fossil generating stations or a combination of the two, which is what is proposed, to meet the demands moving into the next century. Sixty eight hydraulic generating stations, six fossil stations and four nuclear plants. are currently currently in operation now. And all three methods of generation have some type of impact on the environment. environment. The preference of tho public is hydraulic. Hydro is going to do all that is feasible," Mr. Sanford stated. He added that although although there arc no hazardous hazardous emissions from cent 25-year plan. ' Turbines Proposed Gas turbines proposed in the plan are a quick source of generation that can be put in place in two to four years' time. They aren't that expensive expensive to acquire, Mr. Sanford said, but they are costly to run and have negative environmental environmental effects. Burning fuel results in gas emissions emissions that contribute to acid rain. Concerns such as nuclear nuclear safety and radioactive radioactive waste disposal as well as aesthetic appearance appearance are connected to nuclear nuclear generating plants. "I'm still convinced that the CANDU system is the best system. It's safer and the most realistic. realistic. Clearly our system is one of the best. It wouldn't be logical to change that," he said. The proposal Ontario Hydro has selected to meet the demand for electricity electricity in the next 25 years is a mixture of hydraulic, hydraulic, nuclear and fossil generation. Nuclear Units Ten nuclear units at three stations and 32 gas- fired combustion turbine Units are being proposed. Sites currently being considered for the nuclear nuclear units include a Darlington Darlington B, a Bruce C, Wesleyville, the North Channel and three new, the open houses have been held. After the plan is approved, approved, each site that gets selected will undergo an environmental assessment. assessment. "If the demand for electricity electricity continues," Mr. Sanford said, "We may have to pursue more than one site at the same time." Information Centres To find out more about Ontario Hydro's plans to meet the energy demands of the province in the next 25 years, plan to attend attend an open house which starts today at the Bowmanville Bowmanville Recreation complex. complex. It is also a chance to express your concerns about the proposal. The open house is taking taking place today and tomorrow tomorrow from 1 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9:30 p.m. On Friday the hours are from 1 to 5 p.m. Dear Editor: In May 1989, the University University of Saskatchewan administration administration (which includes the president of a Saskatchewan uranium mining company) announced the proposed installation installation of an Atomic Energy Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) nuclear reactor for campus heating purposes. As federal taxpayers who reluctantly reluctantly fund AECL, we challenge arguments in favour favour of this plan. We join with residents of Saskatchewan who refuse to roll out the welcome mat for AECL. AECL hasn't sold a reactor abroad for years, and they can't even give one away on their own soil. Last year, the people of Quebec forced the cancellation of AECL's "free",reactor gift to a hospital in Sherbrooke. Since 1983, six Canadian communities have told AECL to get out of town with their "giveaway" reactor reactor offers. Nuclear power is an obsolete obsolete technology: No new reactors reactors have been ordered in the United States since 1978. Fifty-four U.S. reactors reactors under construction have been stopped, and U.S. banks refuse to fund loans in aid of new atomic power projects. An all-party House of Commons committee announced announced in 1988 that no new reactors should be built in Canada until Canadians can agree on an acceptable means of radioactive waste disposal. Concern for the greenhouse greenhouse effect has been cited by AECL and the University of Saskatchewan as a reason for using nuclear power. Surely the greenhouse effect is not the only facet of our environmental responsibility! responsibility! Are we not accountable for both the greenhouse effect effect and nuclear poisons that are vented into the air and accumulate in the food chain? The major forces behind behind global warming are in fact motor vehicle fumes, industrial industrial smokestack emissions emissions and deforestation. Nuclear Nuclear power won't address these causes. Besides, , a nuclear nuclear plant can take up to 15 years to build. We must address our polluting, polluting, wasteful energy habits habits now. Today's investments in energy efficiency and relatively relatively benign electricity generation generation will forestall the creation of nuclear and coal waste in the future. So why repeat the nuclear mistake, particularly when most Canadians Canadians oppose it? And how does the University University of Saskatchewan answer answer to the connections between between the civilian nuclear establishment and the military? military? Ontario Hydro, our civilian civilian nuclear utility, hosted a seminar in the fall of 1988, where U.S. nuclear weapons manufacturers were in attendance. attendance. In a letter to one of us, federal energy minister Jake Epp admits that "in 1974 India India detonated a nuclear explosive explosive with plutonium derived derived from a pilot reactor supplied by Canada". Every four years the reactor intended intended for the University of Saskatchewan would produce produce enough plutonium for two nuclear bombs. How does the university propose to take responsibility for this internationally-desired commodity? Do the people of Saskatchewan want on their premises one of the most toxic substances ever produced, produced, in addition to the windswept piles of uranium mine tailings in the north? There is no known amount of plutonium small enough not to cause cancer! As with their stab at Sherbrooke, only the nuclear establishment's interests are served by constructing an untested, unproven new reactor model at the University University of Saskatchewan. Concerned people are urged to write to President Ivany, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 0W0, and Herb Swan, Minister Minister of Environment & Public Safety, Regina S4S 0B3. An environmental group worthy of your support is the Inter- Church Uranium Committee, Committee, at Box 7724, Saskatoon S7K4R4. Yours Truly, Anne Hansen, Irene Kock. Legion Members Sign Petition For Name Change Dear Editor: There is a list of names at the Legion Branch 178 to change the town's name back to Bowmanville. There are over 170 names on this list so far. I would also like to mention mention that when Marie was being elected Mayor, she said she would change the town's name back to Bowmanville. Bowmanville. At December's council meeting, Marie voted voted against it. I agree with Councillor Deegan that this should be on the ballot at the next municipal election to let the voters decide, not the council. Now I know who not to vote for. I think Marie has let the people of this town down and possibly she might not win. A Concerned Citizen Bowmanville. Andrea Adair If you have been thinking thinking that 1990 will be the year you'll find the answers answers to some of the mildly mildly important questions you've had in previous years you may be disappointed. disappointed. My thirst for the answers answers to the millions of ,. o emissions Hydro carried hydraulic generation, dedemand dedemand option vcloping the site does impact impact the environment. Nine new hydraulic sites, three redeveloped sites and six site extensions extensions comprise the hydraulic hydraulic portion of tho re- un j^ en J^ e fj 1 s ^ es - D , very important questions Wesleyville near Port j j iave w i]] ) I' m afraid, Hope, North Channel nGver be quenched, near Blind River and - Lambton near Sarnia are just some of the locations under consideration for fossil generating stations. Mr. Sanford said using an existing site for the nuclear units would minimize minimize the impact on people people but Ontario Hydro has no preference about where the sites would go. If, after tho public information information sessions, the public and political view is that the plan has Loo high a nuclear component Hydro can increase the fossil fuel use. Or if the view is the opposite, there is a plan to increase the nuclear component. rip I Ontario Hydro's proposed proposed plan has to have approval from tho Ontario Ontario Government and the utility is expecting to go before tho government sometime this year after Questions such as where do the people come from that make up the "what's hot and what's not" lists will never bo answered. Do they come from our world or were they dropped off here from some space ship travelling travelling by hoping to wreak havoc on the planet? This seems plausible because that is exactly what they do. They stir up a tempest every time a new list comes out. For myself, I know that every time I rend a list I run to my closet and start, chucking out tho clothes that arc no longer "in". This means I have to go on a major shopping spreo but since I have no husband to support I can afford it. Everyone knows too that women, since tho beginning of time, wore Did they find a copy of an "in and out" list dating back to the 1700's that said "in and out list makers" makers" were in for that year and have been a list maker maker ever since? Or are they our neighbours? neighbours? The man living at the corner house with the cute little black dog? Is he a normal family man by day only to turn into a crazed list maker by night? Does his family know about it or are they secret list makers too? Are our own families free of list makers? Or have the members actually actually been invaded by body snatchers and arc living among us deciding that whatever style we live our life in is definitely on tho out list? Or do they crunch all these numbers and facts and come up with a statistically statistically accurate statement? statement? Something like: pizza for breakfast is passe (never mind disgusting). disgusting). Or do they all. get together together and brainstorm everything about "fads and trends they can think about and then choose tho method I do for so- government could actually sell advertising advertising on the parliamentary channel and uso the revenue to help offset tlio national debt. But, unless parliament is willing to get into show business in a really big way, we suspect that federal elected officials would bo better off to slay with tho status quo. Coverage of parliament may bo boring. boring. but it serves tho purpose of providing providing tlio nation with a window on the proceedings of Parliament. Thai minority which finds politics interesting interesting probably lms no objection to tho fact that current covorngo lacks a certain certain amount of rnzz.lo-dazzlo. And, its doubtful that tho addition of more committee hearings or n loosening of rules governing the kind of camera shots allowed will have the effect of increasing increasing tho number of viewers. Alter nil, the viewer 1ms over fit) channels to choose from. Unless he or she really loves politics, ho or she isn't likely to ho watching parliamentary proceedings proceedings in tho first place. Extended coverage may he good for tho ego of a fow politicians, hut it's not likely that thoro are any other advantages. advantages. Let's keep tho parliamentary coverage coverage on the cable channel boring, It's, no doubt, loss expensive that way. put on tho earth solely to looting my column topics invade shopping mnlls. each week? Stick thorn all Next, I race to the grocery grocery store, oven though I don't grocery shop, and buy all tho foods that arc now in, by-passing the ont brnn. (That's because oat bran is one of the items definitely out this year). Doesn't everybody 'do that? If you don't then why do those people that write those lists think you do? Aro they followers of tho lists limy write thorn- solves? in a lint, close my eyes and pick, And how about those silly people that make all those predictions? Tho only time you hear about thorn is when you see their face in tlio checkout linos at tho supermarket. Does Hint tabloid for enquiring minds have a monopoly on predictions? Do they koop theso pooplo locked , away for months before they come up with something inter esting they think is going to happen? And what about these predictions? Do you care if Oprah gains weight? Do you care if Roseanne loses weight? Do you care if Robert Redford loses his hair? Do you buy these newspapers to find that out? Oh, and my absolute favourite lists are the "Best of' lists. I have yet to read a list by a reporter or a reviewer reviewer about the best movie, album, concert or group of 1989 that is remotely agreeable to anyone under under the age of 30. These people must ■have been born somewhere somewhere between the Norman Norman invasion of England and the turn of the 20th century, judging by the "best ofs" lists that they create. Their lists tend to be a little off the mark, in my view. And the most important important question I had in 1989 and will continue to have in 1990 is when am I dBg to get mail? -wiv editor has warned mo that if he doesn't see a letter printed in the paper either praising or roasting my column, he is going to start pulling my lmir out. One hair for each issue that there isn't n letter, retroactive to January 1989. You may not like mo very much, Bowmnnvillo, but you would lmlo mo if I worn bald. But, tho most important important question you lmvo about when I am going to start writing columns of substance, interest and relevance will got an answer answer right now: Probably not this year.