_ By DAVID MARTIN

‘huclear establishment in

while part of a real global
Ik, is particularly complex
It is a conglomerate of
and public groups. The
elements are a number of
rporations:

Opment, sales, promotion

Contracting

48sets of $1,062-billion (as of

| Ge 1975) :
| 7) Atomic Ene
(AECB) rgy Control Board

ee formed 1946 :
* Tegulates all aspects of the
Nuclear indust

ne

j ae some ‘production
, ©) "all refining of uranium
Uranium Canada Ltd. (UCL)

© lormed 1971
3 holds the crown share of a
8 (fanium stockpile in a

J0int-venture’ wi i
Nines. ure’ with Denison
Revolving around these crown
Utilt Tations are the provincial
Hyd €s, notably Ontario Hydro,
Re oucbec, and New
gee Electric Power Com-
lear 10; all of which possess nuc-
i Power stations.
N mining and milling of
Tanium (as well as ENL) there

Denison Mines

0) Rio Algom Mines

z aot Minerals Canada

~\®) Noranda Mines

‘) Brimax _.

woe |. Uranertz Canada

fuel fabrication and man-

cture of reactor components

Nere are:

a) Canadian General. Electric
terborough)

of

ee ee ee

(b) Westinghouse Canada (Port
Hope and Hamilton)
(c) Combustion Engineering and
Superheater (Montreal)

A long list of corporations con-
tribute to the industry through
consultation, machinery supply,

etc. The majority are foreign con- ©

trolled — the largest and most in-
fluential being American, Viz,
Babcock & Wilcox Canada,
Combustion Engineering and
Superheater, Canadian General
Electric, and Westinghouse
Canada.

Besides the high degree of
foreign ownership in the Cana-
dian nuclear establishment, a
striking characteristic is the high
degree of integration. The AECL,
AECB, ENL, and Ontario Hydro
all have common board members.
Academic nuclear scientists from
universities across the country
have also been incorporated into
these bodies. The net result of this
situation is a system of. com-
pletely vested interest, in which
the experts have lost their critical
facility.

The fact that nuclear develop-
ment in Canada is in the public
sector, does not make the prob-
lem easier. The crown corpora-
tions:are blatantly manipulated by
private (largely foreign) business
interests, while a lack of account-
ability and the government's
financial backing make them
enormously, and dangerously
powerful. Also, working in con-
junction with the establishment is
the Canadian Nuclear Asso-
ciation of Toronto, a powerful big
business lobby group which iron-
ically includes -our publicly-
owned crown corporations. (The
above was condensed from Fred

H->. Knelman’s.. book, Nuclear’

Energy, The Unforgiving
Technology, Edmonton: Hurtig,
1976.)

_ Political Aspects of Nuclear Power

_ Weare presently in the midst of
a world capitalist crisis. This

ho controls nuclear pow

crisis exhibits the standard
characteristics of a long series of
similar depressions, that is, mass
unemployment, capitalist world
inflation, working-class
fightback, monetary fluctuations,
etc. For the first time however,
ecological problems are entering
into the equation to a critical de-
gree. Thus, we have energy

shortages, waste of irreplaceable .
resources, and the poisoning of +

earth, water and air. While many
scientists and environmental

specialists feel they can criticize

the situation from an abstract
“environmental”’ standpoint, this
is becoming increasingly more
difficult. We must understand
that destruction of the environ-
ment and oppression in the work-
place, are both symptoms of
capitalist domination.

Under the present capitalist

economic order, the economy is -

organized around the generation
of profit. The same corporations
which pollute and endanger our

lives, also have immense control —

at high governmental levels
through the Liberal and Conser-
vative parties. Our bankrupt
democracy only offers us a choice
between the Liberal frying pan
and the Tory fire — both of whom
give unqualified support to nuc-
lear power (with the exception of
some low level members who
have no influence on the overall

policy).

What then, are the political al- |

ternatives for people concerned
about the environmental rape of
their country? In our minds we
must realize, that only under
socialism will environmental and
human considerations be placed
ahead of profit: The true
‘“‘conserver. society’. will. bea
socialist society, under popular
control in a true democracy. For
those of us on the left, and in the
environmental movement, our
task is to forge a unity between
our struggles. We must identify

Above: Demonstrators protest the use of nuclear power in New York

er in Canada? —

os

City. Below: Huge tank for storage of atomic wastes. A major danger in
the use of nuclear power Is the difficulty in safely disposing of the toxic
waste matter generated by the process. oo ;

with our brothers and sisters in
the Canadian labor movement.
Environmental -contamination
and manipulation of nuclear
power are simply aspects of our
collective exploitation. through
monopoly capitalism.

Despite clear-cut evidence that _

there are no present guarantees in

our country for the safe and ef-

ficient use of and disposal of nuc-

lear energy and waste, the Liberal

government has and the Conser-.

vative government will continue
to patronize it. With the taxpayer
as the financial backer, nuclear
power becomes, in the. capitalist

system, an enormously profitable

no-risk enterprise for a limited
number of made to measure cor-

_porations involved with uranium

mining, ore refining, reactor con-
struction and maintenance.

By ALFRED DEWHURST

Last week we argued the case for
SALT II agreement between the
tow R and the USA as a positive step
ste ‘td braking the nuclear arms race, a
one that could open the road to world
toa disarmament. We drew attention

Ple the world over are demanding an’

tot
Dossibitn nuclear bomb threat, and the

8s human comprehension.
* * *

We drew attention also that these

ae Tesponsible nuclear policy in the
¢lopment, production and use of nuc-
nergy for peaceful purposes.
ined the spotlight of world public opin-
emma the irresponsible behavior of gov-
firms; authorities and private nuclear
the In the production of nuclear energy,
q nufacture of nuclear reactor plants
Gleay tuipment, and the disposal of nu-
= Waste, ;

* * *

pyooent disclosures of faulty Ontario
Tada boilers in the Bruce nuclear plant,
to] On poisoning of employees, con-
ha laxity and leakage of nuclear waste
4 ed Served to heighten the already
~ thee lY-bedded concern of Canadians of
gg Potential danger residing in the nuc-

f tnareiety cannot help but be concerned
rn In the absence of iron-clad safe-

tn

in the production and use of nuc-

f

the fact that hundreds of millions of .

ity of a nuclear disaster that bog-

© Harrisburg nuclear disaster ©

‘or responsible nuclear policy

_ Marxism-Leninism in Today’s World —

lear energy, neglect and errors in judg-
ment as well as unseen consequences,
may seriously and perhaps fatally affect
the health of people in a given commun-
ity or communities. But all of this need
not be. What is needed are governmen-

tal measures, strictly enforced, to en- —
’ sure the application of responsible nuc-

lear policy.

Pending the implementation of such

policy, public opinion is absolutely cor- -

rect in demanding a moratorium in the
production of nuclear energy.
mee: x * *

Communists do not share the view
current in some quarters that the pro-
duction and use of nuclear energy for
peaceful purposes should be banned.
We consider that this would be a retro-
grade step that would negatively affect

social development on a world and

domestic scale. : :
The real question ‘is: in whose: in-
terests and for what purpose will nuc-

lear energy, and other energetic

sources, be developed? We say that soc-
iety cannot allow nuclear energy, in-
cluding raw resource processing, be left
in the hands of the monopoly corpora-

tions. They must be publicly-owned —

under democratic control.

x * *

The Communist Party is for the pian-
ned dévelopment of the Canadian
economy under democratic control with
the main levers of the economy publicly

owned. Such type of development
would take fully into account the ra-
tional use of our natural and human re-
sources, the preservation of the ecolog-
ical balance and the natural environ-
ment. All of which would include the
necessary legiislation and effective
measures for maximum protection of
the health and safety of the whole popu-
lation. :

Such a program in its fullest sense

could only be carried through under .

socialist conditions. But, short of
socialism much can be achieved along
these lines. A truly democratic anti-
monopoly government, backed by a
progressive majority including Com-
munists, could take the country on the

path of responsible nuclear develop-

ment. For modern science is fully capa-

ble of providing maximum tested safe-

guards ensuring full protection from the

effects of deadly nuclear radioactivity.
* oh

What stands in the way at the present

time is the refusal of the state to face up

~ to its full responsibility by adopting and
enforcing adequate environmental, -

health and safety regulations, and al-
locating the funds needed for these pur-

’ poses. The reason for this anti-people’s
‘position on the part of the state is its
partnership with monopoly whose con- -

cern is first, foremost and always the
making of maximum profits.
The principles of a responsible nuc-

_ lear policy must cover the supervision

of the production, application, storage

and transportation of all radioactive, .

poisonous and strong substances, and
the establishment by law of the stan-
dards of man’s natural environment,
and the norms of permissable concen-
trations for all substances that pollute
the air, water and soil.
‘Non-compliance with or violations of
such laws to be regarded as a major

criminal offence against society and ~

perpetrators punished accordingly.
* * a
Canada is a manufacturer and expor-
ter of the Candu reactor, and as such

holds a serious responsibility to ensure ©

that its x: :actor fully measures up to
internationally accepted norms of safety
and reliability. This is a responsibility
that Canadians must not allow our gov-
ernment to shirk. The same applies to
the guarantee that the Candu must
never be used for the production of nuc-
lear energy for nuclear warfare.

Keeping this vital condition in mind —

the sale of reactors by Canada to fascist,
racist and aggressive governments and
states which have not signed the non-

proliferation treaty must be prohibited.
* 5 * * st :

Finally, the Canadian government
should come out forthrightly for the de-
struction of all existing stockpiles of
nuclear weapons. For, herein lies the
most dangerous nuclear threat of all.

Note: Last week’s column, fourth col-
umn, eighth line from top should read:
“‘Today hundreds of millions of ordinary
people ee Bid

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JUNE 8, 1979— Page 7