[ CawaDA Ontario hydro plans fo supply U.S. military By PAUL OGRESKO Tritium, a by-product of nuclear reac- tors, is a key component in all but the most primitive of nuclear weapons. How integral it is to the manufacture and maintenance of nuclear weapons can be judged by the fact that tritium is currently the U.S. military's number one weapons priority. Over 90 per cent of the tritium produced in the U.S. goes directly into the U.S. military’s program, either into the making of new hydrogen bombs or in “refreshing” existing nuclear weapons. Without fresh infusions of tritium, nu- clear weapons are soon rendered impotent. Reliable estimates place American production of tritium for military pur- poses at 11 kilograms a year, enough to ‘“‘refresh’* 20,000 nuclear bombs as well as providing for the manufacture of 1,000 new hydrogen bombs. Ontario Hydro Exports Ontario Hydro has announced plans to export tritium for sale beginning in 1987. As a by-product of nuclear generating stations, tritium is emitted into the environment through air and water as a result of routine and accidental leaks of heavy water. But Candu reactors operat- ing in Canada are unique in that they are moderated by heavy water, through the ensuing process much more tritium is produced by the Candu than other types _of nuclear reactors. Since tritium is a radioactive element it is necessary, from both an environ- mental and human standpoint, that it be removed from the heavy water of Candu reactors on; a regular basis. To avoid radiation contamination “the tritium should be stored in a safe site until it is no _longer radioactive, a period of roughly 12-13- years. : ~However, the demand for tritium south of the border has given the impetus for Ontario Hydro to regard tritium not as a dangerous by-product but as a com- modity for an eager market. A $100-million Tritium Recovery Facility is currently being constructed at Darlington, Ontario. With this facility. Ontario Hydro plans to recover and pos- sibly market 50 kilograms of tritium over the next 15 years, a market value of $600 to $750-million. Likely customers in- clude Great Britain and Japan though the greatest market exists in the United States. While Ontario Hydro has up to now claimed its plans to export tritium will not contribute to the nuclear weap- ons build-up, all evidence points to the contrary. Ontario Hydro has recently set up, with the assistance of the National Re- search Council of Canada and the On- tario Provincial Government, the Cana- dian Fusion Fuels Technology Project (CFTTP). The purpose of this body be- ing the exploration of all opportunities for Canadian industry in the international fusion research field; particularly in the area of production, recovery, and handl- ing of tritium. Contacts with Military The CFFTP has, to this day, initiated commercial contacts with several American research facilities and com- panies such as the Fusion Engineering Design Centre at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, McDonnell- _ Douglas and Grumman Aerospace. All of these are principal players in the military-industrial complex of the United States. ; A report prepared by Irene Kock for Toronto Nuclear Awareness points out how the work of CFFTP is threatening to pull Canada’s nuclear research commu- 1 _ 6 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, MARCH 12, 1986 nity directly into the nuclear arms pro- gram of the United States. “The Canadian academic community is being integrated into the CFFTP’s op- erations. Construction has begun on the low-level Tritium Research Facility at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. At McMaster University in Hamilton, the Fusion Pro- cesses and Fuels Project has been estab- lished jointly with CFFITP for the development of tritium systems tech- nology,’’ she said. Assurances by CFFTP that Canadian tritium will not be sold to institutions working on military contracts gives little comfort as Kock points out: “Even if tritium is used strictly for civilian fusion research, this research may have military spin-offs, or aid milit- ary research directly. Laser fusion re- search has helped to develop more pow- erful and efficient H-bombs as well as the new generation of space-based weapons ‘for the Strategic Defence Initiative. (Star Wars). The Canadian government needs to weigh the profits from Ontario Hyd- ro’s proposed tritium exports against our internationally declared commitment to global nuclear disarmament.” The Darlington nuclear plant: Ontario Hydro plans to build a $100-million tritium covery facility here. Tritium is an essential ingredient in nuclear weapons and U arms manufacturers are its biggest customer. the newsletter asks. Canadians; achieved; ‘*As a coalition to abolish nuclear weapons and fund human needs, how should EAR respond to this Soviet proposal?”’, ‘‘Our choices appear to be these: “1. We can ignore it out of a residual mistrust of the Soviet Union, something which is very real among a number of **2. We can applaud its sincerity, but assume it cannot be **3. We can all on our own government to do all it can to Support for Soviet nuke-ban VANCOUVER — End the Arms Race (EAR) in its February-March newsletter sent to its hundreds of affiliate groups in British Columbia, has urged its supporters to press Ottawa to respond positively to the January 15 Soviet peace proposals which call for an end to nuclear weapons by the year 2000. encourage serious negotiations in Geneva to achieve a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.” The newsletter, reaffirming its goal of ending the arms race urges that Canadians welcome all constructive proposa “Our job now is to press our government to: ‘1. Assert a more independent foreign policy; “2. As part of this, ask the United States to match t Soviet action in establishing a moratorium on nucle weapons’ testing as an essential first step toward a comp hensive test ban treaty; **3. Encourage the United States to respond constructively to the recent proposals by Soviet leader Gorbachev; *“4. Cancel any further Cruise missile testing in Canada; in NORAD).”’ “5. Reject any kind of Canadian involvement in Star Wars. | (through research contracts or through the proposed changes — > Keeping NATO out of Labrador ST. JOHN’S — Ina move to increase organized opposition to the militariza- tion of the Quebec-Labrador peninsula — Nitassinan to the Innu, the Native people who live there —the North Atlan- tic Peace Organization (NAPO) has re- cently been formed. Both present military activities and the prospect of a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) base at Goose Bay are being protested. The new organization brings together people from a number of interest groups who have been protesting low-level NATO jet training in the area. On Feb. 13 an ‘‘information line’ awaited External Affairs Minister Joe Clark when he arrived at the Canon Wood Hall in St. John’s for a fundraising dinner. The ‘‘line’’, organized by NAPO, listed its concerns on a leaflet distributed on the occasion, as well as speaking di- rectly to Clark. The leaflet pointed to concerns about: disruption of Native life-styles; ignoring of Native land claims over the area; environmental effects; increased mili- tarization of the province; investment of — funds in capital-intensive military rather than labor-intensive productive jobs; NATO promotion of new destabilizing “‘deep-strike’’ strategy, for which this training is a preparation; dual-capability (i.e., nuclear as well as conventional) of i the weapons being used. Militarization of Labrador NAPO is made up of peace, Native, social justice and environmental ac- tivities. The new body was formed to respond to ‘‘the growing concern with the militarization of Labrador,’”” NAPO literature states. “‘Given the present climate of renewed East-West arms negotiations, we see an opportunity for Canada to play an impor- tant international role as a peacemaker. NATO’s presence in Labrador and the proposed establishment of a NATO Tac- tical Fighter Weapons Training Centre compromises Canada’s ability to be an intermediary,’’ says the peace organ- ization. It sees the ‘‘more aggressive strategy”’ inherent in low-level fighter aircraft re- hearsals as bound up with plans for ‘“‘deep-strike’’ penetration into Soviet territory. While doing nothing for Canada’s de- fence, NAPO charges, such a NATO base at Goose Bay would make it ‘‘a prime nuclear target.”’ The peace group goes on to assert that the $93-million preparation for the base could be better spent by Canada in sec- tors like education and health, and in alternative economic strategies all of which provide more long-term jobs th th does military spending. A parallel reason for protest is disruption of the lives and ignoring oft problems of the Innu of Labrador Quebec, whose initiatives the new gi supports. Noise Pollution “NATO jets are currently flying titudes as low as 100 feet (30.5 me’ over Innu camps and hunting and ga ing parties in Quebec and Labrada NAPO charges. This causes seve psychological stress, and damage to f hearing of the Innu. -The prop $800-million NATO base will exace’ the situation with ‘‘three or more bom ing ranges, as well as air-to-air air-to-sea manoeuvres.’ Included in the NATO intrusion will 130 NATO aircraft annually, and 1,5 military personnel and their fa ““NATO air forces will conduct low-le navigation and bombing practices, di and night . . . over boreal forest and tu dra...” NAPO points out. ; Expressing deep concern, the N Atlantic Peace Organization makes appeal: ‘“‘We call upon both levels 4 government to withdraw their suppoi for the NATO training base, and we ur all Newfoundlanders and Labradorian to join with us in expressing conce: